Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 26
Dīkṣāvidhi-kathana
Explanation of the Rite of Initiation
ततस्तत्त्वानि सर्वाणि ध्यात्वा शिष्यतनौ न्यसेत् सृष्टिक्रमात् प्रकृत्यादिपृथिव्यन्तानि देशिकः
tatastattvāni sarvāṇi dhyātvā śiṣyatanau nyaset sṛṣṭikramāt prakṛtyādipṛthivyantāni deśikaḥ
ຈາກນັ້ນ ຫຼັງຈາກພິຈາລະນາຕັດຕະວະທັງໝົດແລ້ວ ອາຈານ (ເທສິກະ) ຄວນເຮັດນຍາສະ ວາງລົງໃນກາຍຂອງສິດ ຕາມລໍາດັບການສ້າງ—ແຕ່ປຣະກຣິຕິ ໄປຈົນເຖິງປະຖະວີ (ດິນ).
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Performing tattva-nyāsa on a disciple’s body in sṛṣṭi-krama (emanation order) from Prakṛti to Pṛthivī, integrating cosmology with embodied ritual pedagogy.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Sṛṣṭi-krama tattva-nyāsa on the disciple (Prakṛti to Earth)","lookup_keywords":["tattva-nyāsa","sṛṣṭi-krama","prakṛti-ādi","pṛthivī-anta","śiṣya-tanu"],"quick_summary":"Meditate on all tattvas and install them by nyāsa upon the disciple’s body in the order of creation, beginning with Prakṛti and ending with Earth."}
Concept: Microcosm–macrocosm correspondence: tattvas of creation are installed onto the body to transform identity from limited individuality to cosmically ordered awareness.
Application: In guided practice, follow a fixed sṛṣṭi sequence for nyāsa to ensure completeness and coherence of visualization, supporting concentration and initiatory transmission.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Tantric Nyasa and Srishti-krama visualization)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A guru touches or gestures over the disciple’s body, installing successive tattvas in creation order; a subtle cosmic diagram overlays the body from Prakṛti down to Earth.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru and disciple seated, guru’s hand in nyāsa gesture, translucent layers of tattvas depicted as concentric bands or lotus-petals descending to earth element, lamps and sanctum ambiance, serene faces.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold haloed guru performing nyāsa on disciple, ornate backdrop, symbolic icons for tattvas (subtle elements) arranged from top to bottom, rich gold work and jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional clarity: labeled sequence from Prakṛti to Pṛthivī mapped onto body regions, guru pointing/touching each point, soft palette and precise linework.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate initiation scene in a pavilion, guru performing ritual touch, faint cosmological chart hovering near the figures, detailed garments, calm scholarly atmosphere."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ततस्तत्त्वानि = ततः + तत्त्वानि (विसर्गसन्धि); सृष्टिक्रमात् = सृष्टि + क्रमात्; प्रकृत्यादिपृथिव्यन्तानि = प्रकृति + आदि + पृथिवी + अन्तानि (समास; इकार-यणादेशः: प्रकृति + आदि → प्रकृत्यादि).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 27 (tattva-viveka leading into ritual nyāsa)
FAQs
It teaches tattva-nyāsa: the guru ritually assigns (places) the cosmic principles onto the disciple’s body after meditative visualization, using the sṛṣṭi-krama (emanation order) from Prakṛti down to the gross element Earth.
It integrates metaphysical cosmology (tattva theory from Prakṛti to Pṛthivī) with applied ritual procedure (nyāsa on the body), showing how the Agni Purana links philosophy, yoga-tantra practice, and liturgical method in a single instructional frame.
By mapping the universe onto the body through nyāsa, the disciple is ritually purified and sacralized, cultivating identity with the cosmic order; this supports inner steadiness, mantra-siddhi, and the sanctity required for higher worship and initiation practices.