Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 4

Chapter 308 — Worship of Tvaritā (त्वरितापूजा)

Devanagari script

मयूरबलया पिच्छमौलिः किसलयांशुका सिंहासनस्था मायूरवर्हच्छत्रसमन्विता

Transliteration

mayūrabalayā picchamauliḥ kisalayāṃśukā siṃhāsanasthā māyūravarhacchatrasamanvitā

Translation

ସେ ମୟୂର-ବଳୟ ଧାରଣ କରନ୍ତି, ମସ୍ତକରେ ପିଚ୍ଛମୌଳି (ପଙ୍ଖ-ମୁକୁଟ) ଅଛି, କିସଲୟ ସଦୃଶ କୋମଳ ହରିତ ବସ୍ତ୍ର ପିନ୍ଧିଛନ୍ତି; ସିଂହାସନରେ ଆସୀନ ଓ ମୟୂରପିଚ୍ଛର ଛତ୍ରଦ୍ୱାରା ସମନ୍ୱିତ।

Word by Word

• mayūra-balayā: with a peacock-bangle/bracelet
• mayūra-balayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mayūra + balayā (balaya) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मयूरस्य बलयः/बलयेन)

• piccha-mauliḥ: having a crest of feathers
• piccha-mauliḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: piccha + mauli (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पिच्छं मौलिः यस्य)

• kisalaya-aṃśukā: wearing tender-sprout-like garments
• kisalaya-aṃśukā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kisalaya + aṃśukā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (किसलय-सदृशम् अंशुकम् यस्याः)

• siṃhāsana-sthā: seated on a lion-throne
• siṃhāsana-sthā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siṃhāsana + sthā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सिंहासने स्थिता)

• mayūra-varha-chatra-samanvitā: accompanied by a parasol of peacock-feathers
• mayūra-varha-chatra-samanvitā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mayūra + varha + chatra + samanvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मयूरवर्ह-छत्रेण समन्विता)

Speaker

Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Provides dhyāna-iconography for Tvaritā/Devī visualization in pūjā: attire, seat, ornaments, and parasol—used for accurate meditation and image-making.","sutra_style":false}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Devī-dhyāna: peacock-feather ornaments, green garments, lion-throne, peacock-plume parasol","lookup_keywords":["mayūra-piccha","kisalaya-aṃśuka","siṃhāsana","mayūra-varha-chattra","devī-dhyāna"],"quick_summary":"Meditate on the Goddess adorned with peacock-feather bracelets and crest, wearing tender green garments, seated on a lion-throne, shaded by a peacock-plume parasol."}

Kavya & Alamkara Layer

Alamkara Type: Rupaka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Form-based meditation (sākāra-upāsanā): precise iconographic details serve as supports (ālambana) for steadiness and immediacy of devatā-bhāva.

Application: Use consistent visual anchors—color, seat, ornaments—to reduce mental drift during japa and to standardize ritual visualization across practitioners.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devata-dhyana (Iconography and meditation-visualization of deities)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A regal Goddess with peacock-feather bracelets and a feathered crest, dressed in fresh sprout-green cloth, seated on a lion-throne beneath a peacock-plume parasol.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, Devī seated on siṃhāsana, kisalaya-green garments, peacock-feather bracelets and crest, peacock-plume parasol overhead, rich ornaments, bold outlines, deep green and ochre palette, temple sanctum backdrop","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Devī on lion-throne with heavy gold jewelry and embossed gold halo, vivid green silk garments, peacock-feather crown and bangles, ornate peacock-feather parasol with gold detailing, jewel-toned background","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, elegant Devī portrait with soft shading, accurate depiction of peacock-feather accessories and parasol, lion-throne rendered with fine linework, calm symmetrical composition for meditation aid","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly divine scene: Devī on a lion-throne in a pavilion garden, attendants holding a peacock-feather parasol, delicate rendering of feathers and textiles, refined pastel palette and intricate borders"}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: किसलयांशुका = किसलय + अंशुका; मायूरवर्हच्छत्रसमन्विता = मयूर-वर्‍ह-छत्र-समन्विता (समास; छत्रे ‘च्’ संयोग)

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 308 dhyāna/nyāsa sequence (308.1–308.3); Agni Purana iconography and pratimā-lakṣaṇa chapters (Śilpa sections)

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Goddess, implied)
• Mayūra (peacock)
• Siṃha (lion)
• Chatra (royal parasol)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

This verse provides dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (visualization markers) for Devī: ornaments, clothing color, seat (lion-throne), and royal insignia (peacock-feather parasol), used to stabilize meditation and correctly perform pūjā/mantra-upāsanā.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond mythology, the Agni Purāṇa catalogs practical worship technology—iconographic standards and meditation templates—showing how to visualize a deity with precise attributes for ritual correctness across traditions of pūjā and dhyāna.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Accurate deity-visualization (yathā-śāstra-dhyāna) is held to make worship effective, purify attention, and generate merit by aligning the practitioner’s mind and ritual acts with the intended divine form.