Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 50
अश्ववाहनसारः
Aśvavāhana-sāra) — Essentials of Horses as Mounts (and Horse-Treatment
ग्राहयित्वा ततः पादं त्रिविधासु यथाक्रमम् साधयेत् पञ्चधारासु क्रमशो मण्डलादिषु
grāhayitvā tataḥ pādaṃ trividhāsu yathākramam sādhayet pañcadhārāsu kramaśo maṇḍalādiṣu
次に、「パーダ」（四分の一／区分）を三種の配列において順序どおりに定着させ、曼荼羅（マンダラ）等を起点として、五つのダーラーを順次に通じてサーダナ（成就の修法）を行うべきである。
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Mandala-nyasa and dhara-krama sequencing for ritual accomplishment (sadhana) in Isana-kalpa practice.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pāda-nyāsa in threefold arrangement and five-dhārā sādhanā sequence","lookup_keywords":["pāda-nyāsa","trividha-krama","pañca-dhārā","maṇḍala","sādhanā"],"quick_summary":"Fix the ritual ‘pāda’ in the prescribed threefold order, then proceed stepwise through the five dhārās beginning with maṇḍala, maintaining strict sequence for siddhi-oriented practice."}
Concept: Siddhi depends on krama (correct sequencing) and nyāsa (proper placement/fixation) within a structured mandala-system.
Application: Follow a fixed procedural order (krama) in worship/meditation; avoid skipping steps in nyāsa and dhārā progression.
Khanda Section: Isana-kalpa / Tantra-Mantra Sadhana (Mandala, Dharas, Pada-nyasa)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual adept lays out a mandala on the ground, performs pada-nyasa in a threefold arrangement, and advances through five dhārās in ordered stages.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, ochre-red background, a shaiva sadhaka seated near a geometric mandala, hands in nyasa mudra, ritual vessels and lamps, stylized lines and flat color blocks, sacred diagram emphasized.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central mandala with gold-leaf highlights, sadhaka with ornate ornaments and halo-like aureole, lamps and kalasha, rich reds and greens, embossed gold detailing on the mandala borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, fine linework showing stepwise ritual stages: threefold pada placement and five dhara sequence, labeled compartments, soft shading, instructional composition with calm devotional ambience.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed carpet-like mandala on the floor, scholar-priest demonstrating nyasa to a disciple, delicate architecture and textiles, precise geometry, subdued palette with intricate borders."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यथाक्रमम् → यथा-क्रमम् (अव्ययीभाव). मण्डलादिषु → मण्डल-आदिषु (आदि-तत्पुरुष).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Isana-kalpa sections on maṇḍala-vidhi, nyāsa, dhāra-krama, mantra-sādhana (nearby verses in ch. 287)
FAQs
It teaches a stepwise sādhana method: properly fixing a ritual ‘pāda’ within a threefold arrangement and then proceeding sequentially through five dhārās, starting from the maṇḍala and allied ritual supports.
Beyond mythology, it preserves technical liturgical know-how—mandala construction logic, ordered placements (nyāsa-like sequencing), and phased practice (dhārā-krama)—showing the text’s coverage of practical ritual technology alongside theology.
By insisting on correct order (yathākramam) and disciplined sequencing (kramaśaḥ), the verse frames ritual precision as essential for efficacy and purity, aligning the practitioner’s action with prescribed sacred procedure.