Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 45
Chapter 33 — पवित्रारोहणविधानं
The Procedure for Pavitrārohaṇa / Installing the Sacred Thread or Consecratory Amulet
शार्ङ्गञ्च मुषलं खड्गं वनमालाञ्च तद्वहिः इन्द्राद्याश् च तयानन्तो नैरृत्यां वरुणस्ततः
śārṅgañca muṣalaṃ khaḍgaṃ vanamālāñca tadvahiḥ indrādyāś ca tayānanto nairṛtyāṃ varuṇastataḥ
Tempatkan (bayangkan) busur Śārṅga, gada, pedang, dan rangkaian bunga hutan. Di luarnya berdiri Indra dan para dewa penjaga arah; menurut urutan itu Ananta ditempatkan di barat daya, lalu Varuṇa sesudahnya.
Lord Agni (in dialogue, instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Mandala-devatā-nyāsa in pūjā: placing/visualizing weapons and dikpālas in correct directions for protection and completeness of the ritual field.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Mandala-nyāsa of Śārṅga and Dikpālas (Ananta in Nairṛtya, Varuṇa thereafter)","lookup_keywords":["mandala-nyasa","dikpala","Śārṅga","Ananta","Varuṇa"],"quick_summary":"The verse gives a directional placement scheme: install/visualize Viṣṇu’s emblems (bow, mace, sword, garland) and then station the directional deities in sequence, specifying Ananta in the south-west and Varuṇa next."}
Weapon Type: Bow (Śārṅga), mace/club (muṣala), sword (khaḍga)
Concept: Ritual space becomes a microcosm when dikpālas and divine emblems are correctly installed; order (krama) is itself protective.
Application: Use the specified directional schema during mandala drawing/nyāsa to avoid ritual faults (doṣa) and to establish kavaca-like protection.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mandala-devata-nyasa (Iconography and directional deities)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual mandala around an altar: Śārṅga bow, club, sword, and forest garland placed as emblems; dikpālas stationed on the outer ring; Ananta marked in the south-west; Varuṇa placed next in sequence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural of a pūjā-mandala with vivid flat colors: Viṣṇu’s āyudhas (Śārṅga, club, sword, vanamālā) arranged on a circular yantra; dikpālas on the perimeter; Ananta serpent in the south-west corner; stylized lotus borders, traditional ornamentation.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting showing a gold-embossed mandala altar with Viṣṇu’s emblems in relief; dikpālas in small niches around; Ananta in Nairṛtya with jeweled hood; Varuṇa with pāśa and makara emblem; rich reds and greens, heavy gold work.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional plate: clean linework mandala diagram with labeled directions; icons for Śārṅga, club, sword, garland; outer ring with dikpāla figures; Ananta indicated in south-west; muted palette and delicate shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a courtly ritualist arranging a mandala on a terrace; small detailed weapons/emblems placed on a diagram; dikpālas as tiny attendant deities around; Ananta serpent motif in the south-west; fine borders and calligraphic labels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śārṅgañca→śārṅgam+ca; vanamālāñca→vanamālām+ca; indrādyāś ca→indrādyāḥ+ca; tayānanto→tayā+anantaḥ; varuṇastataḥ→varuṇaḥ+tataḥ
Related Themes: Agni Purana 33 (pūjā-vidhi sections on mandala-devatā-nyāsa and dikpāla-krama)
FAQs
It gives a nyāsa/vinyāsa instruction: how to place or visualize Viṣṇu’s weapons and garland, and how to station dikpālas (Indra and others) with Ananta in the south-west and Varuṇa in the subsequent directional sequence.
Beyond mythology, it preserves practical temple-ritual technology—mandala design, directional theology (dikpāla system), and iconographic mapping of Viṣṇu’s āyudhas—showing the text’s manual-like coverage of worship procedures.
Correct directional placement is treated as protective and purificatory: it sacralizes space, invokes guardianship of the quarters, and supports ritual efficacy (siddhi) by aligning worship with cosmic order (dik and devatā).