Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 28
Chapter 303: Mantras for Worship Beginning with the Five-syllable (Pañcākṣara) — पञ्चाक्षरादिपूजामन्त्राः
एकरुद्रं त्रिनेत्रञ्च श्रीकण्ठञ्च शिखण्डिनम् ऐशान्यादिविदिक्ष्वेते विद्येशाः कमलासनाः
ekarudraṃ trinetrañca śrīkaṇṭhañca śikhaṇḍinam aiśānyādividikṣvete vidyeśāḥ kamalāsanāḥ
एकरुद्र, त्रिनेत्र, श्रीकंठ आणि शिखंडिन—हे कमलासनस्थ विद्येश ऐशान्यादि विदिशांत स्थित आहेत.
Lord Agni (narrating the ritual/nyāsa schema to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Placement of Vidyeśa forms in intermediate directions (vidik) for maṇḍala construction, dikpāla-style guarding, and correct ritual visualization.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Vidyeśa in Vidik: Ekarudra, Trinetra, Śrīkaṇṭha, Śikhaṇḍin (Aiśānya onward)","lookup_keywords":["Vidyeśa","Aiśānya","Ekarudra","Trinetra","Śrīkaṇṭha Śikhaṇḍin","vidik lotus-seat"],"quick_summary":"Enumerates specific Vidyeśa deities and fixes their stations in the intermediate directions beginning with the north-east, each visualized seated on a lotus throne."}
Concept: Knowledge (vidyā) is personified as Vidyeśas who stabilize the ritual cosmos when installed in correct spatial order.
Application: In maṇḍala drawing or temple niche planning, assign these forms to the intermediate directions to ‘seal’ the space.
Khanda Section: Isana-kalpa / Shiva-tantric Devata-Vinyasa (Dikpala–Vidyesha enumeration)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Sacred-direction
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A mandala with four intermediate-direction lotus thrones, each occupied by a named Vidyeśa: Ekarudra, Trinetra, Śrīkaṇṭha, Śikhaṇḍin, starting from the north-east.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, square maṇḍala with diagonal (vidik) lotus seats, each deity labeled, Trinetra clearly three-eyed, Śrīkaṇṭha with auspicious throat mark, rich flat colors and temple border patterns.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, four diagonal medallions with lotus seats and jeweled Vidyeśas, gold leaf halos, central sanctum implied, strong symmetry and ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, diagrammatic yet elegant: compass-rose with NE/SE/SW/NW, lotus icons, deities rendered with clear identifying features, instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, geometric garden-like mandala with diagonal pavilions as lotus thrones, each Vidyeśa seated, fine detailing and calligraphic direction captions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: trinetrañ ca = trinetram ca (anusvāra/ñ before c). aiśānyādividikṣv ete = aiśānyādi-vidikṣu ete (kṣu + e sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 303 (dik/vidik devatā-vinyāsa lists)
FAQs
It gives a nyāsa-style directional placement: specific Vidyeśa forms of Rudra (Ekarudra, Trinetra, Śrīkaṇṭha, Śikhaṇḍin) are to be mentally installed/recognized in the intermediate directions beginning with Aiśānya (north-east).
Beyond mythology, it preserves a practical Shaiva ritual map—linking named deity-forms to precise spatial directions—showing the text’s catalog-like coverage of temple/puja procedure, mantra-deity taxonomy, and tantric cosmography.
Correctly aligning deity-forms with their prescribed directions is held to stabilize the rite, remove directional obstacles (dik-doṣa), and support purity, protection, and mantra-siddhi through orderly cosmic placement.