Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 26
Chapter 303: Mantras for Worship Beginning with the Five-syllable (Pañcākṣara) — पञ्चाक्षरादिपूजामन्त्राः
वामदेवः स्त्रीविलासी चतुर्वक्त्रभुजो ऽरुणः सौम्ये पञ्चास्य ईशाने ईशानः सर्वदः सितः
vāmadevaḥ strīvilāsī caturvaktrabhujo 'ruṇaḥ saumye pañcāsya īśāne īśānaḥ sarvadaḥ sitaḥ
Вамадева — тот, кто наслаждается игрой женского начала (Шакти); он четырёхликий и четырёхрукий, красноватого цвета. В аспекте Саумья он пятиликий; в аспекте Ишана — сам Ишана, белого цвета, дарует все достижения.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Dhyāna of Vāmadeva/Īśāna aspects for pañcavaktra visualization, siddhi-oriented worship, and iconographic specification.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Vāmadeva and Īśāna Dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (varṇa, vaktra, bāhu, phala)","lookup_keywords":["Vāmadeva aruna","caturvaktra caturbhuja","śakti-vilāsa","Īśāna white","sarvada bestower"],"quick_summary":"Meditate on Vāmadeva as Śakti-delighting, four-faced and four-armed, reddish; and on Īśāna as white and all-bestowing, with Saumya five-faced emphasis for complete pañcavaktra contemplation."}
Concept: Śiva is approached through differentiated aspects—Śakti-inflected (Vāmadeva) and transcendent-bestowing (Īśāna)—each stabilized by precise form-visualization.
Application: Use as dhyāna before mantra-japa/nyāsa; align desired attainments (sarva-siddhi) with Īśāna contemplation.
Khanda Section: Isana-kalpa / Shiva-panchavaktra-dhyana (Tantric-Ritual Iconography)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two emphasized forms: Vāmadeva, reddish, four-faced and four-armed with graceful Śakti-play demeanor; and Īśāna, white and serene, radiating boon-bestowing presence, with a five-faced Saumya overlay motif.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Vāmadeva aruna caturvaktra-caturbhuja with elegant ornaments and subtle śṛṅgāra grace; adjacent Īśāna sita, calm and luminous, pañcāsya Saumya hinted by an additional upper face, lotus and flame aureoles.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Vāmadeva and Īśāna as paired panels, thick gold halos, rich reds and whites, gem-studded crowns, blessing gestures indicating sarvada, temple arch frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean didactic rendering of face/arm counts, soft shading, labels for Vāmadeva/Īśāna/Saumya, emphasis on color swatches (aruna, sita).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined portrait-like deity studies: Vāmadeva with four faces subtly shown in profile arrangement, Īśāna in white with radiant nimbus, delicate floral borders and calligraphy."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: caturvaktrabhujo 'ruṇaḥ = caturvaktrabhujaḥ aruṇaḥ (visarga elision). pañcāsya = pañca-āsya (dvigu).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 303 (pañcavaktra/pañcabrahma dhyāna sequence)
FAQs
It gives dhyāna-iconography for Śiva’s aspects—Vāmadeva/ Saumya/ Īśāna—specifying faces, arms, colors, and the boon-granting function, used for mantra-japa and ritual visualization.
It exemplifies the text’s cataloging of precise ritual-theological data (forms, directions, hues, attributes, results), functioning like a practical manual for tantra-ritual and temple/meditative iconography alongside its many other disciplines.
Correct contemplation of these forms is presented as a means to obtain comprehensive blessings (sarva-siddhi/boons) and to align the practitioner with Śiva’s benign and transcendent aspects for purification and protection.