Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 44
Chapter 33 — पवित्रारोहणविधानं
The Procedure for Pavitrārohaṇa / Installing the Sacred Thread or Consecratory Amulet
अग्न्यादौ श्रीधृतिरतिकान्तयो मूर्तयो हरेः शङ्खचक्रगदापद्ममग्न्यादौ पूर्वकादिकं
agnyādau śrīdhṛtiratikāntayo mūrtayo hareḥ śaṅkhacakragadāpadmamagnyādau pūrvakādikaṃ
ចាប់ពីអគ្គនី (Agni) ជាដើម រូបមន្ត (មូរតិ) នៃហរិ (Hari) គឺ ស្រី (Śrī) ធ្រឹតិ (Dhṛti) រតិ (Rati) និងកាន្តិ (Kānti)។ ហើយចាប់ពីអគ្គនីតាមលំដាប់កំណត់ គ្រឿងសញ្ញាគឺ សង្ខ (śaṅkha) ចក្រ (cakra) គទា (gadā) និងបដ្ម (padma) ដោយរៀងតាមមុនក្រោយ។
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Iconographic meditation and āvaraṇa arrangement: place Hari’s śaktis/forms (Śrī, Dhṛti, Rati, Kānti) and arrange Viṣṇu’s āyudhas (śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, padma) in prescribed directional order beginning with Agni (southeast).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Hari’s Śaktis and Āyudha-Dhyāna Order (Agni-ādi)","lookup_keywords":["shri dhriti rati kanti","shankha chakra gada padma","agni-adi","ayudha-dhyana","hari murtayah"],"quick_summary":"Gives a placement/meditation list: Hari’s attendant forms Śrī–Dhṛti–Rati–Kānti and the emblems conch–discus–mace–lotus, arranged from the Agni direction onward."}
Weapon Type: Chakra and Gadā (divine weapons), plus emblematic Śaṅkha and Padma
Concept: Divine completeness is expressed through śakti (qualities/powers) and āyudha (functions/protections), arranged cosmically by direction.
Application: Use for dhyāna and for designing parivāra/āyudha placements in Vaiṣṇava worship spaces and icon programs.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Vishnu-murti & Ayudha-dhyana / iconographic meditation)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A Viṣṇu icon with four emblems highlighted, while four attendant feminine forms (Śrī, Dhṛti, Rati, Kānti) stand or sit in surrounding directions; the conch, discus, mace, and lotus are placed in a directional ring beginning at the southeast (Agni).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: central Viṣṇu with stylized śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma, four śaktis around with distinct color coding, directional ring starting at Agni corner, bold outlines and temple-lamp warmth.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: richly ornamented Viṣṇu with gold leaf on āyudhas, four śaktis in side panels, lotus pedestals, embossed jewelry, Agni-direction indicated by a small flame motif at the starting corner.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: semi-diagrammatic iconography plate—Viṣṇu centered, āyudhas labeled and placed in Agni-ādi order, śaktis named in neat script-like cartouches, delicate shading and fine linework.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: refined shrine tableau with Viṣṇu and attendants, detailed textiles and jewelry, emblems arranged around like a cosmological compass beginning at southeast, subtle flame icon for Agni."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Madhyamavati","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अग्न्यादौ = अग्नि + आदौ (avyayībhāva); शङ्खचक्रगदापद्मम् is a samāhāra-dvandva; पद्ममग्न्यादौ = पद्मम् + अग्न्यादौ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Viṣṇu-mūrti-lakṣaṇa and āyudha descriptions; Agni Purana: dik-devatā / Agni-ādi directional ordering in ritual layouts
FAQs
It gives an iconographic/ritual mapping: Hari’s associated forms (Śrī, Dhṛti, Rati, Kānti) and the ordered placement or contemplation of his emblems (śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, padma) beginning with Agni in the prescribed sequence.
It preserves compact technical data used in worship manuals—lists, correspondences, and ordered assignments for deity-visualization—showing the text’s role as a reference for ritual procedure and iconographic standards alongside its many other disciplines.
Correctly contemplating and arranging the deity’s forms and emblems is taught as a means to focused devotion (dhyāna) and ritual accuracy, supporting purity of worship and the accrual of religious merit through properly ordered pūjā.