Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 49
Mantra-paribhāṣā
Technical Definitions and Operational Rules of Mantras
स्वाहा शिरस्यथ वषट्शिखायां कवचे च् हूं वौषत् नेत्रे ऽस्त्राय फटस्यात् पञ्चाङ्गं नेत्रवर्जितम्
svāhā śirasyatha vaṣaṭśikhāyāṃ kavace c hūṃ vauṣat netre 'strāya phaṭasyāt pañcāṅgaṃ netravarjitam
‘ಸ್ವಾಹಾ’ನ್ನು ಶಿರಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ, ‘ವಷಟ್’ನ್ನು ಶಿಖೆಯಲ್ಲಿ, ‘ಹೂಂ’ನ್ನು ಕವಚದಲ್ಲಿ, ‘ವೌಷಟ್’ನ್ನು ನೇತ್ರಗಳಲ್ಲಿ, ಮತ್ತು ‘ಫಟ್’ನ್ನು ಅಸ್ತ್ರಮಂತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ನ್ಯಾಸಿಸಬೇಕು. ಹೀಗೆ ನೇತ್ರವರ್ಜಿತ ಪಂಚಾಂಗ ಸಮೂಹ ಸ್ಥಾಪಿತವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Standard pañcāṅga (and astrā) mantra-aṅga placement: assigning svāhā/vaṣaṭ/hūṃ/vauṣaṭ/phaṭ to head, śikhā, kavaca, eyes, and weapon-seal for protection and ritual sealing.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Pañcāṅga (ṣaḍaṅga variant) mantra-aṅgas: svāhā–vaṣaṭ–hūṃ–vauṣaṭ–phaṭ placements","lookup_keywords":["svāhā","vaṣaṭ","hūṃ","vauṣaṭ","phaṭ"],"quick_summary":"Place svāhā on the head, vaṣaṭ on the śikhā, hūṃ as kavaca, vauṣaṭ on the eyes, and phaṭ as astrāya; this establishes the protective aṅga-set used to seal mantra practice."}
Weapon Type: Astra (mantra-weapon seal)
Concept: Mantra is safeguarded by systematic limb-seals (aṅga/kavaca/astrā) that ‘armor’ the practitioner and rite.
Application: Use these placements before japa/homa to prevent distraction and ritually ‘fence’ the practice.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mantra-nyasa (Tantric ritual procedure)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Diagrammatic ritual scene: practitioner touches head, topknot, chest (armor), eyes, then makes a sweeping ‘weapon’ gesture while uttering svāhā/vaṣaṭ/hūṃ/vauṣaṭ/phaṭ.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized sādhaka with clear gesture sequence, symbolic syllables floating near head/śikhā/chest/eyes, bold outlines, lamp-lit sanctum ambience.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-highlighted syllables ‘svāhā, vaṣaṭ, hūṃ, vauṣaṭ, phaṭ’ placed near corresponding body parts, ornate altar, embossed jewelry and halo.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional plate, five panels showing each touch-point and the associated bīja/exclamation, clean labels, muted pastel background.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature with marginal annotations, practitioner in profile touching head and śikhā, fine facial detail, delicate calligraphy for each mantra-aṅga."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शिरस्यथ → शिरसि अथ; वषट्शिखायाम् → वषट् शिखायाम्; नेत्रेऽस्त्राय → नेत्रे अस्त्राय; फटस्यात् → फट् स्यात्; पञ्चाङ्गं → पञ्च-अङ्गम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 292.48 (aṅga-vinyāsa context); Agni Purana 292.50 (japa and homa following nyāsa); Agni Purana 292.51 (mātṛkā-nyāsa for siddhi)
FAQs
It teaches mantra-aṅga-nyāsa: assigning specific mantra-syllables/formulas (svāhā, vaṣaṭ, hūṃ, vauṣaṭ, phaṭ) to body locations (head, śikhā, kavaca, eyes, and astrā) to establish protection and ritual readiness.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purāṇa preserves applied ritual technology—precise placement rules for nyāsa, kavaca, and astrā-mantras—showing its coverage of practical liturgy and tantric-style procedure alongside other sciences.
Nyāsa sacralizes the practitioner’s body as a mantra-seat, functioning as purification and protective consecration, traditionally believed to remove obstacles and safeguard the rite and the worshipper.