Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 15
Worship by Limb-Syllables
Aṅgākṣara-arcana
हृदास्यनेत्रमूर्धाङ्घ्रिजानुगुह्यकरादिष्विति ख शङ्खं चक्रं गदां पद्मं मुषलं खड्गशार्ङ्गिके वनमालान्वितं दिक्षु विदिक्षु च यजेत् क्रमात्
hṛdāsyanetramūrdhāṅghrijānuguhyakarādiṣviti kha śaṅkhaṃ cakraṃ gadāṃ padmaṃ muṣalaṃ khaḍgaśārṅgike vanamālānvitaṃ dikṣu vidikṣu ca yajet kramāt
हृदय, मुख, नेत्र, मस्तक, पाय, जानू, गुह्य, कर इत्यादी अंगांत क्रमाने—शंख, चक्र, गदा, पद्म, मुषळ, खड्ग व शार्ङ्ग धनुष्य धारण करून वनमालेने विभूषित प्रभूचे—दिशा व विदिशांत क्रमशः पूजन करावे।
Lord Agni (in dialogue tradition of Agni Purana, instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Murti-nyāsa and parivāra/directional worship: assign limbs (hṛd, āsya, netra, mūrdhan, aṅghri, jānu, guhya, kara, etc.) and worship Viṣṇu with specific āyudhas (śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, padma, muṣala, khaḍga, Śārṅga) and vanamālā across directions.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Vaiṣṇava aṅga-nyāsa with āyudha-vinyāsa (Śaṅkha–Cakra–Gadā–Padma etc.)","lookup_keywords":["aṅga-nyāsa","śaṅkha","cakra","Śārṅga","vanamālā"],"quick_summary":"The verse prescribes sequential limb-focused worship/nyāsa and the visualization of Viṣṇu’s weapons—conch, discus, mace, lotus, pestle, sword, and Śārṅga bow—adorned with forest garland, arranged through cardinal and intercardinal directions."}
Weapon Type: Conch (ritual emblem), Discus, Mace, Lotus (emblem), Pestle, Sword, Bow (Śārṅga)
Concept: The divine body is approached through aṅga-nyāsa (sanctifying limbs) and through āyudha-śakti visualization, integrating protection (rakṣā) with devotion.
Application: During pūjā/japa, proceed limb-by-limb (heart, mouth, eyes, head, feet, knees, guhya, hands, etc.) while visualizing the corresponding empowered form of Hari with listed āyudhas, maintaining directional order to avoid ritual omissions.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Vaishnava iconography and worship procedure)
Primary Rasa: vīra
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Viṣṇu depicted with multiple weapons—conch, discus, mace, lotus, pestle, sword, and Śārṅga bow—wearing vanamālā; a ritual diagram shows limbs being touched/mentally installed (aṅga-nyāsa) and offerings made in cardinal and intercardinal directions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, majestic Viṣṇu with vivid vanamālā, clearly rendered śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma and additional muṣala-khaḍga-Śārṅga, priest performing aṅga-nyāsa gestures, strong outlines and saturated palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, frontal Viṣṇu with ornate jewelry and heavy gold leaf, weapons prominently displayed, vanamālā highlighted with gold accents, directional attendants in corners, temple lamps","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, semi-diagrammatic: Viṣṇu icon with labeled weapons and limb points (hṛd/āsya/netra/mūrdhan/aṅghri/jānu/guhya/kara), clean composition for instructional use","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, dynamic yet refined depiction of Hari with bow and sword among other emblems, attendants offering flowers in a directional arrangement, intricate textile patterns, calligraphic marginal notes for limb sequence"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Large locative compound hṛdāsyanetramūrdhāṅghrijānuguhyakarādiṣu resolved into members + ādi + -ṣu; vanamālānvitaṃ resolved as vanamālā-anvitam; kha appears as a textual/metrical marker in the provided input; khaḍgaśārṅgike treated as dvandva (sword and Śārṅga bow) though the ending is irregular in the given reading.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 302.14; Agni Purana 302.13
FAQs
It teaches a structured Vaishnava worship method combining limb-based placement (nyāsa/anga-nyāsa style listing of bodily loci) with directional worship (dik and vidik), visualizing Viṣṇu with specific emblems/weapons in a fixed sequence.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana preserves practical ritual technology—iconographic specifications, stepwise worship order, and spatial (directional) liturgy—functioning like a compact manual for temple/home puja and meditative visualization.
By worshipping Viṣṇu in the body (through ordered loci) and in space (through directions), the practitioner sacralizes self and environment, supporting concentration, purification, and the merit (puṇya) associated with correct, rule-governed devotion.