Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 3
Chapter 22 — स्नानविधिकथनं
Instruction on the Rite of Bathing
हृदि ध्यायन् हरिज्ञानं मन्त्रेणाष्टाक्षरेण हि त्रिधा पाणितले मृत्स्नां दिग्बन्धं सिंहजप्ततः
hṛdi dhyāyan harijñānaṃ mantreṇāṣṭākṣareṇa hi tridhā pāṇitale mṛtsnāṃ digbandhaṃ siṃhajaptataḥ
ಹೃದಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಹರಿ (ವಿಷ್ಣು)ಯ ರಕ್ಷಕ ಜ್ಞಾನವನ್ನು ಧ್ಯಾನಿಸುತ್ತಾ, ಅಷ್ಟಾಕ್ಷರ ಮಂತ್ರದಿಂದ ಮೂರು ಬಾರಿ ಕೈತಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೃತ್ತಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕು. ‘ಸಿಂಹ’ ಮಂತ್ರಜಪ್ತವಾದ ಆ ಮೃತ್ತಿಕೆಯಿಂದ ರಕ್ಷಾರ್ಥ ದಿಗ್ಬಂಧ (ದಿಕ್ಕುಬಂಧನ) ಮಾಡಬೇಕು।
Lord Agni (in dialogue tradition, teaching sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Teaches digbandhana (direction-binding protective enclosure) using Siṃha-japa-charged earth taken thrice in the palm, while meditating on Hari’s saving knowledge and employing the aṣṭākṣara mantra.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Digbandhana with Siṃha-japta Mṛtsnā and Aṣṭākṣara Hari-mantra","lookup_keywords":["digbandha","aṣṭākṣara","Hari-jñāna","siṃha-japa","mṛtsnā"],"quick_summary":"Meditate on Hari within the heart and use the eight-syllabled mantra; take clay/earth in the palm three times and, empowered by Siṃha-japa, establish a protective boundary sealing the directions."}
Concept: Protection is both contemplative (Hari-jñāna in the heart) and operative (mantra-charged acts sealing space).
Application: Before pūjā/japa, perform digbandhana by mantra-charging earth and ritually sealing the quarters, while maintaining Hari-smṛti through the aṣṭākṣara.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Mantra-nyasa, Digbandhana, Protective rites)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee stands facing the quarters, palm holding clay three times, tracing an invisible boundary around the ritual space; a lion-symbol and the aṣṭākṣara mantra glow subtly as protective forces while Hari is visualized in the heart-lotus.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, devotee performing digbandhana with clay in palm, stylized compass-like quarters around, lion emblem behind, subtle lotus at chest indicating Hari-dhyāna, bold outlines and earthy colors","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, devotee with raised palm holding clay, gold-leaf ring encircling the space as digbandha, lion motif and aṣṭākṣara glyphs in gold, ornate borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, diagrammatic yet traditional: eight directions indicated, devotee taking clay thrice, chest-lotus with Hari symbol, fine linework for instructional precision","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtyard ritual space with faint circular boundary, devotee holding clay, delicate calligraphy of aṣṭākṣara near the figure, lion motif on a small banner, detailed architecture"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: mantreṇāṣṭākṣareṇa = mantreṇa + aṣṭa-akṣareṇa; digbandhaṃ = dig-bandham; siṃhajaptataḥ analyzed as siṃha-japta-taḥ (ablative used adverbially).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 22 (rakṣā and snāna-vidhi context); Agni Purana 21 (mantra-japa preliminaries; praṇava usage)
FAQs
It teaches a protective rite (digbandha): meditate on Hari, employ the Aṣṭākṣara mantra, and charge ritual earth in the palm three times (with siṃha-japa) to seal the quarters and create a guarded ritual space.
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves precise, operational ritual instructions—mantra selection, material use (mṛtsnā), and a standardized protective technique (digbandha)—showing the Agni Purana as a manual of applied religious practice.
By invoking Hari through the Aṣṭākṣara and ritually sealing the directions, the practitioner aims to remove obstacles, prevent impurity or interference, and establish a sanctified, protected field for worship and mantra-sādhanā.