Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 5
Vidyā-viśodhana-vidhāna
Procedure for Purifying Mantra-Vidyā
वज्रदेहः प्रभुर्धाता क्रविक्रमसुप्रभाः वटुः प्रशान्तनामा च परमाक्षरसञ्ज्ञकः
vajradehaḥ prabhurdhātā kravikramasuprabhāḥ vaṭuḥ praśāntanāmā ca paramākṣarasañjñakaḥ
Il a un corps adamantin, tel le vajra; il est le Seigneur; il est Dhātṛ, Soutien et Créateur; celui dont la démarche est farouche et la splendeur éclatante; le jeune dieu (Vaṭu); celui nommé «Praśānta» (Parfaitement Paisible); et celui que désigne le Paramākṣara, la Syllabe suprême et impérissable.
Lord Agni (narrating the stotra/epithet-listing in the Agni Purana’s dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Stotra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Nāma-saṅkīrtana for japa, pūjā, and dhyāna: using epithets to invoke specific divine qualities (vajra-deha, prabhu, dhātṛ, praśānta, paramākṣara).","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Śiva/Rudra epithets: Vajradeha, Prabhu, Dhātṛ, Vaṭu, Praśānta, Paramākṣara","lookup_keywords":["vajradeha","dhātṛ","vaṭu","praśānta","paramākṣara"],"quick_summary":"Enumerates divine names emphasizing invulnerability, lordship, creatorship, youthful ascetic form, tranquility, and identity with the supreme imperishable syllable—useful as a compact stotra segment for remembrance and worship."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprāsa (mild) / Nāma-mālā (enumerative style)
Concept: Deity as both personal lord (prabhu, dhātṛ) and as the transcendent imperishable syllable (paramākṣara), uniting saguna and mantra-tattva.
Application: Meditate on each epithet as a dhyāna-point: strength (vajra-deha), sovereignty (prabhu), sustaining power (dhātṛ), serenity (praśānta), and mantra-source (paramākṣara).
Khanda Section: Nama-stotra / Devata-nama-sankirtana (Hymnic Enumeration of Divine Epithets)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene yet radiant Śiva is praised through a garland of names; he appears both as a tranquil lord and as a youthful vaṭu-ascetic, with a subtle glyphic aura suggesting the supreme syllable.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, calm-faced Śiva with luminous body, secondary vignette of youthful Vaṭu form, decorative Devanāgarī ‘akṣara’ motif in halo, traditional floral borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, frontal Śiva with heavy gold halo and ornaments, embossed ‘Paramākṣara’ medallion in the prabhā, small attendant-sage chanting names, rich reds and blues","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, split-panel depiction: left Śiva as tranquil Praśānta, right as youthful Vaṭu; caption cartouches listing epithets, refined shading and delicate jewelry","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, poet-sage reciting epithets before a luminous ascetic Śiva, fine textiles and manuscript, subtle calligraphic akṣara motif in the sky, naturalistic landscape"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रभुर्धाता = प्रभुः + धाता. Other items are compounds (समास) rather than external sandhi.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 86 (nāma-stotra sequence continuing into further names)
FAQs
This verse functions as nama-vidyā (the discipline of sacred naming): it teaches contemplative identification of the deity through precise epithets—indestructibility (vajradeha), sovereignty (prabhu), cosmic support (dhātā), radiant power, youthful purity (vaṭu), tranquility (praśānta), and the mantra-principle of the Paramākṣara.
By cataloging theological and mantra-based descriptors, it preserves a compact “index” of doctrine—linking Purāṇic devotion (stotra), Vedāntic signification (Paramākṣara/Brahman), and ritual-recitation practice (nāma-saṅkīrtana)—showing how the text spans devotion, metaphysics, and liturgical technique.
Reciting and meditating on such epithets is traditionally held to purify speech and mind, strengthen devotional focus (bhakti), and align the practitioner with the deity’s qualities—especially tranquility (praśānta) and the highest refuge signified by the Paramākṣara.