Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 12
Ṛग्विधानम् (Ṛgvidhāna) — Applications of Ṛgvedic Mantras through Japa and Homa
अन्वयो यन्निमाः प्रोक्ताः नवर्चो मृत्युनाशनाः शुनःशेफमृषिं बद्धः सन्निरुद्धो ऽथ वा जपेत्
anvayo yannimāḥ proktāḥ navarco mṛtyunāśanāḥ śunaḥśephamṛṣiṃ baddhaḥ sanniruddho 'tha vā japet
ശരിയായ അന്വയപ്രകാരം ഉപദേശിക്കപ്പെട്ട ഈ ഒൻപത് ഋക് മന്ത്രങ്ങൾ മരണനാശിനികളാണ്. ബന്ധിക്കപ്പെട്ടവനോ കാരാഗൃഹത്തിൽ നിരുദ്ധനായവനോ, ബന്ധിതനായി നിയന്ത്രിക്കപ്പെട്ട ശുനഃശേഫ ഋഷിയെ മാതൃകയാക്കി ഇവ ജപിക്കണം।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Recitation of nine death-destroying ṛks with correct anvaya (syntactic/ritual linkage), especially as a protective prayoga for one who is bound or imprisoned, modeled on Śunaḥśepha.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Navārcha mṛtyu-nāśana ṛks: Bandhana-mokṣa prayoga (Śunaḥśepha model)","lookup_keywords":["navārcha","mṛtyu-nāśana","anvaya","bandhana","Śunaḥśepha"],"quick_summary":"Nine ṛks are taught as ‘destroyers of death’; when recited with proper anvaya they serve as a protective rite, particularly for release from bondage/imprisonment, recalling Śunaḥśepha’s deliverance."}
Concept: Correct form (anvaya/krama) is integral to mantra efficacy; śabda used rightly becomes a means of protection against existential threats (mṛtyu, bandhana).
Application: In crisis (captivity, coercion, fear of death), recite the taught ṛk-set precisely as instructed, using the narrative exemplar to sustain faith and composure.
Khanda Section: Mantra-vidhi (Protective Vedic Mantras and Japa Prayoga)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Śunaḥśepha bound with ropes, restrained near a sacrificial post, chanting nine ṛks; a protective aura forms as the bonds loosen, symbolizing mṛtyu-nāśana power.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dramatic bound sage near yajña-stambha, priests and altar hinted, luminous protective aura, bold lines and saturated reds/ochres, narrative clarity.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central bound sage with gold aura, ropes rendered with relief, small yajña elements, mantra panels indicating nine ṛks, devotional protection theme.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear storytelling: bound figure, numbered nine-ṛk scroll motif, bonds loosening stepwise, calm explanatory composition with fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed sacrificial enclosure, bound youth-sage reciting, attendants and ritual objects, subtle supernatural glow, precise textiles and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सन्निरुद्धोऽथ = सन्निरुद्धः + अथ (ः + अ → ओऽ). ‘नवर्चः’ = नव + ऋचः (द्विगु).
Related Themes: Agni Purana listing of the nine ṛks and their anvaya in the same khanda (258.x); Agni Purana protective mantra sections (rakṣā, apamṛtyu-nivāraṇa) elsewhere in mantra-vidhi
FAQs
It gives a japa-prayoga: recite the taught “navarca” (nine ṛks) with correct anvaya (proper textual/syntactic order) as a death-averting protective recitation, especially for one who is bound or imprisoned.
It exemplifies the Agni Purana’s practical manual-like sections: alongside theology, it preserves applied ritual technology—how specific Vedic-style hymn sets (navarca) are deployed for real-life crises such as confinement and fear of death.
The verse frames mantra-japa as both spiritual protection and a purificatory act that counters death and bondage, invoking the precedent of Śunaḥśepha to indicate deliverance through disciplined recitation and divine order.