Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 26
वागीश्वरीपूजा
The Worship of Vāgīśvarī
दिग्विदिक्षु ततो ऽष्टौ च नीलाब्जानि विवर्तयेत् मध्यपद्मप्रमाणेन त्रिंशत्पद्मानि तानि तु
digvidikṣu tato 'ṣṭau ca nīlābjāni vivartayet madhyapadmapramāṇena triṃśatpadmāni tāni tu
Kemudian, pada lapan arah dan arah perantaraan, hendaklah dilukis teratai biru. Teratai-teratai itu hendaklah dibuat berjumlah tiga puluh, masing-masing mengikut ukuran teratai di tengah.
Lord Agni (in dialogue with sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Construction of a ritual yantra/mandala with correct directional placement and proportional lotus units for puja and nyasa.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Aṣṭadik-nīlotpala-vinyāsa (Thirty blue lotuses around the central lotus)","lookup_keywords":["aṣṭadik","nīlotpala","padma-nyāsa","mandala","pramāṇa"],"quick_summary":"Draw blue lotuses in the eight directions and intermediate directions, keeping each lotus equal in measure to the central lotus, totaling thirty lotuses as a standardized ring of motifs."}
Concept: Ritual efficacy depends on correct dik-vinyāsa (directional placement) and pramāṇa (proportion).
Application: Use measured symmetry to stabilize visualization/nyāsa and to standardize temple/yantra layouts.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Yantra–Mandala–Padma-nyasa (Ritual Diagram Construction)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A central lotus in a mandala with thirty blue lotuses placed evenly in the eight directions and intercardinal directions, all equal in size, drawn with compass-like precision.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat yet ornate geometry, central padma with surrounding nīlotpala motifs in eight directions, mineral blue pigments, ritual diagram aesthetic, clean outlines, sacred symmetry","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf borders framing a yantra-like lotus mandala, central lotus emphasized, thirty blue lotuses around, embossed ornamentation, rich reds and blues, devotional diagram presentation","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, instructional mandala plate, fine linework, labeled directions, central lotus with thirty equal blue lotuses, soft shading, precise proportional grid","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, top-down architectural plan rendering, delicate brushwork, central lotus with repeated blue lotus motifs around, margin annotations, geometric clarity"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दिग्विदिक्षु = दिक् + विदिक्षु (द्वन्द्व); ततोऽष्टौ = ततः + अष्टौ; नीलाब्जानि = नील + अब्जानि; मध्यपद्मप्रमाणेन = मध्य + पद्म + प्रमाणेन; त्रिंशत्पद्मानि = त्रिंशत् + पद्मानि
Related Themes: Agni Purana 319 (Yantra–Mandala–Padma-nyāsa sequence)
FAQs
It teaches padma-mandala vinyasa: drawing/arranging blue lotus units in the directional grid (cardinal and intercardinal) with standardized sizing based on the central lotus.
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves procedural ritual-technology—diagrammatic worship (yantra/mandala geometry), proportional measurement, and directional placement used in temple and tantric-style pūjā systems.
Correct directional placement and proportion in a worship-mandala is treated as essential for ritual efficacy—supporting purity, focus (ekāgratā), and the intended fruition (siddhi/phala) of the rite.