Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 1
Chapter 83 — निर्वाणदीक्षाकथनम्
Description of the Nirvāṇa Initiation
इत्य् आदिमहापुराणे आग्नेये समयदीक्षाकथनं नाम द्व्यशीतितमो ऽध्यायः अथ त्र्यशीतितमो ऽध्यायः निर्वाणदीक्षाकथनं ईश्वर उवाच अथ निर्वाणदीक्षायां कुर्यान्मूलादिदीपनं पाशबन्धनशक्त्यर्थं ताडनादिकृतेन वा
ity ādimahāpurāṇe āgneye samayadīkṣākathanaṃ nāma dvyaśītitamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha tryaśītitamo 'dhyāyaḥ nirvāṇadīkṣākathanaṃ īśvara uvāca atha nirvāṇadīkṣāyāṃ kuryānmūlādidīpanaṃ pāśabandhanaśaktyarthaṃ tāḍanādikṛtena vā
Ainsi, dans l’Agni Purāṇa, s’achève le quatre-vingt-deuxième chapitre, intitulé « Exposé de l’initiation Samaya (Samaya-dīkṣā) ». Commence maintenant le quatre-vingt-troisième chapitre, « Exposé de l’initiation Nirvāṇa (Nirvāṇa-dīkṣā) ». Le Seigneur dit : Alors, lors de l’initiation au Nirvāṇa, on accomplira l’embrasement/l’activation en commençant par le Mūla (racine), afin de donner puissance au rite de ligature par le nœud coulant (pāśa) ; ou bien on pourra le faire au moyen de frappes et d’actes connexes.
Īśvara (the Lord, as the instructing deity in the dīkṣā section)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Nirvāṇa-dīkṣā procedure: activating (dīpana) the mūla-mantra/energy and empowering pāśa-bandhana (binding rite) as part of initiation and protective control of ritual forces.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Nirvāṇa-dīkṣā: Mūla-dīpana for Pāśa-bandhana","lookup_keywords":["nirvāṇa-dīkṣā","mūla-dīpana","pāśa-bandhana","tāḍana","tantric initiation"],"quick_summary":"In nirvāṇa-initiation, the officiant first enkindles/activates the root-mantra (mūla) to empower the binding-with-the-noose rite; alternatively, activation may be effected through tāḍana (ritual striking) and allied acts."}
Concept: Dīkṣā as regulated transmission of mantra-śakti: empowerment precedes constraint (bandhana) to ensure safe, efficacious ritual action.
Application: Sequence discipline in initiation: first awaken the mantra/śakti (dīpana), then apply binding/containment (pāśa-bandhana) to stabilize the rite.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Tantra-Diksha (Initiation rites and ritual procedure)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A guru officiant begins nirvāṇa-dīkṣā before a consecrated fire and maṇḍala, touching the disciple’s crown/heart while preparing a pāśa (noose) symbol for ritual binding; a ritual staff or hand-gesture indicates tāḍana as an alternate activation method.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat warm palette, guru in white dhoti with sacred thread, disciple seated, homa-kuṇḍa blazing, yantra/maṇḍala behind, symbolic pāśa-noose motif, stylized hand-gestures for dīpana and bandhana, ornate borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central guru-deity presence overseeing dīkṣā, gold-leaf highlights on homa flames and halo, disciple receiving initiation, pāśa-noose icon as emblem, rich reds and greens, temple interior setting.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, clean linework, instructional composition: labeled positions (mūla, heart, head), homa altar, guru performing dīpana and pāśa-bandhana, muted elegance with delicate shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly pavilion adapted as ritual hall, detailed textiles, small homa fire, guru and disciple in profile, attendants holding ritual implements, fine depiction of a noose emblem and striking gesture (tāḍana) as alternative."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इत्य्→इति; द्व्यशीतितमो ऽध्यायः→द्व्यशीतितमः अध्यायः; त्र्यशीतितमो ऽध्यायः→त्र्यशीतितमः अध्यायः; कुर्यान्मूलादिदीपनं→कुर्यात् मूलादिदीपनम्; शक्त्यर्थं→शक्ति-अर्थम्
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa 82 (Samaya-dīkṣā); Agni Purāṇa 83 (Nirvāṇa-dīkṣā context: dīpana, pāśa-bandhana, tāḍana)
FAQs
It prescribes a technical step in Nirvāṇa-dīkṣā: activating (dīpana) the rite starting from the “mūla” (root mantra/energy-basis) to generate efficacy (śakti) for the pāśa-bandhana (bond/noose-binding) operation, optionally using ritual tapping/striking (tāḍana) and allied actions.
Beyond mythology, it records procedural ritual technology—chapter transitions, named dīkṣā-types (samaya and nirvāṇa), and specific operative techniques (dīpana, pāśabandhana, tāḍana)—showing the Purāṇa as a compendium of applied religious practice.
By empowering the binding rite and activating the foundational “mūla,” the initiation is made ritually effective, aiming at purification and release from bonds (pāśa)—a prerequisite framework for the liberative intent (nirvāṇa) of the dīkṣā.