Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 20
Adhivāsana-vidhi
Procedure for Preliminary Consecration in Vāstu–Pratiṣṭhā / Īśāna-kalpa
अ तत्तु दृष्ट्यावलोकयेदिति ख , छ च शेषद्वाराणि चङ्क्रमेदिति ख , छ च शेषद्वाराणि पूजयेदिति छ स्वात्मन इति ख , घ , छ , ज च निजसंवरैर् इति ग , ङ च निजसञ्चयैर् इति घ ॐ हं हां मूर्तीस्तदीश्वरांस्तत्र पूर्ववद्विनिवेशयेत् तद्व्यापकं शिवं साङ्गं शिवहस्तञ्च मूर्धनि
a tattu dṛṣṭyāvalokayediti kha , cha ca śeṣadvārāṇi caṅkramediti kha , cha ca śeṣadvārāṇi pūjayediti cha svātmana iti kha , gha , cha , ja ca nijasaṃvarair iti ga , ṅa ca nijasañcayair iti gha oṃ haṃ hāṃ mūrtīstadīśvarāṃstatra pūrvavadviniveśayet tadvyāpakaṃ śivaṃ sāṅgaṃ śivahastañca mūrdhani
Ensuite, on doit contempler ce principe/la divinité par un regard fermement concentré. On doit faire la circumambulation des « portes » restantes (c’est-à-dire les autres seuils ou lieux corporels prescrits par le rite) et les vénérer. (Tout cela se fait) dans le Soi même, par ses propres disciplines et par ses propres accumulations (de mérite/puissance). En récitant « oṃ haṃ hāṃ », on installera là, comme il a été enseigné auparavant, les formes divines et leurs seigneurs présidents ; et l’on installera Śiva, l’Omniprésent, avec ses membres (aṅga), puis l’on posera aussi la main de Śiva sur le sommet de la tête.
Lord Agni (teaching to sage Vasiṣṭha, standard Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Internal nyāsa and dhyāna for Śiva-upāsanā: installing mantras/deities in bodily loci, circumambulating and worshipping internal ‘doors’ (dvāras), culminating in brahma-mudrā/śiva-hasta placement at the crown.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Antar-nyāsa of Śiva with oṃ haṃ hāṃ; dvāra-pūjā and śiva-hasta on the crown","lookup_keywords":["nyasa","dvāra-pūjā","oṃ haṃ hāṃ","śiva-aṅga","mūrdhni śiva-hasta"],"quick_summary":"The rite directs focused inner seeing, circumambulation and worship of remaining internal gateways, then mantra-recitation to install Śiva, His aṅgas, and presiding deities within the subtle body, sealing the practice by placing Śiva’s hand at the crown."}
Concept: Devatā-āveśa/nyāsa: the self as the locus of Śiva’s all-pervasion, realized through disciplined restraint and inner ritual.
Application: Use as a step-by-step internal pūjā sequence before japa/dhyāna, emphasizing self-purification and embodied visualization.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Tantra-yoga (Nyasa, Dhyana, Murti-sthapana)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A yogin seated in meditation visualizes inner ‘doors’ around the body, installs luminous deities with the mantra oṃ haṃ hāṃ, and a radiant Śiva-hand rests upon the crown, with subtle channels glowing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, seated yogin in padmāsana, stylized aura and lotus-crown, inner maṇḍala with small dvāra-icons around the body, Śiva’s translucent hand touching the head, rich reds/ochres, flat decorative patterns.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central yogin with embossed gold halo, miniature attendant deities arranged as inner loci, gold-highlighted Śiva-hand above crown, ornate floral garlands, deep jewel tones, temple-like framing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework showing subtle-body map (dvāras, aṅgas), mantra syllables ‘oṃ haṃ hāṃ’ inscribed, instructional composition with gentle shading and muted palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate interior with a yogin, delicate calligraphy of mantra, translucent depiction of inner deities, fine detailing of crown illumination and a divine hand descending, pastel background with architectural niche."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Core mantra-instruction portion analyzed: mūrtīḥ + tadīśvarān (mūrtīstadīśvarān); pūrvavat + viniveśayet (pūrvavadviniveśayet); śivahastam + ca (śivahastañca). Editorial apparatus (kha/cha/gha etc.) omitted as non-verse markers.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 96 (nyāsa/dhyāna/mūrti-sthāpana sequence: ‘pūrvavat’ indicates earlier steps in the same chapter)
FAQs
It teaches a tantric-ritual sequence: visualization by focused gaze, circumambulation and worship of remaining ritual ‘gateways’ (dvāras), followed by nyāsa—installing Shiva’s forms and their presiding lords using the bīja-mantras “oṃ haṃ hāṃ”, culminating in placing Shiva’s hand on the crown (mūrdhan).
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves procedural liturgy—mantra-based installation (nyāsa), internalized worship (svātmanaḥ), and detailed bodily/ritual mapping (dvāras)—showing the Agni Purana as a practical manual for temple and inner ritual technique.
By internalizing worship ‘in one’s own Self’ and installing the all-pervading Shiva with complete aṅgas, the practitioner aims at purification, stabilization of discipline (saṃvara), accumulation of spiritual power/merit (sañcaya), and divine protection/empowerment symbolized by Shiva’s hand on the crown.