Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 32
Tvaritā-pūjā (The Worship of Tvaritā) — Transition Verse and Context
मुद्रा वक्ष्ये प्रणीताद्याः प्रणीताः पञ्चधास्मृताः ग्रथितौ तु करौ कृत्वा मध्ये ऽङ्गुष्ठौ निपातयेत्
mudrā vakṣye praṇītādyāḥ praṇītāḥ pañcadhāsmṛtāḥ grathitau tu karau kṛtvā madhye 'ṅguṣṭhau nipātayet
プラニータをはじめとしてムドラーを説こう。プラニータは五種であると伝えられる。両手を組み合わせて交差させ、中ほどに両拇指を置くべきである。
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s ritual-encyclopedic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Mudrā-lakṣaṇa for pūjā: forming Praṇītā mudrā (fivefold variants) by interlacing hands and placing thumbs centrally to seal mantra and direct ritual energy.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Praṇītā Mudrā (pañcadhā): hasta-bandha with central thumbs","lookup_keywords":["mudrā-lakṣaṇa","praṇītā","pañcadhā","karagraṭhita","aṅguṣṭha-madhya"],"quick_summary":"Defines the hand-configuration for Praṇītā mudrā: interlace both hands and set the thumbs in the middle; the tradition recognizes five variants used in worship sequences."}
Concept: Kriyā-śuddhi: correct bodily form (mudrā) supports mental steadiness and mantra-niyama, functioning as a ‘seal’ (bandha) in ritual action.
Application: Use Praṇītā mudrā at the prescribed points of pūjā/japa to maintain continuity of attention and standardize ritual performance.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Tantra: Mudrā-lakṣaṇa (Ritual hand-gestures in worship)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Close-up of two hands interlaced (fingers woven), with both thumbs placed centrally; a sādhaka demonstrates the Praṇītā mudrā as part of a pūjā setup with lamp, flowers, and mantra text.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, enlarged hands in foreground showing interlaced fingers and central thumbs, ritual items stylized, warm ochre background, clear iconic outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, hands with gold-highlighted jewelry, central thumbs emphasized with gold emboss, pūjā lamp and flowers, rich saturated backdrop.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, step-by-step instructional depiction: hand pose centered, minimal distractions, fine linework, subtle shading, small caption-like space for ‘Praṇītā’.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined close-up of hands with delicate shading, prayer setting with manuscript and incense, precise gesture emphasized, patterned textile background."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पञ्चधास्मृताः = पञ्चधा + स्मृताः; मध्ये 'ङ्गुष्ठौ = मध्ये + अङ्गुष्ठौ (avagraha).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 309 (mudrā section; preceding nyāsa/japa instructions)
FAQs
It teaches the hand-formation for the Praṇītā mudrā: interlace both hands and set the two thumbs at the center; it also notes that Praṇītā has five recognized variants.
Beyond mythology, the text catalogues practical ritual technologies—such as detailed mudrā mechanics—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of liturgy, tantra-inflected worship procedure, and temple/household pūjā technique.
Correct mudrā-formation is treated as a “seal” that stabilizes intention and mantra in pūjā, supporting ritual purity (śuddhi) and the efficacy (siddhi) of offerings and invocations.