Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 41
Chapter 83 — निर्वाणदीक्षाकथनम्
Description of the Nirvāṇa Initiation
प्रणमय्य वहिर्यायाद् यागमन्दिरमध्यतः मण्डलत्रितयं कृत्वा मुमुक्ष्वनुत्तराननान्
praṇamayya vahiryāyād yāgamandiramadhyataḥ maṇḍalatritayaṃ kṛtvā mumukṣvanuttarānanān
Après s’être prosterné avec vénération, on doit sortir du milieu de la salle sacrificielle ; ayant tracé le triple maṇḍala, le chercheur de délivrance doit adorer les divinités au visage sans égal.
Lord Agni (in dialogue, instructing Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Ritual movement (nyāsa of the body in space), exit from the yajña-maṇḍapa, construction of a tri-maṇḍala, and subsequent worship oriented to mokṣa.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Tri-maṇḍala construction and worship after exiting the yajña-hall","lookup_keywords":["yāga-mandira","maṇḍala-tritaya","bahir-yāna","mumuṣu","anuttara-vaktra"],"quick_summary":"After reverential prostration, the officiant exits from the center of the sacrificial hall, draws/establishes a triple maṇḍala, and performs worship aimed at liberation."}
Concept: Ritual action (kriyā) is explicitly yoked to mumukṣutva (desire for liberation), not merely to worldly gain.
Application: Frame pūjā/maṇḍala rites with mokṣa-intent; maintain spatial discipline (center vs. outside) as part of sādhana.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Yajna-vidhi (Temple and fire-ritual procedure)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A priest bows within a yajña-hall, steps outward from the central altar area, and draws three concentric/tri-part maṇḍalas on the ground before beginning worship of supreme-faced deities.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm mineral pigments, a yajña-śālā interior with a central fire-altar, priest in white dhoti performing praṇāma then drawing three maṇḍalas with rice-flour, subtle divine faces/directional deities around the maṇḍala, ornate borders, sacred ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on the maṇḍala lines and altar vessels, priest exiting the center of the hall, tri-maṇḍala clearly shown, divine presence indicated with haloed faces, rich reds and greens, temple-pillars framing the scene","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework emphasizing the geometry of three maṇḍalas, labeled directional points, priest’s hand gestures and ritual implements, calm instructional composition inside a yajña-mandira","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed architectural yajña-hall with patterned floor, priest moving from center to outer space, three maṇḍalas drawn with fine precision, attendants watching, delicate color palette and fine brushwork"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vahiryāyāt = vahiḥ + yāyāt; yāgamandiramadhyataḥ analyzed as yāga-mandira-madhya-taḥ; mumukṣvanuttarānanān = mumukṣu + anuttara-ānanān.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 83 (pūjā-vidhi/yajña-vidhi sequence: maṇḍala, nyāsa, homa, ācamana)
FAQs
It gives procedural yajña/temple-ritual instruction: bow properly, exit the yāga-mandira from the central area in the prescribed manner, then construct three ritual mandalas and worship the invoked supreme forms as part of the rite.
It exemplifies the Agni Purana’s practical ritual manuals—detailing mandapa movement, diagrammatic worship (maṇḍala), and the integration of liberation-oriented intent—alongside its many other subjects (polity, medicine, poetics, etc.).
The verse frames correct ritual conduct (reverence, prescribed movement, mandala worship) as a purifying discipline that supports mokṣa-oriented practice by aligning action, space, and devotion with the rite’s sacred order.