Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 9
Chapter 91 — विविधमन्त्रादिकथनम्
Teaching of Various Mantras and Related Matters
कठिन्या जप्तया स्पृष्टे गोमूत्राकृतिरेखया आरभ्यैकं त्रिकं यावत्त्रिचतुष्कावसानकं
kaṭhinyā japtayā spṛṣṭe gomūtrākṛtirekhayā ārabhyaikaṃ trikaṃ yāvattricatuṣkāvasānakaṃ
Lorsque (le rite/l’objet) a été touché par le mantra de « Kaṭhinī » dûment récité, on doit commencer le tracé des lignes selon la courbe dite « urine de vache » ; en partant d’un seul (trait/signe), puis par groupes de trois, en poursuivant jusqu’à ce que la suite s’achève par des groupes de trois et de quatre.
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Protective rite combining mantra-japa (Kaṭhinī) with ritual touch (sparśa) and prescribed line-drawing (rekhā) in a specific curve-form, proceeding by counted strokes/groups to complete the diagram.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Kaṭhinī-Mantra Sparśa and Gomūtrākṛti Rekhā: Counted Stroke-Sequence (1 → triads → tri+four end)","lookup_keywords":["kaṭhinī-mantra","sparśa","gomūtrākṛti","rekhā","saṅkhyā-krama"],"quick_summary":"After empowering by Kaṭhinī-mantra and touch, draw the protective line in the gomūtra-curve form, beginning with a single mark and continuing in counted groupings until the terminal triad-and-four sequence is completed."}
Concept: Ritual efficacy is presented as a synthesis of mantra (sound), sparśa (contact/intent), and rekhā (form), governed by number-sequence (krama).
Application: Perform the rite with purity and consistency: complete the japa, do the prescribed touch, then execute the line exactly by the stated counting order to ‘seal’ the protection.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mantra-prayoga (Protective rites and ritual applications)
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Śānta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner finishing japa on a mala, touching the ritual object/diagram, then drawing a distinctive curved line (gomūtra-shape) on a prepared surface, with counted marks indicated beside the curve (1, 3, 3, …, ending with 3 and 4).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, bold curved gomūtra line on a ritual board, practitioner with mala and stylus, clear numeric group markers, flat colors, sacred lamp nearby, emphasis on gesture and curve.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, ornate ritual scene with gold highlights on the curve and border, practitioner in traditional attire, mala and stylus, the gomūtra-shaped line central and luminous, rich background textiles.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional depiction: step-by-step curve drawing with small numbered clusters, practitioner’s hand emphasized, soft palette, high legibility.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, close-up of hand drawing a curved line on paper/board, rosary on the side, fine calligraphy of numbers, detailed textiles and tools, subtle gold."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गोमूत्राकृतिरेखया → गो-मूत्र-आकृति-रेखया. आरभ्यैकं → आरभ्य एकम्. यावत्त्रिचतुष्कावसानकं → यावत् त्रि-चतुष्क-अवसानकम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: immediately preceding yantra-lekhana instructions (ch. 91); Agni Purana: other rakṣā-prayoga and mantra-sparśa usages in Mantra-vidyā sections
FAQs
It gives a precise mantra-prayoga: after consecrating by touch with the Kaṭhinī mantra (japa), one draws an auspicious protective line (rekhā) in a gomūtra-shaped curve, laid out in a counted sequence of strokes/groups (1, then triads, concluding with triads and tetrads).
Beyond theology, it preserves highly technical procedural details—how to consecrate (sparśa), how to draw ritual diagrams (rekhā/lekha akin to yantra practice), and how to follow numeric patterning—showing the Agni Purana as a manual of applied ritual technology.
The consecrating touch with mantra and the auspicious rekha-pattern are intended to establish ritual purity and protective efficacy (rakṣā), aligning the act with dharmic order and generating merit through correct performance of prescribed rite.