Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 17
Pañcāṅga-Rudra-vidhāna
The Fivefold Rudra Rite
ॐ इं इं उग्रवीरं मंहाविष्णुं ज्वलन्तंसर्वतोमुखं नृसिंहं भीषणं मृत्युमृत्युम्नमाम्यहं
oṃ iṃ iṃ ugravīraṃ maṃhāviṣṇuṃ jvalantaṃsarvatomukhaṃ nṛsiṃhaṃ bhīṣaṇaṃ mṛtyumṛtyumnamāmyahaṃ
ഓം। ഇം ഇം। ഞാൻ നരസിംഹനെ നമസ്കരിക്കുന്നു—ഉഗ്രവീരൻ, മഹാവിഷ്ണു, ജ്വലിക്കുന്നവൻ, സർവതോമുഖൻ, ഭീഷണൻ, മരണത്തിനും മരണം।
Lord Agni (teaching to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Apotropaic (raksha) japa for fear, danger, and mortality-anxiety; used in puja-vidhi as kavaca-like protection invoking Narasiṃha as sarvatomukha (all-directional guardian).","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Narasimha Raksha-Mantra (Ugravīra, Sarvatomukha)","lookup_keywords":["Narasimha","ugravira","sarvatomukha","mrityumrityu","raksha-mantra"],"quick_summary":"A protective Narasiṃha invocation portraying him as blazing and all-facing, invoked as ‘death of Death’ for warding off peril and existential fear."}
Alamkara Type: Atiśayokti
Concept: Śaraṇāgati through nāma-mantra: invoking the divine as the transcender of death (mṛtyuñjaya-bhāva) and as omnidirectional protector (sarvatomukha).
Application: Daily or crisis-time japa to stabilize fear, cultivate courage, and ritually ‘seal’ space in all directions.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mantra-vidya (Narasimha protective mantra)
Primary Rasa: Raudra
Secondary Rasa: Bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Nṛsiṃha as a blazing, terrifying guardian facing all directions, embodying ‘death of Death’, with protective aura encircling devotees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural of Ugranarasiṃha with radiant flames, multiple directional faces/halo suggesting sarvatomukha, devotees in añjali at the base, bold reds and ochres, sacred geometry border.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting of Narasiṃha with embossed gold prabhāmaṇḍala, fiery aura, symbolic all-direction gaze via surrounding mini-faces/lotus-petals, devotee kneeling, rich jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style Narasiṃha icon with fine linework, controlled flames, explanatory labels for epithets (ugravīra, sarvatomukha, mṛtyumṛtyu) in a manuscript-like panel.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: dramatic Narasiṃha figure with luminous flames, frightened personifications of Death retreating, architectural frame suggesting four directions, delicate detailing and muted background wash."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मंहाविष्णुं → महाविष्णुम् (अनुस्वार/लिप्यन्तर-भेद); ज्वलन्तंसर्वतोमुखं → ज्वलन्तम् सर्वतोमुखम्; मृत्युमृत्युम्नमाम्यहं → मृत्युमृत्युम् नमामि अहम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 295 (raksha-mantra context); Agni Purana 296 (visha-nivarana mantra-prayoga continuation)
FAQs
It teaches a Narasiṃha protective invocation using bīja syllables (iṃ iṃ) to invoke Mahāviṣṇu as the all-facing, blazing force that removes fear and wards off death-related calamities.
Alongside topics like polity, medicine, and poetics, the Agni Purāṇa preserves applied mantra-vidyā—practical liturgical formulas (with bījas and deity-epithets) used for protection and ritual efficacy.
By surrendering to Narasiṃha as “death of Death,” the practitioner seeks inner fearlessness and divine protection, framing liberation from mortal dread as a fruit of devotion and disciplined recitation.