Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 27
अधिवासनं नाम निर्वाणदीक्षायाम्
Adhivāsana in the Nirvāṇa-dīkṣā
संस्तुत पूर्वस्थित ॐ साक्षिन् ॐ रुद्रान्तक ॐ पतङ्ग ॐ शब्द ॐ सूक्ष्म ॐ शिव सर्वसर्वद सर्वसान्निध्यकर ब्रह्मविष्णुरुद्रकर ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ नमो नमः अष्टाविंशति पादानि व्योमव्यापि मनो गुह सद्योहृदस्त्रनेत्राणि मन्त्रवर्णाष्टको मतः
saṃstuta pūrvasthita oṃ sākṣin oṃ rudrāntaka oṃ pataṅga oṃ śabda oṃ sūkṣma oṃ śiva sarvasarvada sarvasānnidhyakara brahmaviṣṇurudrakara oṃ namaḥ śivāya oṃ namo namaḥ aṣṭāviṃśati pādāni vyomavyāpi mano guha sadyohṛdastranetrāṇi mantravarṇāṣṭako mataḥ
Après avoir offert la louange, on doit réciter le Śiva primordial, toujours présent : « Oṃ, Témoin ; Oṃ, Destructeur des ennemis de Rudra ; Oṃ, Patanga (l’oiseau solaire) ; Oṃ, Son ; Oṃ, Subtil ; Oṃ, Śiva—dispensateur de tout, artisan de la présence de tout partout, celui qui fait advenir Brahmā, Viṣṇu et Rudra ; Oṃ namaḥ śivāya ; Oṃ, hommage, hommage. » On tient que cette formulation comporte vingt-huit « pādas » ; elle est omniprésente comme le ciel, cachée dans la caverne du mental ; et elle est liée à (des aspects tels que) Sadyojāta, Hṛdaya, Astra, Netra (etc.) ; ainsi le mantra est considéré comme une formule de huit syllabes/huit lettres.
Lord Agni (in the usual Agni Purana narration to Vasiṣṭha; chapter context is Shaiva mantra instruction)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Mantra-japa with nyāsa-oriented understanding: recite the listed Oṃ-formulas culminating in ‘Oṃ namaḥ śivāya’, integrate with aṅga/karanyāsa (Sadyojāta etc.), and treat the mantra as vyoma-vyāpin (all-pervading) for protection and sādhana.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śaiva mantra-lakṣaṇa: Oṃ-formulas, 28 pādas, vyoma-vyāpin, mind-cave, and aṅga/nyāsa linkage","lookup_keywords":["Oṃ namaḥ śivāya","Nyāsa","Sadyojāta","Vyoma-vyāpin","Mantra-lakṣaṇa"],"quick_summary":"Gives a recitation sequence of Oṃ-invocations and identifies structural features (28 pādas) and ritual-psychological placement (hidden in the mind-cave), linking the mantra to Sadyojāta/Hṛdaya/Astra/Netra aṅgas for nyāsa-based practice."}
Concept: Mantra as both sound-form and inner presence: ‘vyoma-vyāpin’ (all-pervading) yet ‘mano-guhā’ (hidden in the cave of mind); ritual anatomy via aṅga/nyāsa.
Application: Perform japa with internalization: place mantra in heart/mind, apply kara/aṅga-nyāsa (Sadyojāta etc.), and conclude with namaskāra formulas to stabilize attention and invoke protection.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mantra-lakshana (Shaiva mantra and nyasa-oriented description)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner seated in meditation performing nyāsa: touching head, heart, eyes, and hands while reciting Oṃ-invocations; subtle depiction of mantra syllables radiating like sky, with ‘Oṃ namaḥ śivāya’ central.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, yogic sādhaka before a Shiva liṅga, hands in nyāsa gestures (touching heart/eyes), floating Sanskrit seed-syllables, deep temple interior, stylized aura suggesting vyoma-vyāpin","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Shiva liṅga with gold prabhā, sādhaka performing aṅga-nyāsa, embossed gold for mantra syllables, clear ‘Oṃ namaḥ śivāya’ inscription, ornate lamp-lit shrine setting","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional step-by-step nyāsa tableau around a central figure, labeled points (hṛdaya, netra, astra), clean composition, soft colors and precise gestures","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate interior scene of a sādhaka with rosary, subtle calligraphy of Oṃ phrases in margins, delicate rendering of hand-to-body nyāsa actions, calm contemplative ambiance"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: saṃstuta, pūrvasthita treated as separate padas; namo in IAST corresponds to नमः + उ (sandhi) but written as नमः here; सद्यः+हृद्+अस्त्र+नेत्राणि→सद्योहृदस्त्रनेत्राणि; मन्त्रवर्ण+अष्टकः→मन्त्रवर्णाष्टकः
Related Themes: Agni Purana mantra and pūjā-vidhi materials (nyāsa, aṅga-mantra discussions); Agni Purana 84 (stotra-to-mantra transition)
FAQs
It outlines a Shaiva mantra-stuti sequence centered on Praṇava and “namaḥ śivāya,” and indicates mantra-structure (pāda/segments) plus linkage to protective/limb-mantras such as Hṛdaya, Astra, and Netra used in nyāsa and ritual safeguarding.
Beyond theology, it preserves technical mantra-taxonomy—epithets, segmentation (pādas), and functional mantra-angas (heart/eye/weapon)—showing the Agni Purana’s catalog-like coverage of practical ritual science alongside broader Purāṇic doctrine.
The verse frames Shiva as the inner Witness and omnipresent source of cosmic functions; recitation with the stated mantra-angas is presented as a means of purification, protection, and establishing immediate divine presence (sānnidhya) for merit and spiritual steadiness.