Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 3
Worship of Gaurī and Others (Gauryādi-pūjā) — Mantra, Maṇḍala, Mudrā, Homa, and Mṛtyuñjaya Kalaśa-Rite
द्वितीयं द्वारकाक्रान्तं गौरीप्रीतिपदान्वितं चतुर्थ्यन्तं प्रकर्तव्यं गौय्या वै मूलवाचकं
dvitīyaṃ dvārakākrāntaṃ gaurīprītipadānvitaṃ caturthyantaṃ prakartavyaṃ gauyyā vai mūlavācakaṃ
ਦੂਜਾ ਪਦ ‘ਦ੍ਵਾਰਕਾਕ੍ਰਾਂਤ’ ਰੂਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਲਿਆ ਜਾਵੇ। ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ‘ਗੌਰੀ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰੀਤੀ’ ਦਰਸਾਉਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਪਦ ਨਾਲ ਜੋੜ ਕੇ ਚਤੁਰਥੀ (ਦਾਤਿਵ) ਵਿਭਕਤੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਬਣਾਉਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ। ‘ਗੌਯ੍ਯਾ’ ਨੂੰ ਮੂਲਵਾਚਕ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਕਿਹਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ।
Lord Agni (teaching sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Bīja/śabda-nirmāṇa for Devī-mantra: selecting the correct syllabic element, appending a semantic pada (Gaurī-prīti), and applying the caturthī (dative) to form a worship-address (e.g., ‘…gauryai’).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Mantra-pada formation with caturthī for Gaurī (dvārakākrānta + prīti-pada)","lookup_keywords":["dvārakākrānta","caturthī","gaurīprīti","mūlavācaka","gauyyā"],"quick_summary":"Construct the addressed Devī-mantra by taking the specified second syllabic unit (‘dvārakākrānta’), joining it to the ‘Gaurī’s delight’ word, and finishing with the dative ending; ‘gauyyā’ is indicated as the root-signifying term for derivation."}
Concept: Mantra is ‘constructed’ through regulated phoneme-choice and grammatical casing to align address (sambodhana/arpana) with devatā-bhāva.
Application: When composing/reciting Devī-mantras, preserve prescribed phonemic units and case endings; do not ‘correct’ them by ordinary grammar if the tantra specifies a technical form.
Khanda Section: Mantra-shastra & Devī-upāsanā (Tantric/Mantric Procedures)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Tirtha/City
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A guru instructs a disciple in writing/assembling a Devī-mantra on a palm-leaf, pointing to syllables and the dative ending ‘-yai’ for Gaurī.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, seated guru and śiṣya in a shrine corridor, palm-leaf manuscript with highlighted syllables, subtle depiction of Gaurī’s aura behind, earthy reds and greens, flat iconic composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf haloed Gaurī faintly in background, foreground guru demonstrating mantra syllables on a manuscript, rich ornaments, embossed gold detailing, temple interior","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework, instructional tableau with labeled syllables near the manuscript, calm scholarly setting, muted palette, delicate shading","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly scholar-guru teaching mantra grammar, fine calligraphy on paper, detailed textiles, architectural niche, restrained divine motif of Gaurī as a luminous presence"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavī","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: द्वारकाक्रान्तम् → द्वारका-आक्रान्तम्; गौरीप्रीतिपदान्वितम् → गौरी-प्रीति-पद-अन्वितम्; चतुर्थ्यन्तम् → चतुर्थी-अन्तम्; मूलवाचकम् → मूल-वाचकम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 325.4-325.7 (Gaurī-mantra, nyāsa, bīja-lakṣaṇa)
FAQs
It teaches mantra-formation: selecting a specified coded phoneme/term, appending a Gaurī-related ‘pleasing’ word, and completing the mantra with a dative (caturthī) case ending as a formal rule of construction.
Beyond narrative theology, it preserves applied mantric technique—using grammatical case-formation and encoded syllables—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of ritual linguistics alongside devotion.
By prescribing an exact mantra-grammar for addressing Gaurī (via the dative ‘unto/for’), it frames worship as a precise act of invocation intended to secure the Devī’s favor and ritual efficacy.