Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 12

Chapter 308 — Worship of Tvaritā (त्वरितापूजा)

Devanagari script

यवैर् धान्यैस्तिलैः सर्वसिद्धिरीतिविनाशनम् अक्षैर् उन्मत्तता शत्रोः शाल्मलीभिश् च मारणम्

Transliteration

yavair dhānyaistilaiḥ sarvasiddhirītivināśanam akṣair unmattatā śatroḥ śālmalībhiś ca māraṇam

Translation

ಯವ, ಧಾನ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ತಿಲಗಳಿಂದ ಸರ್ವಸಿದ್ಧಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಉಪದ್ರವ/ಮಹಾಮಾರಿಯ ನಾಶವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅಕ್ಷಬೀಜದಿಂದ ಶತ್ರುವಿಗೆ ಉನ್ಮತ್ತತೆ ಉಂಟಾಗುತ್ತದೆ; ಶಾಲ್ಮಲೀ ದ್ರವ್ಯಗಳಿಂದ ಮಾರಣ ಕಾರ್ಯ ಸಿದ್ಧವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.

Word by Word

• yavaiḥ: with barley
• yavaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• dhānyaiḥ: with grains
• dhānyaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhānya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tilaiḥ: with sesame
• tilaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• sarva-siddhiḥ: complete success
• sarva-siddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Result as subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (complete/all + success)

• īti-vināśanam: destruction of affliction
• īti-vināśanam: Karta (कर्ता/Result as subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īti (प्रातिपदिक) + vināśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (destruction of calamity/disease)

• akṣaiḥ: with akṣa seeds/dice-nuts
• akṣaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• unmattatā: madness, frenzy
• unmattatā: Karta (कर्ता/Result as subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: unmattatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• śatroḥ: of the enemy
• śatroḥ: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• śālmalībhiḥ: with śālmalī (silk-cotton tree) items
• śālmalībhiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śālmalī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• māraṇam: killing, destruction
• māraṇam: Karta (कर्ता/Result as subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māraṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √mṛ/√mār caus. sense)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in compendious ritual-technical lore)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: sarvasiddhirītivināśanam → sarvasiddhiḥ + ītivināśanam; śālmalībhiś ca → śālmalībhiḥ + ca.

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Vasiṣṭha
• yava (barley)
• dhānya (grains)
• tila (sesame)
• akṣa (dice-nut/bibhitaka)
• śālmalī (silk-cotton tree)
• māraṇa (hostile rite)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It assigns specific ritual effects to specific substances: barley/grains/sesame for siddhi and removal of īti (calamity/affliction), akṣa-seeds for inducing enemy derangement, and śālmalī-based substances for the māraṇa (lethal) operation.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

It functions like a compact technical index—linking everyday agricultural and botanical materials to specialized ritual outcomes (protective and hostile), showing the text’s catalog-style transmission of applied knowledge alongside theology.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

The verse distinguishes śānti-oriented aims (īti-vināśa, protection) from abhicāra aims (unmattatā, māraṇa); traditionally, protective rites are framed as preservative dharma, while hostile applications are treated as grave acts requiring strict authorization, restraint, and accountability for karmic consequences.