Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 5
Chapter 326 — देवालयमाहात्म्यम्
The Glory of Temples
तर्जन्यङ्गुष्ठमाक्रम्य न मेरुं लङ्घ्येज्जपे प्रमादात् पतिते सूत्रे जप्तव्यन्तु शतद्वयम्
tarjanyaṅguṣṭhamākramya na meruṃ laṅghyejjape pramādāt patite sūtre japtavyantu śatadvayam
तर्जनी को अंगूठे से दबाकर जप करते हुए, प्रमाद से भी मेरु को न लाँघें। यदि माला गिर जाए, तो दो सौ जप अवश्य करने चाहिए।
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as the Agni Purana’s primary narrator)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Rosary discipline: correct finger use, do not cross the meru bead; expiation/compensation count if mala falls.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Meru-niyama and prāyaścitta for fallen mālā in japa","lookup_keywords":["tarjanī-aṅguṣṭha","meru-lāṅghana","japa-niyama","mālā-patana","dvi-śata-japa"],"quick_summary":"Count japa by pressing forefinger with thumb; do not cross the meru bead. If the mala falls, perform 200 extra repetitions as corrective discipline."}
Concept: Niyama and prāyaścitta preserve sanctity of practice; negligence (pramāda) is corrected by additional japa.
Application: Maintain meru etiquette (reverse direction rather than crossing); if lapse occurs (mālā falls), add prescribed repetitions to restore discipline.
Khanda Section: Japa-vidhi (Mantra-japa rules and rosary discipline)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner doing japa with a mala, stopping at the meru bead and turning back; a secondary vignette shows a fallen mala and the practitioner resuming with a tally of 200 extra recitations.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-panel narrative: hand at meru bead turning back; mala fallen on floor with devotee in remorseful composure, then resuming japa; bold outlines, temple interior.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold-highlighted meru bead, devotee turning the mala at the head bead, ornate frame; small inset showing fallen mala and renewed japa with count marks.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional painting, clear depiction of meru bead and reversal technique, annotated count '200' in Devanagari, soft colors and precise lines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed beads and fingers, subtle narrative of mistake and correction, refined interior setting with manuscript and inkpot."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तर्जन्यङ्गुष्ठमाक्रम्य = तर्जनी + अङ्गुष्ठम् + आक्रम्य; लङ्घ्येज्जपे = लङ्घ्येत् + जपे (त् + ज → ज्ज).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Japa-vidhi on meru bead handling and doṣa-prāyaścitta; Agni Purana Puja-vidhi on śuddhi and niyama
FAQs
It teaches japa-mālā discipline: do not cross the meru (head bead) while counting, and if the rosary/thread falls due to negligence, perform an expiatory count of 200 additional recitations.
Beyond theology, it records precise operational rules of daily ritual practice—minute procedures for mantra-japa and rosary handling—showing the text’s compendium-like coverage of practical religious disciplines.
It frames carelessness in japa as a ritual fault and prescribes a specific remedial act (200 recitations), emphasizing attentiveness, purity of practice, and restoration of merit through prayāścitta.