Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 31
Chapter 59 — अधिवासनकथनं
Adhivāsana: The Rite of Inviting and Stabilizing Hari’s Presence
प्रत्यर्चायां पञ्चमी स्यात्पञ्चोपनिषदः स्मृताः हूङ्कारं विन्यसेन्मध्ये ध्यात्वा मन्त्रमयं हरिं
pratyarcāyāṃ pañcamī syātpañcopaniṣadaḥ smṛtāḥ hūṅkāraṃ vinyasenmadhye dhyātvā mantramayaṃ hariṃ
Dans le culte subsidiaire (pratyarcā), la Cinquième (étape/procédé) est prescrite ; on la tient pour les «cinq upaniṣads» (cinq éléments ésotériques). Qu’on place la syllabe hūṃ au centre, en méditant Hari comme constitué de mantra.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Details pratyarca (subsidiary worship) nyasa: the ‘five upanishads’ components and the installation of the bīja/syllable hūṃ at the center while meditating on Hari as mantra-made.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pratyarcā: pañcopaniṣad-nyāsa and hūṃ-bīja placement","lookup_keywords":["pratyarca","pañcopaniṣad","hūṃ-bīja","madhya-nyasa","mantramaya-hari"],"quick_summary":"In subsidiary worship, perform the fifth step called the ‘five upaniṣads’; install hūṃ in the center and meditate on Hari as constituted of mantra for internalization and protection."}
Concept: Deity is realized as mantra (mantramaya); bīja placement at the ‘center’ stabilizes attention and sacralizes the inner/outer icon.
Application: During pratyarca, visualize the mantra-body of Hari and place hūṃ at the central locus (often heart/garbha/mandala-center per tradition) to seal the rite.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Mantra-nyasa and Pratima/Pratyarca Worship Procedures)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A worshipper before a small subsidiary altar (pratyarca), drawing a mandala and placing the syllable hūṃ at its center while meditating on a radiant Hari formed of mantra-syllables.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized Vishnu aura filled with seed-syllable motifs, devotee placing hūṃ at mandala center, lamp flames and lotus patterns, strong outlines and earthy pigments.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central Vishnu with gold halo, embossed mantra-syllables around, devotee installing hūṃ in a circular yantra at center, heavy gold work and jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional depiction of mandala with central hūṃ, priest performing nyasa gesture, subtle shading, clear ritual implements (akshata, water pot, bell).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, fine calligraphic rendering of hūṃ in the center of a geometric diagram, devotee seated with rosary, luminous Vishnu vision emerging from mantra-clouds."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: syātpañcopaniṣadaḥ → syāt + pañca-upaniṣadaḥ; vinyasenmadhye → vinyaset + madhye (t + m → nm by assimilation in recitation/orthography).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 59.32-59.34 (mūlamantra and name-nyāsa on limbs)
FAQs
It teaches a nyāsa-based instruction for pratyarcā: identifying the fifth limb as the ‘five upaniṣads’ and installing the bīja ‘hūṃ’ at the central point while meditating on Hari as mantra-embodied.
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves precise liturgical technology—classification of ritual steps, esoteric ‘upaniṣad’ components, bīja-mantra deployment, and visualization—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of practical tantra-inflected temple/home worship methods.
Centering the hūṃ-bīja with focused dhyāna on mantra-formed Hari is presented as a method of internalizing the deity through sound, purifying the worshipper’s intent and stabilizing concentration so the ritual becomes inwardly effective, not merely external.