Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 32
वागीश्वरीपूजा
The Worship of Vāgīśvarī
कण्ठोपकण्ठयुक्तानि द्वारान्यब्जन्तु मध्यतः पञ्चाब्जमण्डले ह्य् अस्मिन् सितं पीतञ्च पूर्वकम्
kaṇṭhopakaṇṭhayuktāni dvārānyabjantu madhyataḥ pañcābjamaṇḍale hy asmin sitaṃ pītañca pūrvakam
ਇਸ ਪੰਚਾਬਜ ਮੰਡਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਦਰਵਾਜ਼ੇ ਮੱਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਰੱਖੇ ਜਾਣ ਅਤੇ ਉਹ ਕਂਠ-ਉਪਕਂਠ (ਸਹਾਇਕ ਕਂਠ) ਨਾਲ ਯੁਕਤ ਹੋਣ। ਪੂਰਬ ਤੋਂ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕਰਕੇ ਰੰਗ-ਵਿਧਾਨ: ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਸ਼ੁੱਧ ਸਫ਼ੈਦ, ਫਿਰ ਪੀਲਾ।
Lord Agni (in dialogue with Sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purana’s standard narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Door-placement and color-coding in a pañcābja (five-lotus) mandala for temple/yantra layout and ritual orientation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pañcābja-maṇḍala: door placement and directional colors","lookup_keywords":["pañcābja-maṇḍala","dvāra","kaṇṭha-upakaṇṭha","dik-varṇa","east white"],"quick_summary":"In a five-lotus mandala, doors are set centrally with proper kaṇṭha/upakaṇṭha (neck and subsidiary-neck) elements; colors proceed from the east as white, then yellow (and onward per the scheme)."}
Concept: Ritual efficacy depends on correct thresholds (dvāra) and dik-sambandha (directional correspondences) including color.
Application: While drafting/painting a mandala or planning a shrine, align doors to the prescribed center points and apply the correct directional palette.
Khanda Section: Vastu-shastra (Yantra-Mandala / Temple-Architecture Instructions)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A five-lotus mandala diagram with centrally placed doors, each door drawn with neck and subsidiary-neck mouldings; the eastern sector painted white and the next sector yellow.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural panel showing pañcābja mandala, bold outlines, central door icons with kaṇṭha/upakaṇṭha bands, east quadrant in white pigment, adjacent quadrant in yellow, traditional floral borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting of a ritual mandala: raised gold outlining door frames and neck mouldings, five lotus petals/cells, east rendered in bright white with gold highlights, next in yellow, symmetrical composition","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional illustration: neat pañcābja grid, labeled dvāras at midpoints, detailed kaṇṭha/upakaṇṭha profiles, color swatches starting east: white then yellow","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of artisans painting a mandala on the floor, one applying white in the east, another yellow in the next sector; delicate door motifs with moulding details"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dvārānyabjantu → dvārāṇi + abjam + tu (anusvāra/yaṇ sandhi in transmission). hy asmin → hi + asmin. pītañca → pītam + ca.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Vastu sections on dvāra-lakṣaṇa and varṇa-vinyāsa in mandalas near 319
FAQs
It gives Vāstu/maṇḍala-vidhi: how to place doors centrally within a five-lotus (pañcābja) mandala and how to apply directional colour sequencing beginning from the east.
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves applied technical knowledge—mandala geometry, architectural elements, and colour-direction conventions—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of ritual design and sacred architecture alongside theology.
Correct door placement and direction-based colours are treated as harmonizing the sacred space with cosmic order (dik and maṇḍala), supporting purity, auspiciousness, and the efficacy of worship performed within the consecrated layout.