Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 17
Chapter 83 — निर्वाणदीक्षाकथनम्
Description of the Nirvāṇa Initiation
ॐ हां हौं शान्त्यतीतकलापाशाय नम इत्य् अनेनावलोकयेत् हे तत्त्वे मन्त्रमप्येकं पदं वर्णाश् च षोडश तथाष्टौ भुवनान्यस्यां वीजनाडीकथद्वयं
oṃ hāṃ hauṃ śāntyatītakalāpāśāya nama ity anenāvalokayet he tattve mantramapyekaṃ padaṃ varṇāś ca ṣoḍaśa tathāṣṭau bhuvanānyasyāṃ vījanāḍīkathadvayaṃ
Avec la formule : « Oṃ hāṃ hauṃ—hommage au pāśa (lien) constitué de la série des kalā qui transcende la śānti », on doit accomplir l’avalokana (visualisation/inspection rituelle). Ô tattva ! Dans cette pratique, il existe aussi un mantra d’un seul pada ; il y a seize varṇa, ainsi que huit bhuvana ; et l’on y expose l’enseignement double concernant le bīja et la nāḍī.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Mantra-japa with ritual visualization (avalokana) using a specific formula; mapping mantra structure (pada, varṇa count), bhuvana scheme, and bīja–nāḍī doctrine for internalized pūjā.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Śāntyatīta-kalā-pāśa mantra and avalokana (16 varṇas, 8 bhuvanas, bīja–nāḍī)","lookup_keywords":["oṃ hāṃ hauṃ","kalā-pāśa","śāntyatīta","ṣoḍaśa-varṇa","aṣṭa-bhuvana"],"quick_summary":"Employ the ‘Oṃ hāṃ hauṃ…’ formula for avalokana-visualization; the practice encodes a one-pada mantra, a 16-unit varṇa scheme, an 8-bhuvana cosmology, and paired teachings on bīja and nāḍī."}
Concept: Mantra is simultaneously sound (varṇa), step/word (pada), cosmos (bhuvana), and inner physiology (bīja–nāḍī).
Application: During japa, coordinate (1) syllable-count awareness, (2) visualization of worlds/levels, and (3) nāḍī-flow attention to integrate mantra with body and cosmos.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Mantra-tantra and Dhyanavidhi)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner visualizes a luminous pāśa (noose) made of kalās beyond śānti, while mantra syllables ‘hāṃ’ and ‘hauṃ’ radiate; a diagram-like overlay shows 16 varṇas and 8 bhuvanas with nāḍī pathways.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, deity-energy as a radiant noose of kalās encircling a meditating figure, bold outlines, symbolic 8-world tiers stacked behind, mantra syllables in stylized script, traditional border motifs","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central mantra glyphs ‘hāṃ’ ‘hauṃ’ in gold, ornate halo shaped like a pāśa, eight concentric world-rings, embossed gold detailing, jewel tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional yantra-like layout: 16 varṇa petals, 8 bhuvana bands, nāḍī lines (iḍā/piṅgalā/suṣumnā implied), practitioner at base performing avalokana","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholar-yogin with manuscript and rosary, delicate cloud-forms depicting eight worlds, thin golden noose motif, fine calligraphy-like mantra syllables floating"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शान्त्यतीतकलापाशाय → शान्ति-अतीत-कलाप-आशाय; इत्य् अनेनावलोकयेत् → इति + अनेन + अवलोकयेत्; मन्त्रमप्येकं → मन्त्रम् + अपि + एकम्; वर्णाश् च → वर्णाः + च; तथाष्टौ → तथा + अष्टौ; भुवनान्यस्यां → भुवनानि + अस्याम्; वीजनाडीकथद्वयं → वीज-नाडी-कथ-द्वयम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 83.16; Agni Purana 83.18; Agni Purana 83.19; Agni Purana 83.20
FAQs
It teaches a specific bīja-mantra formula (oṃ hāṃ hauṃ … namaḥ) to be used for avalokana—ritual visualization/inspection—along with its technical mapping to phonemic counts (sixteen varṇas), cosmological planes (eight bhuvanas), and a twofold instruction on bīja and nāḍī.
It blends mantra-science (bīja), ritual procedure (avalokana), subtle-body theory (nāḍī), and cosmology (bhuvana) into a single compact instruction—showing how the Agni Purāṇa catalogs multiple technical disciplines side-by-side.
By employing the mantra and visualization correctly, the practitioner is taught to transcend binding influences symbolized by the pāśa and to align inner energies (nāḍīs) with higher principles (tattva), supporting purification and steadiness in worship.