Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 33
Chapter 59 — अधिवासनकथनं
Adhivāsana: The Rite of Inviting and Stabilizing Hari’s Presence
शिरोघ्राणललाटेषु मुखकण्ठहृदि क्रमात् भुजयोर्जङ्घयोरङ्घ्य्रोः केशवं शिरसि न्यसेत्
śiroghrāṇalalāṭeṣu mukhakaṇṭhahṛdi kramāt bhujayorjaṅghayoraṅghyroḥ keśavaṃ śirasi nyaset
Dans l’ordre requis, sur la tête, le nez et le front ; sur le visage, la gorge et le cœur ; sur les deux bras, les deux jambes et les deux pieds : qu’on accomplisse le nyāsa de Keśava, en l’établissant sur la tête.
Lord Agni (narrating ritual procedure to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Provides anga-nyasa mapping of Vaishnava names onto body loci in sequence, beginning with Keśava on the head, for sanctifying the practitioner and/or the icon.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Aṅga-nyāsa sequence with Keśava (head-first mapping)","lookup_keywords":["anga-nyasa","keśava","śiras-nāsa-lalāṭa","hṛdaya-nyasa","vaiṣṇava-nāma"],"quick_summary":"Perform nyāsa in order across head, nose, forehead; face, throat, heart; arms, shanks, feet—placing Keśava at the head to establish the divine body-map."}
Concept: The body is ritualized as a divine field (deha as mantra-adhāra) through ordered placement of names.
Application: Use before japa/puja to steady attention and ‘seal’ the senses and limbs into a Vaishnava devotional configuration.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Vaishnava Nyasa / Anga-nyasa and Kara-nyasa)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee/priest touching specific body points in sequence—head, nose, forehead, face, throat, heart, arms, shanks, feet—while mentally installing the name Keśava at the head and continuing the mapping.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, frontal figure of priest with highlighted nyasa points, subtle lotus markers on each locus, Vishnu aura behind, bold outlines and traditional pigments.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central standing devotee with gold halo, small gold-labeled body points, Vishnu emblem motifs (conch, discus) around, ornate border.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional plate, clean annotations of loci (śiras, nāsā, lalāṭa, mukha, kaṇṭha, hṛd, bāhu, jaṅghā, aṅghri), priest demonstrating nyasa mudras.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, elegant figure in profile touching forehead and heart, fine detailing of garments, faint calligraphy of ‘Keśava’ near the head, serene interior setting."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śiroghrāṇalalāṭeṣu is a dvandva compound; bhujayorjaṅghayoraṅghyroḥ → bhujayoḥ + jaṅghayoḥ + aṅghyoḥ (visarga/ḥ before j- often written without separation).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 59.34 (continuation with Nārāyaṇa, Mādhava, Govinda, Viṣṇu)
FAQs
It teaches Viṣṇu-mantra nyāsa: the practitioner ritually “installs” the divine name Keśava on specific body-points (head, facial points, heart, arms, legs, feet) in a prescribed sequence as part of pūjā.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purāṇa preserves practical liturgical technology—precise body-location mapping for mantras (nyāsa), a hallmark of systematic ritual manuals embedded within Purāṇic literature.
Nyāsa sacralizes the body as a vessel of Viṣṇu’s presence, supporting purification, concentration, and devotional identity—treating the worshipper’s limbs as ritually aligned with the deity for effective worship.