Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 17
Chapter 303: Mantras for Worship Beginning with the Five-syllable (Pañcākṣara) — पञ्चाक्षरादिपूजामन्त्राः
शिष्यमाचान्तमिति ञ अङ्गुष्ठादिकनिष्ठान्तं विन्यस्याङ्गानि सर्वतः न्यसेन्मन्त्राक्षरं पादगुह्यहृद्वक्त्रमूर्धसु
śiṣyamācāntamiti ña aṅguṣṭhādikaniṣṭhāntaṃ vinyasyāṅgāni sarvataḥ nyasenmantrākṣaraṃ pādaguhyahṛdvaktramūrdhasu
ໃຫ້ສິດສະວົງເຮັດອາຈະມະນະ (ācamana) ກ່ອນ; ແລ້ວຈັດນຍາສາຈາກນິ້ວໂປ້ງໄປຈົນເຖິງນິ້ວນ້ອຍ. ເມື່ອວາງລົງໃນອະວະທົ່ວກາຍແລ້ວ ຈຶ່ງຕິດຕັ້ງພະຍາງມັນຕຣາໄວ້ທີ່ຕີນ, ສ່ວນລັບ, ຫົວໃຈ, ປາກ, ແລະສີສະ.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Guided disciple-facing ritual: begin with ācamana, then perform kara-nyāsa (thumb to little finger) and aṅga-nyāsa placing syllables on key body loci (feet, guhya, heart, mouth, head).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Kara-nyāsa and Aṅga-nyāsa after Ācamana","lookup_keywords":["ācamana","kara-nyāsa","aṅga-nyāsa","pāda-guhya-hṛd-vaktra-mūrdhan","śiṣya"],"quick_summary":"After ācamana, install mantra-syllables across fingers (thumb to little finger) and then on major loci—feet, secret region, heart, mouth, and head—to sacralize the practitioner’s body as mantra-seat."}
Concept: The body is converted into a mantra-maṇḍala through ordered placement (nyāsa), beginning with purification (ācamana) and proceeding from hands to vital centers.
Application: Use a consistent sequence: ācamana → kara-nyāsa → aṅga-nyāsa on specified loci, ensuring attention and correctness before offerings or japa.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mantra-nyasa (Tantric ritual procedure)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A guru instructs a seated disciple: the disciple performs ācamana, then touches thumb-to-little-finger in sequence, then touches feet, guhya, heart, mouth, and head for mantra installation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru and disciple in temple setting, clear hand gestures for ācamana and finger-nyāsa, warm lamp light, stylized lotus motifs behind them.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, guru-disciple scene with gold arch backdrop, ritual vessels, hands depicted in precise mudrās, sacred geometry border patterns.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, stepwise instructional composition: panels showing ācamana, finger sequence, then body loci touches; delicate lines and readable gestures.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate teaching scene in a pavilion, detailed hands and water vessel for ācamana, subtle annotations-like placement on body points."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śiṣyamācāntam → śiṣyam + ācāntam; vinyasyāṅgāni → vinya(s)ya + aṅgāni; nyasenmantrākṣaram → nyaset + mantra-akṣaram; pādaguhyahṛdvaktramūrdhasu → pāda + guhya + hṛd + vaktra + mūrdhasu.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 303.15 (ātmaśuddhi before nyāsa); Agni Purana 303.18 (vyāpaka and mūla-aṅga nyāsa)
FAQs
It teaches nyāsa—systematic placement of mantra-syllables on fingers (thumb to little finger) and key bodily loci (feet, guhya, heart, mouth, head) after ācamana, as part of tantric-style worship/initiatory practice.
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves precise ritual technology—finger/limb mappings, bodily loci, and mantra-phoneme installation—showing the text’s coverage of practical liturgy and esoteric procedure alongside other sciences.
Ācamana purifies the practitioner, and nyāsa sacralizes the body as a mantra-bearing vessel; the act is intended to make worship efficacious by internalizing the deity/mantra and aligning body, speech, and mind.