Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 12
Mantra-paribhāṣā (मन्त्रपरिभाषा) — Colophon/Closure
कराली मकरी कालरात्री च यमदूतिका एतास्ताः सविषा दंष्ट्रा वामदक्षिणपार्श्वगाः
karālī makarī kālarātrī ca yamadūtikā etāstāḥ saviṣā daṃṣṭrā vāmadakṣiṇapārśvagāḥ
કરાળી, મકરી, કાલરાત્રી અને યમદૂતિકા—આ શક્તિઓ વિષદંષ્ટ્રાવાળી થઈ ડાબા તથા જમણા પાર्श્વે રક્ષકરૂપે સ્થિત રહે છે।
Lord Agni (narrating to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Raksha-vidhi: invoking/placing specific fierce śaktis as flank-guardians in protective rites, especially for warding poison, spirits, and death-omens.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Karālī–Makarī–Kālarātrī–Yamadūtikā as flank-guardians","lookup_keywords":["Karālī","Kālarātrī","Yamadūtikā","rakṣā-vidhi","daṃṣṭrā (fangs)"],"quick_summary":"Names a set of fierce female protective powers stationed on left and right flanks. Used as a standard placement-list in apotropaic (rakṣā) ritual mapping."}
Concept: Protective cosmography: assigning fierce śaktis to directional/flank positions to create a living armor (kavaca) around the sādhaka/rite.
Application: In nyāsa/āvāhana, mentally or ritually station these devīs on left/right sides before undertaking mantra-japa, healing, or exorcistic procedures.
Khanda Section: Tantra & Protective Deities (Raksha-vidhi / Mantra-devata-nirupana)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A protective mandala scene: four fierce female guardians with venomous fangs stationed on the left and right flanks of a central ritual space, forming a living barrier.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, deep earthy reds and greens, central yantra-like space with two guardians on each flank, fierce śakti faces with daṃṣṭrā, ornate jewelry, stylized flames, symmetrical composition, traditional mural linework","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central protective panel with gold-leaf halos, four fierce devīs as flank-guardians, heavy ornaments, embossed gold detailing, rich maroon background, conch and weapon motifs, temple-arch framing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, refined linework and soft shading, instructional placement diagram feel: left/right flanks labeled, four devīs in ugra posture with fangs, muted palette with gold highlights, clean borders","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly yet dramatic: a sādhaka in ritual space with attendants, two guardians on each side emerging as fierce feminine figures with fangs, intricate textiles, fine brush detail, night-lit ambience"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"protective","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: एतास्ताः = एताः + ताः; वामदक्षिणपार्श्वगाः = वाम + दक्षिण + पार्श्व + गाः (समास).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 293 (rakṣā-vidhi/mantra-devatā-nirūpaṇa context)
FAQs
It specifies a protective-ritual (rakṣā) mapping: fierce guardian powers—Karālī, Makarī, Kālarātrī, and Yamadūtikā—are to be conceived/placed as flank-guardians (left and right), emphasizing their sharp, venomous ‘fang’ power to repel obstacles and hostile forces.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana catalogs applied ritual technology—lists of deities, their functions, and spatial placements (nyāsa/maṇḍala-style organization). Such procedural details sit alongside its wide coverage of law, polity, medicine, architecture, and poetics, illustrating its encyclopedic scope.
Meditating on or ritually installing fierce flank-guardians is presented as a means of spiritual protection—warding off deathly, harmful, and impure influences—thereby supporting purity of practice and safeguarding the practitioner’s religious undertaking.