Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 11
The Description of the Sarvatobhadra Maṇḍala (सर्वतोभद्रमण्डलकथनम्)
तत्पार्श्वे भ्रमयोगेन कुण्डल्यः षड् भवन्ति हि एवं द्वादश मत्स्याः स्युर्द्विषट्कदलकञ्च तैः चक्राब्जे तेषु सम्पूज्या मासानां पतयः क्रमात् अष्टौ प्रकृतयः षड्वा पञ्चाथ चतुरो ऽपरे
tatpārśve bhramayogena kuṇḍalyaḥ ṣaḍ bhavanti hi evaṃ dvādaśa matsyāḥ syurdviṣaṭkadalakañca taiḥ cakrābje teṣu sampūjyā māsānāṃ patayaḥ kramāt aṣṭau prakṛtayaḥ ṣaḍvā pañcātha caturo 'pare
तत्पार्श्वे भ्रमयोगेन षट् कुण्डल्यो भवन्ति। एवमेव द्वादश मत्स्यरूपाणि द्वादशदलसमूहश्च जायते। तैः सह चक्राब्जे मासपतयः क्रमशः सम्यक् सम्पूज्याः। एतत् विन्यासं केचित् अष्टप्रकृतिरूपं, केचित् षट्, अन्ये पञ्च, अपरे चतुरिति वर्णयन्ति।
Lord Agni (in dialogue framework of Agni Purana, instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Jyotisha","practical_application":"Construction of a cakra-lotus yantra/maṇḍala for monthly deity (māsa-pati) worship, mapping time (months) onto a ritual diagram for sequential pūjā.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Cakrābja with kuṇḍalī-coils, matsya-figures, and māsa-pati placement","lookup_keywords":["cakrābja","kuṇḍalī","matsya-ākṛti","māsa-pati","prakṛti-saṅkhyā"],"quick_summary":"Defines the circular side-arrangement producing six kuṇḍalī coils and twelve matsya-figures with petals, within which the lords of the months are worshipped in order; notes variant enumerations of prakṛti (8/6/5/4) used by different traditions."}
Concept: Bandhu between kāla (months) and devatā through yantra-nyāsa; plurality of doctrinal enumerations (prakṛti counts) within a shared ritual framework.
Application: Choose the lineage-consistent prakṛti-enumeration while keeping the functional ritual sequence of māsa-pati worship intact.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Yantra-Mandala-Vidhi (Tantric-style monthly deities in the chakra-lotus)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritualist draws a wheel-lotus diagram: six spiral coils on the side, twelve fish-shaped motifs and twelve petals, with small deity-seats for the twelve months arranged in sequence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat yet rich colors, a priest seated beside a large cakrābja yantra on the floor, twelve matsya motifs around a lotus, subtle inscriptions for months, sacred lamps, calm adbhuta mood","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on the lotus wheel and petal rims, twelve small deity emblems for māsa-patis around the cakra, ornate borders, deep red background, ritual precision","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework emphasizing geometry: six kuṇḍalī spirals, twelve fish-forms, labeled month sequence, instructional composition with clean symmetry","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, top-down view of a mandala being drawn, meticulous patterning of fish motifs and petals, attendants holding pigments, architectural interior hinted, delicate palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tatpārśve→tat-pārśve; syur+dviṣaṭkadalakam+ca→syuḥ dvi-ṣaṭ-kadalakam ca; cakrābje→cakra-abje; ṣaḍvā→ṣaṭ vā; pañcātha→pañca atha; caturo 'pare→caturo apare.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 29 (yantra/maṇḍala-vidhi context: lotus-cakra construction and worship order)
FAQs
It gives mandala-engineering instructions for a cakra-lotus: arranging six kuṇḍalī (spiral) forms, twelve matsya motifs, and twelve petals, then worshipping the māsa-patis (presiding lords of the months) in proper sequence.
Beyond myth, it preserves applied ritual technology—diagrammatic construction (yantra/mandala layout), calendrical theology (month-lords), and variant doctrinal classifications (prakṛti counted as 8/6/5/4), showing the text’s compendium-like coverage of ritual science and competing systems.
Worshipping the month-lords within the correctly constructed wheel-lotus is presented as a way to align ritual action with cosmic time (kāla), supporting purification and orderly merit (puṇya) through disciplined, sequential devotion.