Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 5
Chapter 72 — स्नानविशेषादिकथनम्
Special Rules of Bathing, Mantra-Purification, and Sandhyā
निमज्यासीत हृद्यस्त्रं स्मरन् कालानलप्रभं विघ्नराजक इति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः निजास्त्रेण विशोधयेदिति ख, ग, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः मलस्नानं विशोधयेत्थं समुत्थाय जलान्तरात्
nimajyāsīta hṛdyastraṃ smaran kālānalaprabhaṃ vighnarājaka iti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ nijāstreṇa viśodhayediti kha, ga, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ malasnānaṃ viśodhayetthaṃ samutthāya jalāntarāt
Après s’être immergé, qu’il demeure dans l’eau en se remémorant le Hṛdyāstra, « l’Arme du Cœur », éclatant comme le kālānala, le feu du Temps. (Certaines leçons manuscrites signalées ajoutent : prononcer « vighnarājaka ».) Puis, en se relevant de l’intérieur de l’eau, qu’il purifie le bain accompli pour ôter l’impureté du corps—(selon certaines leçons) au moyen de son propre astra-mantra.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) addressing the sage Vasiṣṭha (standard framing attribution)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Ritual purification during snāna using astra-mantra recollection (hṛdyāstra) to remove subtle/ritual impurity and avert obstacles.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Snāna-śuddhi by Hṛdyāstra (Kālānala-prabhā)","lookup_keywords":["hṛdyāstra","kālānala","snāna-śuddhi","astra-mantra","vighnarājaka"],"quick_summary":"During immersion, recollect the hṛdyāstra blazing like kālānala; on rising, ritually purify the mala-snānā by astra-power (some recensions add the utterance ‘vighnarājaka’)."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Weapon Type: Astra (mantra-weapon)
Concept: External cleansing is completed by mantra-śuddhi; remembrance (smaraṇa) functions as ritual action.
Application: Use mantra-recollection during liminal acts (immersion/rising) to seal the rite and remove unseen impediments.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Snana-vidhi (Ritual purification and mantra-procedures)
Primary Rasa: Raudra
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sādhaka immersed in water, eyes closed, visualizing a blazing mantra-weapon in the heart; then rising and sealing the bath with a protective gesture/mantra.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, serene river tank, sādhaka half-submerged, stylized flames radiating from chest (hṛdaya), subtle mantra glyphs, traditional earthy reds/ochres, sacred atmosphere.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf haloed flames at the heart, devotee in ritual bath at a stepped tank, ornate borders, emphasis on divine protective radiance (kālānala-prabhā).","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional composition: two panels—(1) immersion with heart-visualization, (2) rising and performing astra-śuddhi; fine linework, muted palette, clear hand positions.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed water ripples and architecture of a ghat, ascetic performing submerged japa, luminous fire motif at chest, delicate calligraphic mantra hints, naturalistic shading."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"apotropaic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: hṛdyastraṃ → hṛdi astraṃ; smaran kālānala…: participle qualifying the (implicit) practitioner; viśodhayetthaṃ → viśodhayet ittham; jalāntarāt → jala-antarāt.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 72 (snāna, sandhyā, mudrā, nyāsa, astra-prayoga)
FAQs
It teaches a snāna-śuddhi procedure: immerse, mentally invoke the hṛdyāstra (protective astramantra) described as kālānala-like, then emerge and complete purification of the cleansing bath—optionally using one’s own astra-mantra per variant readings.
Beyond mythology, it preserves practical liturgical technique—how to structure immersion, mental mantra-japa/smaraṇa, and post-bath purification—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of ritual technology alongside other domains.
The verse frames bathing as more than physical hygiene: mantra-remembrance during immersion and purification on emerging is presented as a means to remove impurity and obstacles, aligning bodily cleansing with inner ritual sanctification.