Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 22
वागीश्वरीपूजा
The Worship of Vāgīśvarī
मध्यन्तु कमलं शुक्लं पीतं रक्तञ्च नीलकम् पीतशुक्लञ्च धूम्रञ्च रक्तं पीतञ्च मुक्तिदम्
madhyantu kamalaṃ śuklaṃ pītaṃ raktañca nīlakam pītaśuklañca dhūmrañca raktaṃ pītañca muktidam
ಮಧ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿನ ಕಮಲವನ್ನು ಶುಕ್ಲ, ಪೀತ, ರಕ್ತ, ನೀಲ ವರ್ಣಗಳಾಗಿ ಧ್ಯಾನಿಸಬೇಕು; ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಪೀತ-ಶುಕ್ಲ ಮತ್ತು ಧೂಮ್ರವರ್ಣವೂ. ಮತ್ತೆ ರಕ್ತ ಮತ್ತು ಪೀತ—ಈ ಧ್ಯಾನವು ಮುಕ್ತಿದಾಯಕ.
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana’s instruction to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Yoga","practical_application":"Subtle-body meditation: visualizing lotus colors in the central locus (chakra/padma) as a contemplative aid for concentration and mokṣa-oriented practice.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Central lotus color-visualization for liberation","lookup_keywords":["madhya-kamala","padma-dhyāna","śukla-pīta-rakta-nīla","dhūmra-varṇa","mukti"],"quick_summary":"Meditate on the central lotus with specified color-sequences (white, yellow, red, blue, yellow-white, smoke-colored, etc.); the ordered visualization is taught as mokṣa-prada (liberation-giving)."}
Concept: Dhyāna through varṇa-nyāsa (color placement) refines citta and supports mokṣa-oriented absorption.
Application: Use color-visualization as a stepwise focus object (ālambana) to stabilize attention before mantra-japa or deity-dhyāna.
Khanda Section: Yoga & Tantra (Dhyana / Chakra–Padma-bheda; subtle-body visualization)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A yogin seated in meditation visualizing a radiant central lotus whose petals shift through white, yellow, red, blue, yellow-white, and smoke hues, suggesting ascent toward liberation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, serene yogin in padmāsana, central lotus halo with layered color bands (śukla, pīta, rakta, nīla, dhūmra), stylized aura lines, temple-like calm background","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold radiance around the central lotus, jeweled color petals, yogin with sacred thread and minimal setting, emphasis on luminous mokṣa symbolism","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional depiction of the lotus with labeled colors, yogin in profile, soft washes and fine outlines, meditative quiet","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate interior meditation scene, detailed textiles, a translucent lotus diagram hovering at the center with distinct color petals, refined palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मध्यन्तु → मध्यम् + तु; रक्तञ्च → रक्तम् + च; पीतशुक्लञ्च → पीतशुक्लम् + च; धूम्रञ्च → धूम्रम् + च; पीतञ्च → पीतम् + च
Related Themes: Agni Purana tantra/yoga passages on padma-bheda, dhyāna-lakṣaṇa, mantra-nyāsa
FAQs
It teaches a dhyāna-technique: visualizing the central lotus (chakra-padma) in specific colors (white, yellow, red, blue, pale yellow-white, smoke-grey), as part of subtle-body/lotus meditation.
Beyond myth and devotion, it preserves practical yogic-tantric meditation details (padma/chakra visualization and color-specifications), showing the text’s wide coverage of spiritual technologies alongside other sciences.
The verse explicitly states the practice is “muktidam”—its intended fruit is liberation, implying purification and release through correct contemplative visualization.