Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 3
Chapter 326 — देवालयमाहात्म्यम्
The Glory of Temples
स्फाटिकं भूतिदं कौशं मुक्तिदं रुद्रनेत्रजं धाधीफलप्रमाणेन रुद्राक्षं चोत्तमन्ततः
sphāṭikaṃ bhūtidaṃ kauśaṃ muktidaṃ rudranetrajaṃ dhādhīphalapramāṇena rudrākṣaṃ cottamantataḥ
စဖာတိက (sphāṭika) ခရစ်စတယ်သည် စည်းစိမ်ပေး၏။ ကောရှ (kauśa) ပိုးကြိုးသည် မုက္တိ (လွတ်မြောက်ခြင်း) ပေး၏။ ရုဒြ၏ မျက်စိမှ ပေါက်ဖွားသော ရုဒြာක්ෂ (Rudrākṣa) သည် dhādhī သီးအရွယ်အစားရှိလျှင် အားလုံးထဲတွင် အထူးမြတ်ဆုံး ဖြစ်၏။
Lord Agni (in dialogue with sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Choosing mala materials (crystal, silk-thread, rudrākṣa) and selecting rudrākṣa by size standard for desired spiritual/ritual outcomes.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Sphāṭika–kauśa–rudrākṣa phala and rudrākṣa-pramāṇa","lookup_keywords":["sphāṭika-mālā","kauśa-sūtra","rudrākṣa","rudra-netraja","dhādhī-phala-pramāṇa"],"quick_summary":"Crystal mala is said to grant bhūti; silk-thread is linked with mukti; rudrākṣa, born of Rudra’s eye, is best when of dhādhī-fruit size."}
Concept: Upāsanā is supported by proper dravya and niyama; external supports (mālā/sūtra) are aligned with inner aims (bhūti/mukti).
Application: For japa and vrata observance, select mala material consistent with intention; prefer well-formed rudrākṣa of recommended size for steadiness and sanctity.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Rudraksha and sacred beads: selection, types, and results)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Three malas displayed: clear crystal beads, a fine silk-thread mala, and a rudrākṣa mala with a highlighted bead measured against a dhādhī fruit for ideal size.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized rudrākṣa tree motif behind, priest holding sphāṭika and rudrākṣa malas, dhādhī fruit shown as size reference, earthy reds and ochres, temple border patterns.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold work on mala highlights, central rudrākṣa bead emphasized, silk-thread rendered with sheen, devotional framing with subtle Śiva symbols (trident, crescent) in background.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic layout: three malas on a cloth with measured rudrākṣa bead beside dhādhī fruit, fine outlines, soft pastel palette, minimal shrine setting.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, naturalistic beads and fruit, scholar demonstrating bead size to a disciple, detailed textiles and manuscript folio, delicate brushwork."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चोत्तमन्ततः = च + उत्तमम् + ततः (ततः often written as अन्ततः/ततः in transmission; here segmented as च + उत्तमम् + ततः).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Puja-vidhi on rudrākṣa-bheda and mālā-niyama; Agni Purana Japa-vidhi rules on counting and meru
FAQs
It classifies japa/pujā materials by their results—crystal beads for prosperity, silk cord for mokṣa-oriented practice, and identifies the ideal Rudrākṣa as one of a specified fruit-like size.
It preserves a practical ritual taxonomy—materials, expected outcomes, and measurable specifications—showing the Purana’s handbook-like coverage of worship technology alongside theology.
It links concrete ritual choices (mālā material and bead size) with distinct spiritual fruits (bhūti and mokṣa), framing disciplined observance as a means to merit, purification, and liberation.