Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 4
Daṣṭa-cikitsā (Treatment for Bites) — Mantra-Dhyāna-Auṣadha Protocols for Viṣa
ख र्दय विमर्दय कवचाय अप्रतिहतशामनं वं हूं फट् अस्त्राय उग्ररूपवारक सर्वभयङ्कर भीषय सर्वं दह दह भस्मीकुरु कुरु स्वाहा नेत्राय सप्तवर्गान्तयुग्माष्टदिग्दलस्वर केशरादिवर्णरुद्धं वह्निराभूतकर्णकं मातृकाम्बुजं कृत्वा हृदिस्थं तन्मन्त्री वामहस्ततले स्मरेत् अङ्गष्ठादौ न्यसेद्वर्णान्वियतेर्भेदिताः कलाः
kha rdaya vimardaya kavacāya apratihataśāmanaṃ vaṃ hūṃ phaṭ astrāya ugrarūpavāraka sarvabhayaṅkara bhīṣaya sarvaṃ daha daha bhasmīkuru kuru svāhā netrāya saptavargāntayugmāṣṭadigdalasvara keśarādivarṇaruddhaṃ vahnirābhūtakarṇakaṃ mātṛkāmbujaṃ kṛtvā hṛdisthaṃ tanmantrī vāmahastatale smaret aṅgaṣṭhādau nyasedvarṇānviyaterbheditāḥ kalāḥ
‘ഖ’—ഹൃദയാർത്ഥം: മർദിക്ക, മർദിക്ക. കവചാർത്ഥം: അപ്രതിഹതത്തെ ശമിപ്പിക്കുന്നതു. ‘വം ഹൂം ഫട്’—അസ്ത്രമന്ത്രം: ഉഗ്രരൂപങ്ങളെ തടയുന്നതു. ഭയങ്കരമായതെല്ലാം ഭീതിയിലാക്കുക; എല്ലാം ദഹിപ്പിക്കുക, ദഹിപ്പിക്കുക; ഭസ്മമാക്കുക, ആക്കുക—സ്വാഹാ. നേത്രാർത്ഥം—സപ്തവർഗങ്ങളുടെ അന്ത്യാക്ഷര-യുഗ്മങ്ങളാൽ വിന്യസ്ത സ്വരങ്ങൾ, അഷ്ടദിക്കുകൾ ദളങ്ങൾ, കേശരാദി വർണങ്ങളാൽ നിയന്ത്രിത നിറം, അഗ്നിരൂപ കർണിക—ഇങ്ങനെ ‘മാതൃകാംബുജം’ നിർമ്മിച്ച്, മന്ത്രനിപുണൻ അതിനെ ഹൃദയസ്ഥമായും ഇടങ്കൈയുടെ ഉള്ളങ്കയ്യിലുമായും ധ്യാനിക്കണം. അങ്കുഷ്ഠത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ആരംഭിച്ച് അക്ഷരന്യാസം ചെയ്യണം; കലകൾ ‘വിയതി’പ്രകാരം ഭേദിതമാണ്.
Lord Agni (teaching as narrator of ritual and mantra-vidhi to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purana’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Protective and aggressive-apotropaic ritual: kavaca and astra-mantra usage with mātṛkā-ambuja visualization and aṅga-nyāsa (thumb onward) for fear-removal, obstacle-burning, and psychic protection.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Kavaca–Astra prayoga with Mātṛkā-ambuja dhyāna and Nyāsa","lookup_keywords":["kavaca mantra","astra mantra","mātṛkā-ambuja","nyāsa","bhaya-nāśa"],"quick_summary":"The verse gives a protective-mantric procedure: utter kavaca/astric bījas and commands (burn, ash) while visualizing a fiery lotus of letters with eight directional petals, then perform letter-nyāsa beginning at the thumb to seal the body-mind with mantra-power."}
Alamkara Type: Ājñā/vidhi-bhāva (imperative incantatory style)
Weapon Type: Astra (mantra-missile)
Concept: Body-mind is ritually reconfigured through varṇa-nyāsa and dhyāna; mantra is both shield (kavaca) and weapon (astra).
Application: Use structured visualization (mātṛkā-lotus) and systematic nyāsa to stabilize practice, reduce fear, and create a consistent protective routine before risky undertakings.
Khanda Section: Mantra-Tantra & Yantra-Dhyana (Protective Kavacha, Astra-mantra, Matrika-nyasa)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sādhaka visualizes a blazing lotus of Sanskrit letters in the heart and on the left palm, performs nyāsa on the fingers starting from the thumb, while fiery mantra-syllables ‘vaṁ hūṁ phaṭ’ radiate outward as a protective weapon and shield.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, seated sādhaka with left palm raised showing a glowing lotus of letters, heart region aflame with mātṛkā-ambuja, eight directional petals marked, surrounding flames forming a protective aura, bold outlines and ritual intensity.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central yantric lotus with gold embossing, fiery pericarp, eight petals, Sanskrit letters in each petal, sādhaka performing nyāsa on fingers, heavy gold work and ornate border, dramatic protective theme.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional depiction: stepwise panels—(1) form mātṛkā lotus, (2) place in heart, (3) visualize on left palm, (4) nyāsa from thumb onward; fine linework, readable letter placement.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate interior scene of a practitioner with a luminous palm-lotus of letters, delicate flames and calligraphic bījas floating, detailed textiles and objects (rosary, water pot), dynamic yet precise."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"fierce-protective","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: rdaya → hṛdaya (orthographic loss of initial 'h' in source); bhasmīkuru → bhasmī-kuru; tanmantrī → tat-mantrī; smaret/nyaset are विधिलिङ्; nyasedvarṇān → nyaset varṇān; viyaterbheditāḥ → viyateḥ bheditāḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Yantra/nyāsa/dhyāna sections in Agneya-vidyā; Agni Purana: Kavaca and rakṣā-mantra passages (related protective rites)
FAQs
It teaches a protective kavaca and astra-mantra sequence using bīja-syllables (kha, vaṁ, hūṁ, phaṭ, svāhā) along with mātṛkā-ambuja (lotus-of-letters) visualization and aṅguṣṭhādi-nyāsa (placing letters starting from the thumb).
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves applied ritual technology—mantra grammar (bīja and endings), nyāsa mapping on the body/hand, and detailed dhyāna imagery (directional lotus, colors, fire-pericarp)—showing the Agni Purana as a compendium of practical religious procedures.
The rite is framed as apotropaic purification: obstacles and fears are ritually ‘burned to ash’ through mantra and visualization, aiming at protection, inner steadiness, and the removal of hostile influences (seen as both external threats and internal afflictions).