Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 3
Chapter 52: देवीप्रतिमालक्षणं (Devī-pratimā-lakṣaṇa) — Characteristics of Goddess Images
हुताशा च विशालाक्षी हुङ्कारा वडवामुखी महाक्रूरा क्रोधना तु भयङ्करी महानना
hutāśā ca viśālākṣī huṅkārā vaḍavāmukhī mahākrūrā krodhanā tu bhayaṅkarī mahānanā
Elle est Hutāśā (née du feu, semblable au feu), celle aux yeux vastes ; elle est Huṅkārā (incarnation de la syllabe sacrée huṁ), Vaḍavāmukhī (au visage de jument, feu dévorant) ; extrêmement farouche, certes courroucée, terrifiante et au grand visage.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) addressing sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Protective and transformative upāsanā of fierce Devī aspects (Huṅkārā, Vaḍavāmukhī): used in kavaca-style recitation, śānti/ugra rites, and dhyāna for overcoming fear and obstacles.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Ugra-Devī epithets: Huṅkārā–Vaḍavāmukhī–Bhayankarī","lookup_keywords":["huṅkārā","vaḍavāmukhī","hutāśā","bhayaṅkarī","mahākrūrā"],"quick_summary":"Defines a cluster of fierce Devī names linking mantra-bīja power (huṁ) with consuming fire imagery (hutāśā, vaḍavāmukhī), suited for protection and obstacle-burning sādhanā."}
Alamkara Type: Nāma-mālā with Ugra-bhāva; occasional sound-symbolism (huṅkāra)
Concept: Ugra-śakti as purifier: fearsome forms are not malevolent but function to burn impurities/obstacles; bīja (huṁ) embodies concentrated will and protection.
Application: In times of fear/obstruction, recite the epithets with controlled breath and steady gaze (viśālākṣī-dhyāna), maintaining ethical restraint; employ in protective rites under a qualified tradition.
Khanda Section: Devi-stotra / Shakti-nama (Tantric-Puja context)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayānaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A fierce Devī blazing like fire, with wide eyes and a mare-faced aspect, emanating the syllable HUṂ as a radiant glyph; flames and a protective circle around a devotee.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, ugra Devī with flaming aureole, exaggerated wide eyes, vaḍavā-mukha profile element, HUṂ glyph in red near the mouth, protective circle and subdued demons at the border, deep reds and ochres","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, fierce Devī with gold halo and embossed flames, HUṂ in stylized script, intense eyes, dramatic facial features (mahānana), rich gold work contrasting with dark background, offerings of red flowers","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, technical depiction of dhyāna: Devī with labeled features viśālākṣī/vaḍavāmukhī, controlled flame motifs, HUṂ syllable shown as mantra-bīja, clear composition for ritual visualization","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, night ritual scene with a sādhaka reciting; a visionary fiery Devī appears with wide eyes and horse-faced aspect; HUṂ rendered as luminous calligraphy; fine detailing of firelight and textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: viśālākṣī → viśāla-akṣī; vaḍavāmukhī → vaḍavā-mukhī; mahākrūrā → mahā-krūrā. Text reads ‘mahānanā’; often appears as ‘mahā-ānanā’ in similar lists.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 52 (Devī-nāma lists of yoginīs/ugra forms)
FAQs
It conveys mantra-vidyā and stotra-vidhi by listing potent epithets of Devī—especially “Huṅkārā,” which signals her identity with the protective seed-sound huṁ used in tantric recitation and ritual safeguarding.
By preserving a catalog of Devī’s functional names (mantric, cosmic, and protective), the chapter adds a liturgical and tantric layer—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage beyond mythology into practical worship, mantra-usage, and deity-iconology.
Reciting such fierce-protective names is traditionally held to destroy obstacles and negativity, strengthen spiritual protection, and generate merit through devotion to Devī as the power that consumes evil like fire.