Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 20
Chapter 59 — अधिवासनकथनं
Adhivāsana: The Rite of Inviting and Stabilizing Hari’s Presence
दकारं रूपतत्त्वन्तु हृद्देशे विनिवेशयेत् थकारं वस्तिदेशे तु रसतन्मात्रकं न्यसेत्
dakāraṃ rūpatattvantu hṛddeśe viniveśayet thakāraṃ vastideśe tu rasatanmātrakaṃ nyaset
On doit installer (par nyāsa) la syllabe « da », qui incarne le principe de la forme (rūpa-tattva), dans la région du cœur. Et dans la région de la vessie, on placera la syllabe « tha », qui incarne l’essence subtile de la saveur (rasa-tanmātra).
Lord Agni (instructional narration to Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Bhuta-shuddhi/nyasa practice: mapping matrika-aksharas to bodily loci to internalize tanmatras and stabilize meditation before puja or japa.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Akshara-nyasa for Rupa-tattva (da) and Rasa-tanmatra (tha)","lookup_keywords":["nyasa","rūpa-tattva","rasa-tanmātra","dakaranyasa","thakaranyasa"],"quick_summary":"Install ‘da’ in the heart as the principle of form, and ‘tha’ in the bladder region as the subtle essence of taste; this is used to purify and sacralize the body as a mantra-mandala."}
Concept: Microcosm-body as locus of tanmatras; mantra as a means to reorganize perception and identity into tattva-order.
Application: Use as a preparatory limb (anga) for puja/japa/dhyana to cultivate pratyahara and steadiness by fixing attention on specific bodily seats.
Khanda Section: Yoga & Tantra (Bhuta-shuddhi / Nyasa-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A seated yogin performing nyasa: right hand touching heart for ‘da’ and lower abdomen/bladder region for ‘tha’, with subtle glyphs and elemental icons (form and taste) radiating within the body.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat bold colors, seated yogin in padmasana, stylized heart-lotus glowing with ‘द’, lower abdomen glowing with ‘थ’, surrounding tanmatra symbols, sacred aura, minimal background.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central yogin with gold-leaf halo, embossed heart-lotus with ‘द’, jeweled lower abdomen panel with ‘थ’, ornate borders, rich reds and greens, devotional yet instructional composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, soft shading, annotated body-map feel: heart region labeled ‘द rūpa’, bladder region labeled ‘थ rasa’, subtle elemental motifs, calm interior setting.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed anatomy-like posture, yogin in a pavilion, calligraphic ‘د/थ’ style glyphs (Indic), delicate floral margins, emphasis on precise hand placement and loci."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: रूपतत्त्वन्तु = रूपतत्त्वम् + तु; हृद्देशे = हृत् + देशे; रसतन्मात्रकं = रस + तन्मात्रकम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 59 (Nyasa/Bhuta-shuddhi sequence)
FAQs
It teaches a nyāsa procedure: assigning specific seed-syllables to bodily loci—placing ‘da’ as rūpa-tattva in the heart and ‘tha’ as rasa-tanmātra in the bladder region.
It exemplifies the Purāṇa’s inclusion of Tantric-yogic micro-techniques (mantra-body mapping and subtle-element theory) alongside its broader coverage of ritual, ethics, polity, and other sciences.
Such nyāsa is used for inner purification and concentration, aligning the practitioner’s body with subtle principles to support mantra-siddhi and meditative steadiness.