Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 3
Chapter 52: देवीप्रतिमालक्षणं (Devī-pratimā-lakṣaṇa) — Characteristics of Goddess Images
हुताशा च विशालाक्षी हुङ्कारा वडवामुखी महाक्रूरा क्रोधना तु भयङ्करी महानना
hutāśā ca viśālākṣī huṅkārā vaḍavāmukhī mahākrūrā krodhanā tu bhayaṅkarī mahānanā
Dia ialah Hutāśā (yang lahir daripada api/serupa api), yang bermata luas; dia ialah Huṅkārā (penjelmaan suku kata suci huṁ), Vaḍavāmukhī (berwajah kuda betina, api yang melahap); amat ganas, penuh murka, menggerunkan, dan berwajah besar.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) addressing sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Protective and transformative upāsanā of fierce Devī aspects (Huṅkārā, Vaḍavāmukhī): used in kavaca-style recitation, śānti/ugra rites, and dhyāna for overcoming fear and obstacles.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Ugra-Devī epithets: Huṅkārā–Vaḍavāmukhī–Bhayankarī","lookup_keywords":["huṅkārā","vaḍavāmukhī","hutāśā","bhayaṅkarī","mahākrūrā"],"quick_summary":"Defines a cluster of fierce Devī names linking mantra-bīja power (huṁ) with consuming fire imagery (hutāśā, vaḍavāmukhī), suited for protection and obstacle-burning sādhanā."}
Alamkara Type: Nāma-mālā with Ugra-bhāva; occasional sound-symbolism (huṅkāra)
Concept: Ugra-śakti as purifier: fearsome forms are not malevolent but function to burn impurities/obstacles; bīja (huṁ) embodies concentrated will and protection.
Application: In times of fear/obstruction, recite the epithets with controlled breath and steady gaze (viśālākṣī-dhyāna), maintaining ethical restraint; employ in protective rites under a qualified tradition.
Khanda Section: Devi-stotra / Shakti-nama (Tantric-Puja context)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayānaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A fierce Devī blazing like fire, with wide eyes and a mare-faced aspect, emanating the syllable HUṂ as a radiant glyph; flames and a protective circle around a devotee.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, ugra Devī with flaming aureole, exaggerated wide eyes, vaḍavā-mukha profile element, HUṂ glyph in red near the mouth, protective circle and subdued demons at the border, deep reds and ochres","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, fierce Devī with gold halo and embossed flames, HUṂ in stylized script, intense eyes, dramatic facial features (mahānana), rich gold work contrasting with dark background, offerings of red flowers","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, technical depiction of dhyāna: Devī with labeled features viśālākṣī/vaḍavāmukhī, controlled flame motifs, HUṂ syllable shown as mantra-bīja, clear composition for ritual visualization","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, night ritual scene with a sādhaka reciting; a visionary fiery Devī appears with wide eyes and horse-faced aspect; HUṂ rendered as luminous calligraphy; fine detailing of firelight and textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: viśālākṣī → viśāla-akṣī; vaḍavāmukhī → vaḍavā-mukhī; mahākrūrā → mahā-krūrā. Text reads ‘mahānanā’; often appears as ‘mahā-ānanā’ in similar lists.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 52 (Devī-nāma lists of yoginīs/ugra forms)
FAQs
It conveys mantra-vidyā and stotra-vidhi by listing potent epithets of Devī—especially “Huṅkārā,” which signals her identity with the protective seed-sound huṁ used in tantric recitation and ritual safeguarding.
By preserving a catalog of Devī’s functional names (mantric, cosmic, and protective), the chapter adds a liturgical and tantric layer—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage beyond mythology into practical worship, mantra-usage, and deity-iconology.
Reciting such fierce-protective names is traditionally held to destroy obstacles and negativity, strengthen spiritual protection, and generate merit through devotion to Devī as the power that consumes evil like fire.