Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 22
Tvaritā-pūjā (The Worship of Tvaritā) — Transition Verse and Context
खेचरि ज्वालिनीज्वाले खखेति ज्वालिनीदश वर्चे शरविभीषणि खखेति च शवर्यपि
khecari jvālinījvāle khakheti jvālinīdaśa varce śaravibhīṣaṇi khakheti ca śavaryapi
‘ਖੇਚਰੀ’, ‘ਜ੍ਵਾਲਿਨੀ-ਜ੍ਵਾਲਾ’, ‘ਖਖੇਤੀ’, ‘ਜ੍ਵਾਲਿਨੀ-ਦਸ਼ਾ’, ‘ਵਰਚਾ’, ‘ਸ਼ਰ-ਵਿਭੀਸ਼ਣੀ’, ‘ਖਖੇਤੀ’ ਅਤੇ ‘ਸ਼ਵਰੀ’—ਇਹ ਸਾਰੇ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਲਈ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ-ਪ੍ਰਯੋਗ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਰਤੇ ਜਾਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਨਾਮ ਹਨ।
Lord Agni (narrating the mantra/kalpa material to the sage Vasiṣṭha, per the Agni Purana’s usual frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Selecting and invoking specific protective mantra-nāmas (khecarī, jvālinī variants, varcā, śara-vibhīṣaṇī, śavarī) as a repertoire for rakṣā, deterrence, and energetic shielding.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Rakṣā-mantra nāma-saṅgraha: Khecarī, Jvālinī series, Varcā, Śara-vibhīṣaṇī, Śavarī","lookup_keywords":["khecarī","jvālinī","varcā","śara-vibhīṣaṇī","śavarī"],"quick_summary":"A catalog of protective mantra-names used as invocations; the list functions as a ready reference for choosing a rakṣā-formula aligned with flight/sky (khecarī), fire (jvālinī), radiance (varcā), arrow-terror (śara-vibhīṣaṇī), and tribal/forest-protectress (śavarī) motifs."}
Weapon Type: Arrows (śara)
Concept: Protective practice can be modular: distinct nāmas/vidyās are invoked according to the needed energetic function (fire, radiance, deterrence, mobility).
Application: Choose the appropriate protective name/mantra for the context (travel, fear, hostile forces, ritual protection) and integrate with nyāsa/kavaca routines.
Khanda Section: Mantra-shastra / Tantric Nyasa and Devata-nama (protective mantra repertoire)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A protective pantheon montage: Khecarī in the sky, Jvālinī as a flame goddess, Varcā as radiant aura, Śara-vibhīṣaṇī wielding arrows, and Śavarī as a forest protectress—arranged like a mantra-name chart.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, five-part composition with distinct śakti forms: aerial Khecarī amid clouds, Jvālinī surrounded by flames, Varcā with luminous halo, Śara-vibhīṣaṇī with bow/arrows, Śavarī with forest motifs; bold outlines and temple-wall symmetry.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central Jvālinī with gold flame aureole, surrounding medallions for Khecarī/Varcā/Śara-vibhīṣaṇī/Śavarī, heavy gold work on halos and weapons, rich jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional chart with labeled deity-forms and their mantra-nāmas in Sanskrit, clean icon panels, emphasis on attributes (flame, halo, arrows, forest), soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, elegant album page with multiple vignettes: sky goddess, flame goddess, radiant figure, archer-terrifier, forest protectress; fine calligraphy of names in margins, delicate detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: jvālinī + jvāle → jvālinījvāle; kha kha + iti → khakheti (phonetic coalescence in recitation); śavarī + api → śavaryapi (ī+a sandhi → y).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 309.19–309.21 (nyāsa and bīja-protective formulas); Agni Purana rakṣā-kavaca mantra collections elsewhere in mantra-khaṇḍa
FAQs
It supplies a compact list of devī/devatā-names used as mantra-invocations for rakṣā (protection), suitable for japa/nyāsa-style application in a mantra-kalpa context.
By cataloging specialized mantra-names/epithets (including fierce protective forms like Jvālinī and Śavarī), it preserves practical ritual technology alongside the Purana’s broader subjects—one hallmark of its encyclopedic scope.
Reciting protective divine names is traditionally held to avert obstacles and भय (fear), strengthen tejas/varcas (spiritual radiance), and create ritual purity and safeguarding merit (puṇya) for the practitioner.