Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 3
Śānti-Śodhana-Kathana (Instruction on the Purification of Śānti) — Agni Purāṇa, Adhyāya 87
प्रभवः समयः क्षुद्रो विमलः शिव इत्य् अपि घनौ निरञ्जनाकारौ स्वशिवौ दीप्तिकारणौ
prabhavaḥ samayaḥ kṣudro vimalaḥ śiva ity api ghanau nirañjanākārau svaśivau dīptikāraṇau
On l’appelle Prabhava (la Source), Samaya (l’Ordre régulateur), Kṣudra (le subtil/minuscule), Vimala (l’Immaculé) et aussi Śiva (l’Auspicious). Il est dense et tout-pénétrant, de la forme du Nirañjana (sans souillure) ; établi de lui-même comme Śiva, il est la cause de la radiance (illumination).
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s standard frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Contemplation and japa using Shiva’s epithets to internalize nirguṇa–saguṇa unity and cultivate clarity (vimala) and auspiciousness (śiva).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Śiva-nāma: Prabhava–Samaya–Kṣudra–Vimala–Śiva; Nirañjana and Tejas-kāraṇa","lookup_keywords":["Prabhava","Samaya","Vimala","Nirañjana","Tejas-kāraṇa"],"quick_summary":"The verse gives a compact name-list and metaphysical identifiers of Śiva as source, order, subtlety, stainlessness, and auspiciousness, culminating in the taintless all-pervading reality that is the cause of illumination."}
Alamkara Type: Paryāya (synonymic epithet-list)
Concept: Īśvara as nirañjana, simultaneously subtle and all-pervading; the luminous ground (tejas) behind names and forms.
Application: Use the epithets as nididhyāsana points: trace each name to an inner experience (source/order/subtlety/purity/auspiciousness) during meditation.
Khanda Section: Shiva-tattva / Nirguna–Saguna Namarupa (Theology: epithets and metaphysics of Shiva)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An abstract-theophanic depiction of Śiva as a radiant, taintless, all-pervading presence, with five epithets inscribed as a halo of words around a luminous liṅga or formless light.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural of a radiant Śiva-tattva: central glowing liṅga emerging from dark blue vyoma, white-gold aura, Sanskrit epithets (Prabhava, Samaya, Kṣudra, Vimala, Śiva) as decorative band, serene palette, temple mural ornamentation","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: luminous Śiva principle as jyoti-liṅga with heavy gold leaf prabhāmaṇḍala, embossed inscriptions of the five names, rich reds and greens, ornate frame, emphasis on tejas (radiance)","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: refined linework showing a meditating yogin perceiving an all-pervading light-form of Śiva, subtle gradients, minimal iconography, epithets written on a scroll panel","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: philosophical allegory—sage in a pavilion contemplating a column of light labeled ‘Nirañjana’, delicate calligraphy cartouches for the five epithets, fine detailing and subdued gold"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इत्य् अपि = इति + अपि; अन्यत्र स्पष्ट-सन्धि नहीं।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 87 (Śiva-tattva and nāma exposition)
FAQs
It imparts Shiva-nāma-vidyā: the doctrinal mapping of key epithets (Prabhava, Samaya, Vimala, Nirañjana) to Shiva’s nature—sourcehood, cosmic order, purity, and illumination—used for contemplative recitation and theological understanding.
By cataloging precise divine epithets with metaphysical descriptors (nirguṇa purity, causal radiance, cosmic regulation), it functions like a theological lexicon—one of the Agni Purana’s many knowledge-lists spanning ritual, philosophy, and practical sciences.
Meditating on Shiva as Vimala/Nirañjana (stainless, taintless) and as the cause of illumination is presented as purifying the mind and aligning one’s conduct with cosmic order (samaya), supporting inner clarity and auspiciousness (śiva).