Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 14
Chapter 52: देवीप्रतिमालक्षणं (Devī-pratimā-lakṣaṇa) — Characteristics of Goddess Images
वीरभद्रो वृषारूढो मात्रग्रे स चतुर्मुखः गौरीं तु द्विभुजा त्र्यक्षा शूलिनी दर्पणान्विता
vīrabhadro vṛṣārūḍho mātragre sa caturmukhaḥ gaurīṃ tu dvibhujā tryakṣā śūlinī darpaṇānvitā
Vīrabhadra doit être représenté monté sur un taureau; et, dans le groupe des Mères (Mātṛkās), il est figuré à quatre visages. Quant à Gaurī, elle doit être dépeinte avec deux bras, trois yeux, portant un trident et munie d’un miroir.
Lord Agni (in dialogue with Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Mūrti-lakṣaṇa for depicting Vīrabhadra and Gaurī within a Mātṛkā ensemble for temple icons, yantra-pūjā supports, or ritual visualization.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Vīrabhadra and Gaurī Iconography in Mātṛkā-gaṇa","lookup_keywords":["Vīrabhadra","vṛṣa-vāhana","caturmukha","Gaurī","śūlinī"],"quick_summary":"Depict Vīrabhadra bull-mounted and four-faced within the Mothers’ group; depict Gaurī as two-armed, three-eyed, holding a trident and a mirror. These are the identifying marks for correct installation and worship."}
Concept: Form (ākāra) as a carrier of śakti: correct iconographic specification ensures correct devatā-bhāva and ritual fruit.
Application: For sculptors and ritualists: verify faces, vāhana, arms, eyes, and held objects before prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā and during dhyāna.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Iconography / Devata-murti-lakshana)
Primary Rasa: vīra
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Vīrabhadra, fierce yet regal, rides a bull and shows four faces; nearby stands Gaurī, serene and powerful, two-armed and three-eyed, holding trident and mirror, all arranged within a Mātṛkā group setting.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Vīrabhadra on bull with four faces shown in stylized profile arrangement, Gaurī with three eyes holding trident and mirror, Mātṛkās as a surrounding semicircle, bold outlines and sacred ash motifs","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Vīrabhadra bull-mounted with ornate gold jewelry and halo, four-faced depiction emphasized, Gaurī with gold-foiled ornaments holding śūla and mirror, rich temple-like backdrop","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear iconographic rendering for instruction: Vīrabhadra’s four faces and bull vāhana, Gaurī’s two arms and three eyes, objects precisely drawn, balanced composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed bull anatomy, Vīrabhadra’s multiple faces subtly indicated, Gaurī with mirror reflecting light, courtly architectural background adapted to sacred scene"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मात्रग्रे → मातृ + अग्रे; त्र्यक्षा → त्रि + अक्ष (इकार-यण्-सन्धिः).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 52 (iconography run: Vīrabhadra, Gaurī, Mātṛkā context)
FAQs
It gives pratimā-lakṣaṇa (iconographic specifications) for worship-images: Vīrabhadra’s bull-mount and four-faced depiction in the Mātṛkā context, and Gaurī’s defining attributes—two arms, three eyes, trident, and mirror—used for correct temple installation and pūjā.
Beyond narrative, the Agni Purana functions as a practical manual: here it preserves standardized iconography for sculptors (śilpins) and priests, aligning visual form with ritual correctness—one of its many applied-knowledge domains alongside law, polity, medicine, and architecture.
Accurate depiction supports proper dhyāna (visualization) and arcana (ritual worship); correctness of form is held to stabilize devotion and ensure the intended deity-presence (āveśa/saṃnidhya), thereby increasing the merit (puṇya) of installation and daily worship.