Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 15
सकलादिमन्त्रोद्धारः (Sakalādi-mantra-uddhāra) — Chapter Colophon/Transition
विचित्रांशं महाकायं लम्बोष्ठं लम्बकर्णकम् लम्बोदरं महाभागं विकृतं पार्वतीप्रियम्
vicitrāṃśaṃ mahākāyaṃ lamboṣṭhaṃ lambakarṇakam lambodaraṃ mahābhāgaṃ vikṛtaṃ pārvatīpriyam
ਉਸ ਦਾ ਧਿਆਨ ਵਿਲੱਖਣ ਰੂਪ ਵਾਲੇ, ਮਹਾਕਾਇ, ਲੰਬੇ ਹੋਠਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਲੰਬੇ ਕੰਨਾਂ ਵਾਲੇ; ਲੰਬੋਦਰ, ਮਹਾਭਾਗ, ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ (ਵਿਕ੍ਰਿਤ) ਆਕ੍ਰਿਤੀ ਵਾਲੇ ਅਤੇ ਪਾਰਵਤੀ-ਪ੍ਰਿਯ ਰੂਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ।
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana’s dhyāna/pujā instructions to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","practical_application":"Dhyāna for Gaṇapati specifying key bodily features used for visualization in worship and for guiding iconographic depiction.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Gaṇapati-dhyāna: lambauṣṭha, lambakarṇa, lambodara; mahākāya, vicitrāṅśa, Pārvatīpriya","lookup_keywords":["Gaṇapati-dhyāna","lambodara","lambakarṇa","mahākāya","Pārvatīpriya"],"quick_summary":"Meditate on Gaṇapati as vast-bodied and wondrous, with long lips and ears and a prominent belly—distinctive in form and dear to Pārvatī—so the mind holds a stable, auspicious icon."}
Alamkara Type: Viśeṣokti (feature-focused characterization)
Concept: Dhyāna works through precise form-holding (ākāra-dhāraṇā); enumerated lakṣaṇas convert devotion into a repeatable contemplative method.
Application: Before mantra-japa, spend a short interval forming this image (ears, lips, belly, vast body) to reduce distraction and deepen āvāhana/saṃnidhāna.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devata-dhyana (Iconography and meditation on deities)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Close, iconic portrayal of Gaṇapati: huge body, long lips, long ears, pot-belly, distinctive majestic form; Pārvatī’s affection implied by a gentle maternal presence or aura behind.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: Gaṇapati with exaggerated lambakarṇa and lambodara, strong contour lines, flat warm palette, subtle presence of Pārvatī behind as protective aura, temple-lamp ambience.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: richly ornamented Gaṇapati with gold-highlighted belly ornaments and halo, long ears emphasized with gold edging, Pārvatī suggested in a small vignette or as a blessing hand, ornate arch frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined, soft-shaded Gaṇapati portrait focusing on proportions—long ears, long lips, large torso—clean background, instructional annotations optional in margins.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed figure study of Gaṇapati seated on a cushion, long ears and belly rendered with delicate brushwork, subtle courtly interior, restrained palette and fine borders."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: लम्बोष्ठं = लम्ब-ओष्ठम्; लम्बोदरं = लम्ब-उदरम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 317 (Ganapati worship; dhyāna preceding names/mantras)
FAQs
It gives a dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditative iconographic profile) for visualizing the deity—key features like lambodara (pot-belly) and elongated ears/lips used in pūjā and mantra-sādhana to stabilize concentration and ensure correct deity-identification.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purāṇa preserves practical liturgical technology—standardized dhyāna descriptions that function like a ritual manual for worship, temple practice, and visualization-based devotion.
Correct dhyāna (right-form meditation) is held to purify attention and align worship with the intended deity, supporting steadiness of mind and the merit (puṇya) associated with properly performed devotion.