Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 17
The Description of the Sarvatobhadra Maṇḍala (सर्वतोभद्रमण्डलकथनम्)
चत्वारि वाह्यतो मृज्यादेकैकं पार्श्वयोरपि शोभार्थं पार्श्वयोस्त्रीणि त्रीणि लुम्पद्दलस्य तु त्रिकोणं सितरक्तेन कृष्णेन च विभूषयेत् द्विकोणं रक्तपीताभ्यां नाभिं कृष्णेन चक्रके
catvāri vāhyato mṛjyādekaikaṃ pārśvayorapi śobhārthaṃ pārśvayostrīṇi trīṇi lumpaddalasya tu trikoṇaṃ sitaraktena kṛṣṇena ca vibhūṣayet dvikoṇaṃ raktapītābhyāṃ nābhiṃ kṛṣṇena cakrake
Devem-se traçar quatro linhas no lado externo, e também uma em cada um dos dois lados. Para ornamento, (colocam-se) três e três em ambos os lados. No desenho da pétala de lótus, o triângulo deve ser adornado com branco e vermelho, e também com preto; o triângulo duplo deve ser colorido com vermelho e amarelo, e o cubo (nābhi) do cakra deve ser pintado de preto.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Stepwise line-marking and color placement for lotus/triangle/cakra components in yantra-mandala drawing used in pūjā.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Padma-dala trikona/dvikona/cakra-nābhi varṇa-vinyāsa","lookup_keywords":["padma-dala","trikoṇa","dvikona","cakra-nābhi","sita-rakta-kṛṣṇa"],"quick_summary":"Mark prescribed outer and side strokes for ornamentation, then color the lotus-petal triangle with white/red/black, the double-triangle with red/yellow, and the cakra hub in black."}
Concept: External precision (rekhā/varṇa) supports internal concentration in yantra-upāsanā.
Application: Standardizes yantra execution so mantra-japa and pūjā proceed with correct visual supports.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Yantra-Mandala-Lekhana (Ritual diagram drawing and coloration)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lotus-petal mandala with a central triangle and double-triangle elements; outer border shows four marks, side borders show one and then three ornamental marks; triangle colored white-red-black, double-triangle red-yellow, cakra hub black.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, priest-artist painting a lotus mandala on the floor, bold triangle in white and red with black accents, double-triangle in red and yellow, black hub at center, clear side ornament marks, temple lamp-lit interior","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold embossing, lotus mandala framed by ornate gold border, triangle highlighted with white/red/black enamel-like fills, double-triangle red/yellow, central black hub, rich decorative margins","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, didactic composition showing the sequence of marks (four outer, one per side, three per side), then the colored triangle/double-triangle and black hub, fine linework and soft shading","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, artisan mixing pigments beside a manuscript folio showing lotus mandala, precise geometric triangle and double-triangle with specified colors, black central hub, marginal notes in neat script"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: mṛjyād = mṛjyāt (before voiced consonant); ekaikaṃ = eka-ekam; śobhārthaṃ = śobhā-artham; pārśvayostrīṇi = pārśvayoḥ trīṇi; sitaraktena = sita-raktena; synecdoche of color-words as instrumentals.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 29.18-29.20 (reverse arrangement, color bands, materials, japa counts)
FAQs
It teaches precise construction and color-coding of a ritual cakra/yantra—how many outer and side markings to place, and which colors to apply to the triangle, double-triangle, and central hub.
Beyond mythology, it preserves applied liturgical technology—diagram design, sacred geometry, and pigment conventions used in pūjā—showing the text’s coverage of ritual arts alongside theology.
Correctly formed and colored yantras/cakras are treated as supports for focused worship; precision is believed to stabilize the rite, enhance auspiciousness (śobhā), and improve the efficacy of mantra and offering.