Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 1
Chapter 30: मण्डलविधिः (Maṇḍala-vidhi) — Procedure for the Maṇḍala
इत्य् आदिमहापुराणे आग्नेये मण्डलादिलक्षणं नाम ऊनत्रिंशो ऽध्यायः अथ त्रिंशो ऽध्यायः मण्डलविधिः नारद उवाच मध्ये पद्मे यजेद्ब्रह्म साङ्गं पूर्वेब्जनाभकं
ity ādimahāpurāṇe āgneye maṇḍalādilakṣaṇaṃ nāma ūnatriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ atha triṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ maṇḍalavidhiḥ nārada uvāca madhye padme yajedbrahma sāṅgaṃ pūrvebjanābhakaṃ
ಇಂತೆ ಆದಿಮಹಾಪುರಾಣವಾದ ಅಗ್ನಿಪುರಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ‘ಮಂಡಲಾದಿ-ಲಕ್ಷಣ’ ಎಂಬ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತೊಂಬತ್ತನೇ ಅಧ್ಯಾಯ ಮುಕ್ತಾಯವಾಯಿತು. ಈಗ ‘ಮಂಡಲವಿಧಿ’ ಎಂಬ ಮுப்பತ್ತನೇ ಅಧ್ಯಾಯ ಆರಂಭ. ನಾರದರು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಪದ್ಮಾಕೃತಿಯ ಮಧ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಂಗಗಳೊಡನೆ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನನ್ನು ಪೂಜಿಸಬೇಕು; ಪೂರ್ವ ಪದ್ಮಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಪದ್ಮನಾಭ (ವಿಷ್ಣು)ನನ್ನು ಆರಾಧಿಸಬೇಕು।
Nārada
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Construction of a lotus-maṇḍala for pūjā: assigning deities to the bindu/centre and directional petals/quarters to structure worship and visualization.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Padma-maṇḍala: Centre Brahmā, East Viṣṇu (Padmanābha)","lookup_keywords":["padma-mandala","Brahma-anga-puja","purva-patra","Padmanabha","mandala-vinyasa"],"quick_summary":"In a lotus maṇḍala, worship Brahmā with aṅga-nyāsa in the centre; place Padmanābha (Viṣṇu) in the eastern petal/sector as part of the directional deity layout."}
Concept: Devata-vinyāsa (ordered placement) in maṇḍala worship as a means to focus mind and consecrate space.
Application: Use centre-and-direction assignments to stabilize dhyāna and ensure correct pūjā sequencing in yantra/maṇḍala rites.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Yantra–Maṇḍala-vidhi (Ritual diagram and worship procedure)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual lotus-maṇḍala drawn on the ground/altar: Brahmā installed in the central bindu/lotus-heart with aṅga worship, and Viṣṇu Padmanābha installed in the eastern petal/sector; priests performing offerings with lamps and flowers.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style: symmetrical padma-maṇḍala with vivid reds/ochres/greens, central Brahmā seated on lotus, east petal showing Padmanābha Viṣṇu, ritual implements (dīpa, puṣpa, kalaśa), flat iconic composition, ornate borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: gold-embossed lotus-maṇḍala, central Brahmā with halo and rich jewelry, Padmanābha in the eastern petal with conch and discus, heavy gold work on lotus petals and aureoles, deep saturated colors.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: clean linework of the maṇḍala diagram with labeled petals, central Brahmā and east Padmanābha rendered delicately, instructional feel with subtle shading, minimal background, emphasis on correct placement.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: courtly ritual scene with a drawn lotus-maṇḍala on a carpeted platform, a learned priest indicating the east sector, small detailed figures, architectural pavilion, fine brushwork and pastel palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ity → iti; ūnatriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ → ūna-triṃśaḥ adhyāyaḥ; triṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ → triṃśaḥ adhyāyaḥ; yajedbrahma → yajet brahma; svasya pareṣāñca etc not in this verse; pūrvebjanābhakaṃ resolved as pūrva-abja-nābhakam (pūrve + abja-... sandhi e+a→e).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 29 (Maṇḍalādi-lakṣaṇa); Agni Purana 30 (Maṇḍala-vidhi continuation); Agni Purana 31 (Mārjana/Rakṣā-kalpa context for ritual purity)
FAQs
It gives a maṇḍala-vidhi placement rule: worship Brahmā at the lotus-centre (with his associated aṅgas/attendant aspects) and place/worship Viṣṇu (Abjanābha) in the eastern lotus-sector/petal.
Alongside mythic narrative, it preserves practical liturgical technology—diagrammatic worship (maṇḍala), directional assignment (east/centre), and deity mapping—showing the Agni Purāṇa as a manual for ritual design and implementation.
Correctly situating deities in a consecrated maṇḍala is treated as aligning worship with cosmic order (dik and padma symbolism), thereby increasing ritual efficacy, purity, and the merit (puṇya) of the rite.