Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 11
Worship of Gaurī and Others (Gauryādi-pūjā) — Mantra, Maṇḍala, Mudrā, Homa, and Mṛtyuñjaya Kalaśa-Rite
पीठपद्मद्वयं तारा द्विभुजा वा चतुर्भजा सिंहस्था वा वृकस्था वा अष्टाष्टादशसत्करा
pīṭhapadmadvayaṃ tārā dvibhujā vā caturbhajā siṃhasthā vā vṛkasthā vā aṣṭāṣṭādaśasatkarā
ତାରାଙ୍କୁ ଦ୍ୱିପଦ୍ମ-ପୀଠରେ ଆସୀନ ରୂପେ ଧ୍ୟାନ କର। ସେ ଦ୍ୱିଭୁଜା କିମ୍ବା ଚତୁର୍ଭୁଜା ହୋଇପାରନ୍ତି; ସିଂହସ୍ଥା କିମ୍ବା ବୃକସ୍ଥା (ଓଲ୍ଫ ଉପରେ) ହୋଇପାରନ୍ତି; ଏବଂ ତାଙ୍କର ଆଠ କିମ୍ବା ଅଠାର ଶୁଭ ହସ୍ତ ଥାଇପାରେ।
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Iconographic options for Tārā-dhyāna and murti design: seat type, arm-count variants, vāhana choice, and multi-hand configurations for ritual visualization and sculptural specification.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Tārā-mūrti-lakṣaṇa: dvipadma-pīṭha, bāhu-bheda, vāhana, kara-saṅkhyā","lookup_keywords":["Tārā","dvipadma-pīṭha","dvibhuja-caturbhuja","siṃha-vṛka-vāhana","aṣṭa-aṣṭādaśa-kara"],"quick_summary":"Tārā is prescribed with a double-lotus seat and may be depicted with 2 or 4 arms, seated on lion or wolf, and optionally with 8 or 18 hands—providing sanctioned iconographic variants."}
Concept: Devī-dhyāna accepts sanctioned bhedas (variants) while preserving core identifiers (seat, śakti nature).
Application: Choose the variant matching one’s sampradāya/paddhati for consistent visualization, mantra-japa, and icon commissioning.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Tantric Devata-Dhyana and Murti-lakshana)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vīra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Goddess Tārā seated on a double lotus pedestal, shown in alternative depictions: two-armed or four-armed; mounted on a lion or a wolf; optionally radiating eight or eighteen hands in a symmetrical fan.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Tārā on dvipadma seat, bold outlines, lion or wolf mount stylized, multiple arms arranged in rhythmic arcs, deep greens/ochres and temple-red background.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Tārā with ornate crown and jewelry, gold foil on halo and lotus seat, lion/wolf mount richly decorated, eight or eighteen hands holding symbolic items.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear iconographic chart-like scene: Tārā variants side-by-side (2-arm/4-arm; lion/wolf), delicate shading, emphasis on correct lotus seat and hand symmetry.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, Tārā enthroned on double lotus in a garden pavilion, attendants and animals (lion/wolf) rendered naturalistically, many hands painted with fine detail and jewel tones."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional-instructional","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अष्टाष्टादशसत्करा parsed as a coordinative numeric compound indicating alternative hand-counts; internal sandhi: सत्करा = सत् + करा (त् + क → त्क).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 325 (Devī-dhyāna and mūrti variants)
FAQs
It gives dhyāna–murti-lakṣaṇa (meditative iconography) for Tārā: her lotus seat, permissible arm-forms (2 or 4), possible vāhana/āsana (lion or wolf), and alternate multi-handed manifestations (8 or 18) used in sādhana and pūjā visualization.
Alongside law, polity, medicine, and warfare, the Agni Purāṇa also preserves practical ritual technology—precise deity-visualization standards that guide image-making, mantra-sādhana, and temple/household worship—showing its coverage of both spiritual practice and applied religious arts.
Correct dhyāna (visualization) is treated as essential for mantra-japa and pūjā to become focused and effective; aligning the mind with the prescribed form is said to strengthen devotion, concentration, and the intended spiritual fruit of the sādhana.