Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 10
The Description of the Sarvatobhadra Maṇḍala (सर्वतोभद्रमण्डलकथनम्)
पद्मलक्ष्मैतत् सामान्यं द्विषट्कदलमुच्यते कर्णिकार्धेन मानेन प्राक्संस्थं भ्रामयेत् क्रमात् पायूपस्थौ च सम्पूज्य मासानां द्वादशाधिपान् पुरुषोत्तमादिषड्विंशान् वाह्यावरणके यजेत्
padmalakṣmaitat sāmānyaṃ dviṣaṭkadalamucyate karṇikārdhena mānena prāksaṃsthaṃ bhrāmayet kramāt pāyūpasthau ca sampūjya māsānāṃ dvādaśādhipān puruṣottamādiṣaḍviṃśān vāhyāvaraṇake yajet
Esta é a característica geral do diagrama de lótus (padma-lakṣmī): diz-se que possui doze pétalas. Com uma medida igual à metade da karṇikā, começando pela posição oriental, deve-se traçar/girar as colocações na devida sequência. Tendo venerado devidamente (as deidades) no ânus e na região genital, deve-se cultuar no recinto exterior os doze senhores dos meses, começando por Puruṣottama—ao todo, vinte e seis (deidades).
Lord Agni (in dialogue, instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Standard padma-maṇḍala specification (12 petals) with measurement rule (half-karṇikā), directional sequencing from east, and outer āvaraṇa worship of month-lords and Puruṣottamādi set; includes lower-body loci (pāyu, upastha) worship as part of nyāsa.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Dvīṣaṭkadala-padma: karṇikārdha-māna, prāg-krama-bhramaṇa, māsādhipa and Puruṣottamādi-bāhyāvaraṇa-yāga","lookup_keywords":["dvādaśadala","karṇikārdha-māna","māsādhipa","Puruṣottama","pāyu-upastha"],"quick_summary":"A standard lotus maṇḍala has twelve petals; using half the pericarp as the measure, place/worship sequentially from the east, include nyāsa at anus and genitals, and worship the outer enclosure with the twelve month-lords and the Puruṣottamādi group (total twenty-six)."}
Concept: Time (months and their lords) is integrated into worship as an āvaraṇa, linking bodily loci (pāyu/upastha) and cosmic cycles under Puruṣottama’s sovereignty.
Application: Use calendrical āvaraṇa worship to align observances with months; employ body-locus nyāsa to discipline sensuality and ground ritual purity.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Padma-mandala / Vishnu-archana and Avarana-puja)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A twelve-petalled lotus maṇḍala is shown with measurement taken as half the pericarp; placements begin from the east and proceed in order; outer ring contains month-lords and a Puruṣottama-centered set; lower-body nyāsa points (pāyu, upastha) are indicated symbolically.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, large twelve-petalled lotus diagram with east marked, priest measuring half-karṇikā, outer ring populated by month-lords as small deities, central Puruṣottama, subdued sacred palette and lamp-lit setting.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central Puruṣottama with gold halo above a gilded twelve-petalled lotus, outer enclosure with month-lords in medallions, strong gold embossing on petal edges and borders, devotional richness.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, technical depiction: ruler/compass indicating karṇikārdha-māna, east-start sequence arrows, labeled month-lords around outer ring, neat calligraphy and balanced geometry.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined diagram on cloth with east indicator, scholar-priest demonstrating measurement, outer ring with personified months in courtly attire, central Vishnu as Puruṣottama, intricate border motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Madhyamavati","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: padmalakṣmaitat → padma-lakṣma + etat; dviṣaṭkadalamucyate → dvi-ṣaṭka-dalam + ucyate; karṇikārdhena → karṇikā-ardhena; prāksaṃsthaṃ → prāk-saṃstham; pāyūpasthau → pāyu-upasthau; puruṣottamādiṣaḍviṃśān → puruṣottama-ādi-ṣaḍviṃśān; vāhyāvaraṇake → vāhya-āvaraṇake.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 29 (padma-lakṣaṇa and āvaraṇa-deity lists); Agni Purana sections on māsavrata/māsa-nāma traditions (where present)
FAQs
It gives padma-mandala (lotus-diagram) specifications—twelve petals, orientation from the east, proportional measurement from the karṇikā (pericarp), and the sequence for worshipping the month-presiding deities in the outer avaraṇa.
It combines ritual geometry (mandala construction), directional sequencing, and calendrical theology (twelve month-lords), showing how the Agni Purana functions as a practical manual integrating cosmology, time-reckoning, and worship procedure.
Correctly constructing the mandala and worshipping the presiding deities of time (months) is presented as harmonizing the rite with cosmic order (ṛta), thereby strengthening the efficacy of the worship and accruing ritual merit through precise observance.