Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 13
Chapter 31 — मार्जनविधानं
The Procedure of Mārjana / Purificatory Sprinkling
तप्तहाटककेशाग्रज्वलत्पावकलोचन वज्राधिकनखस्पर्शं दिव्यसिंह नमोस्तु ते
taptahāṭakakeśāgrajvalatpāvakalocana vajrādhikanakhasparśaṃ divyasiṃha namostu te
तप्त सुवर्ण-से ज्वलित केशाग्र वाले, अग्नि-सम प्रज्वलित नेत्रों वाले, वज्र से भी कठोर नख-स्पर्श वाले दिव्य सिंह! आपको नमस्कार हो।
Lord Agni (narrator) to sage Vasiṣṭha (contextual frame of Agni Purana discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Stotra","secondary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","practical_application":"Protective recitation (rakṣā-stuti) to Narasiṃha for fear-removal, warding obstacles, and invoking fierce guardianship during puja.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Divya Siṃha (Narasiṃha) Protective Praise: Golden Blaze, Fire Eyes, Vajra Claws","lookup_keywords":["Narasimha stuti","divya simha","vajra-nakha","taptahataka","raksha"],"quick_summary":"A vivid protective hymn to the celestial Lion (Narasiṃha), emphasizing blazing hair, fiery eyes, and thunderbolt-hard claws—invoked for immediate protection and courage."}
Alamkara Type: Utpreksha/Atiśayokti (hyperbolic imagination: hair-tips blazing, claw-touch harder than vajra)
Weapon Type: Claws (natural weapon)
Concept: Divine ferocity as compassion: the terrifying form functions as rakṣā for devotees and dharma.
Application: Recite at thresholds, during anxiety, or before travel; pair with Narasiṃha-dhyāna for steadiness and courage.
Khanda Section: Stotra & Devata-Vandana (Protective Hymns and Praise within Puja-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: Raudra
Secondary Rasa: Vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Narasiṃha as a radiant, terrifying guardian: mane like molten gold, eyes like fire, claws emphasized as diamond-hard; devotee seeking refuge nearby.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: fierce Narasiṃha with flaming eyes, stylized golden mane, bold outlines, protective stance, subdued demon/obstacle forms at the margins.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: Narasiṃha with heavy gold work on mane and ornaments, intense gaze, claws highlighted with metallic sheen, devotee in añjali at the base.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: controlled ferocity—detailed facial expression, luminous mane, clear claw depiction, instructional emphasis on iconographic features, minimal background.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: dramatic chiaroscuro, Narasiṃha’s fiery eyes and golden mane rendered with fine strokes, courtly onlookers/devotee, architectural frame."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नमोस्तु → नमः + अस्तु (ः + अ = ओऽ).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 31 (protective hymns within puja-vidhi)
FAQs
It functions as a stuti-mantra (praise formula) used in devotional recitation for rakṣā (protection), invoking the deity through specific iconographic markers (golden blazing hair, fiery eyes, vajra-hard claws).
Alongside subjects like governance, medicine, and warfare, the Agni Purana preserves practical liturgical material—stotras and deity-descriptions—showing how devotion, mantra-use, and ritual praise are integrated into daily religious practice.
Reciting such salutations cultivates bhakti and śaraṇāgati (devotional surrender), traditionally believed to remove fear, purify intention, and attract protective grace through remembrance of a powerful divine form.