Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 21
The Six Limbs (Ṣaḍaṅga) of the Aghora-Astra (अघोरास्त्राणि षडङ्गानि)
पञ्चब्रह्माङ्गषट्कञ्च वक्ष्ये ऽहं भुक्तिमुक्तिदं ॐ नमः परमात्मने पराय कामदाय परमेश्वराय योगाय योगसम्भवाय सर्वकराय कुरु सत्य भव भवोद्भव वामदेव सर्वकार्यकर पापप्रशमन सदाशिव प्रसन्न नमो ऽस्तु ते स्वाहा पञ्चब्रह्माङ्गफट्कारमिति ञ हृदयं सर्वार्थदन्तु सप्तत्यक्षरसंयुतं हा शिखा ॐ शिवात्मक महातेजः सर्वज्ञ प्रभुरावर्तय महाघोर कवच पिङ्गल नमः महाकवच शिवाज्ञया हृदयं बन्ध घूर्णय चूर्णय सूक्ष्मवज्रधर वज्रपाश धनुर्वज्राशनिवज्रशरीर मम शरीरमनुप्रविश्य सर्वदुष्टान् स्तम्भय हूं अक्षराणान्तु कवचं शतं पञ्चाक्षराधिकम्
pañcabrahmāṅgaṣaṭkañca vakṣye 'haṃ bhuktimuktidaṃ oṃ namaḥ paramātmane parāya kāmadāya parameśvarāya yogāya yogasambhavāya sarvakarāya kuru satya bhava bhavodbhava vāmadeva sarvakāryakara pāpapraśamana sadāśiva prasanna namo 'stu te svāhā pañcabrahmāṅgaphaṭkāramiti ña hṛdayaṃ sarvārthadantu saptatyakṣarasaṃyutaṃ hā śikhā oṃ śivātmaka mahātejaḥ sarvajña prabhurāvartaya mahāghora kavaca piṅgala namaḥ mahākavaca śivājñayā hṛdayaṃ bandha ghūrṇaya cūrṇaya sūkṣmavajradhara vajrapāśa dhanurvajrāśanivajraśarīra mama śarīramanupraviśya sarvaduṣṭān stambhaya hūṃ akṣarāṇāntu kavacaṃ śataṃ pañcākṣarādhikam
मी पञ्चब्रह्माचे षडङ्ग-मंत्र सांगतो, जो भोग व मोक्ष देणारा आहे: ‘ॐ परमात्मने नमः, पराय नमः, कामदाय नमः, परमेश्वराय नमः; योगाय नमः, योगसम्भवाय नमः; सर्वकराय नमः। सत्य कर; उपस्थित हो; हे भवोद्भव; हे वामदेव, सर्वकार्यकर; पापप्रशमन; हे सदाशिव, प्रसन्न हो—तुला नमस्कार; स्वाहा।’ यास पञ्चब्रह्माङ्ग-फट्कार म्हणतात। ‘ञ’ हृदय—सर्वार्थदायक, सत्तर अक्षरयुक्त; ‘हा’ शिखा। ‘ॐ शिवस्वरूप महातेजस्वी सर्वज्ञ प्रभु, आवर्तय; महाघोर—कवच; पिङ्गल—नमः।’ शिवाज्ञेने: ‘हृदय बांध; घूर्णय, चूर्णय; हे सूक्ष्म वज्रधर, वज्रपाश, धनुर्वज्र, अशनि-वज्र-शरीर! माझ्या शरीरात प्रवेश करून सर्व दुष्टांना स्तम्भित कर—हूं।’ हे कवच शंभर अक्षरांचे असून पाच अक्षरे अधिक आहेत।
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana’s ritual-mantra sections to sage Vasiṣṭha, per the standard frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Pañcabrahma-aṅga-ṣaṭka nyāsa and kavaca for protection, siddhi (bhukti) and liberation (mukti), including binding/whirling/stambhana directives in ritual defense.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pañcabrahma Aṅga-ṣaṭka & Mahāghora Kavaca (105-syllable armor)","lookup_keywords":["Pañcabrahma","aṅga-ṣaṭka","kavaca","Mahāghora","stambhana"],"quick_summary":"Gives a ritualized limb-assignment (hṛdaya/śikhā etc.) and a protective kavaca with command-phrases to bind, whirl, pulverize, and paralyze hostile forces—used as a Śaiva protective rite."}
Alamkara Type: Mantric imperative style; repetition and vocative stacking
Weapon Type: Vajra (thunderbolt), Pāśa (noose), Dhanuḥ (bow) in mantric form
Concept: Mantra-nyāsa and kavaca as embodiment of Śiva (śivātmakatā): the deity’s tejas is installed as inner armor to secure both worldly success and liberation.
Application: Perform aṅga-nyāsa (heart/topknot etc.) with the specified bīja-syllables, then recite kavaca as protective enclosure before travel, rites, or when facing fear/hostility.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mantra-kalpa (Shaiva Tantra; Pancha-brahma Mantras; Kavacha-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: Vira
Secondary Rasa: Shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sādhaka performs nyāsa touching heart and crown while a radiant Śiva-armor forms around him; thunderbolt weapons and noose/bow motifs appear as protective glyphs; hostile spirits freeze (stambhita) at the perimeter.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, central sādhaka in nyāsa posture, luminous oval kavaca aura, Mahāghora Śiva looming protectively with fierce yet controlled expression, stylized vajra and pāśa symbols, subdued demons immobilized at borders, traditional ornamental frame.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-embossed kavaca halo around sādhaka, Mahāghora/Sadāśiva with ornate crown and jewelry, raised vajra, gold leaf radiance, symmetrical composition, ‘hūṃ/phaṭ’ glyphs as decorative motifs.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional depiction of aṅga-nyāsa points (heart, crown), labeled bīja-syllables (ña, hā) as calligraphic inserts, soft colors, precise ritual implements, protective circle around practitioner.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate interior with practitioner and manuscript, fine calligraphy panels showing mantra syllables, translucent protective aura, small figures of immobilized attackers outside a drawn circle, detailed textiles and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vakṣye 'ham: aham after vowel with avagraha; namo 'stu: namas+astu → namo 'stu; pañcabrahmāṅgaṣaṭkaṃ+ca → pañcabrahmāṅgaṣaṭkañca; śarīram+anupraviśya → śarīramanupraviśya; akṣarāṇām+tu → akṣarāṇāntu.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 322 (Pañcabrahma invocation context); Agni Purana 323 (Aghora-astra; śānti-kalpa)
FAQs
It teaches a Śaiva Pañcabrahman aṅga-ṣaṭka (nyāsa limb-assignment) and a mahā-kavaca formula using seed syllables (ña, hā, hūṃ) and the stambhana (immobilizing) protective application.
Alongside theology, it preserves a practical ritual-technology layer—mantra anatomy (aṅgas), kavaca construction, and operational verbs (bandha/ghūrṇaya/cūrṇaya/stambhaya)—showing the Purana as a manual of applied liturgy and protective rites.
The text frames the Pañcabrahman practice as granting both bhukti (worldly attainments) and mukti (liberation), while the kavaca-nyāsa is aimed at purification (pāpa-praśamana) and safeguarding the practitioner from hostile forces.