Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 8
Chapter 33 — पवित्रारोहणविधानं
The Procedure for Pavitrārohaṇa / Installing the Sacred Thread or Consecratory Amulet
प्रार्थ्य तन्मण्डलायादौ गायत्र्या बन्धयेन्नरः ॐ नारायणाय विद्महे वासुदेवाय धीमहि
prārthya tanmaṇḍalāyādau gāyatryā bandhayennaraḥ oṃ nārāyaṇāya vidmahe vāsudevāya dhīmahi
Tendo primeiro invocado e solicitado a presença desse maṇḍala, a pessoa deve então fixá-lo/atá-lo com a Gāyatrī: “Oṃ. Nārāyaṇāya vidmahe, Vāsudevāya dhīmahi.”
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as the typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Mandala invocation and binding (bandhana) using a Vaiṣṇava Gāyatrī mantra for stabilizing the ritual space and deity-presence.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Nārāyaṇa/Vāsudeva Gāyatrī for Maṇḍala-bandhana","lookup_keywords":["maṇḍala","bandhana","gāyatrī","nārāyaṇa","vāsudeva"],"quick_summary":"After invoking the mandala, one ‘binds’ or secures it with the Nārāyaṇa-Vāsudeva Gāyatrī, establishing a protected and focused ritual field."}
Concept: Sacralizing space through mantra and mandala creates a disciplined locus for contemplation and worship.
Application: In pūjā, perform āvāhana of the ritual field and apply bandhana with a chosen gāyatrī to maintain concentration and ritual integrity.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Mantra, Yantra/Mandala, Gayatri-prayoga)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual mandala drawn on the ground or on a cloth, the practitioner invoking it and then sealing it with the Nārāyaṇa-Vāsudeva Gāyatrī, with protective gestures (mudrā) implied.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, geometric mandala with lotus petals, priest performing bandhana mudrā, stylized Sanskrit mantra ribbon, temple lamp light and earthy pigments.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central mandala-lotus with gold highlights, Vishnu symbolism (conch/discus motifs) around, priest reciting gāyatrī, ornate frame and rich colors.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional clarity: mandala diagram prominent, practitioner seated with palm-leaf text, subtle depiction of bandhana gesture, fine linework and soft gradients.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, top-down view of a mandala on a carpeted floor, scholar-priest reciting, delicate geometry and floral borders, calligraphic mantra panel."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तन्मण्डलायादौ = तत् + मण्डलाय + आदौ (तत् → तन् before म); प्रार्थ्य = प्र + अर्थ्य (gerund from प्र√अर्थ्).
Related Themes: Agni Purana sections on maṇḍala/yantra usage, āvāhana, bandhana, and Vaiṣṇava mantra-prayogas in Pūjā-vidhi
FAQs
It teaches mandala-prayoga: first invoke the sacred mandala, then ritually “bind/seal” it using a Gayatri-form Vaishnava mantra (Narayana/Vasudeva) to stabilize and protect the rite.
It exemplifies the text’s practical ritual manuals—integrating yantra/mandala procedure, mantra-vidhi, and Vaishnava theology—showing that the Agni Purana functions as a compendium of applied religious techniques alongside its other disciplines.
Invoking and sealing the mandala with a Narayana-Gayatri is presented as a purifying and protective act that makes the worship-space ritually secure, supports focused meditation on Vishnu, and safeguards the merit of the performed rite.