Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 29
Chapter 303: Mantras for Worship Beginning with the Five-syllable (Pañcākṣara) — पञ्चाक्षरादिपूजामन्त्राः
श्वेतः पीतः सितो रक्तो धूम्रो रक्तो ऽरुणः शितः शूलाशनिशरेश्वासवाहवश् चतुराननाः
śvetaḥ pītaḥ sito rakto dhūmro rakto 'ruṇaḥ śitaḥ śūlāśaniśareśvāsavāhavaś caturānanāḥ
श्वेतः पीतः सितः रक्तो धूम्रवर्णो रक्त एव च। अरुणः शितश्च—शूलाशनिशरेष्वासवाहधारिणः चतुराननाः (रूपाः) कथिताः।
Lord Agni (narrating the ritual/encyclopedic instructions of the Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Color/weapon/face specifications for a set of four-faced deities (āvaraṇa-devatā/Vidyeśa forms) used in dhyāna, maṇḍala painting, and mūrti-lakṣaṇa.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Caturānana Devatā Varṇa–Āyudha-lakṣaṇa (śūla, aśani, śara, īśvāsa, vāhana)","lookup_keywords":["caturānana four-faced","śūla trident","aśani vajra","śara arrow","īśvāsa bow","varṇa white yellow red dhūmra"],"quick_summary":"Gives a compact iconographic key: multiple hues assigned across forms, and standard weapons/implements (trident, thunderbolt, arrow, bow) plus mount, all for four-faced manifestations."}
Weapon Type: Trident (śūla), thunderbolt (aśani/vajra), arrow (śara), bow (īśvāsa)
Concept: Form-knowledge (rūpa-jñāna) as a valid sacred science: precise attributes enable correct worship and manifestation of protective/divine functions.
Application: Artists and ritualists use the attribute list to avoid iconographic faults (doṣa) and to maintain āvaraṇa coherence in tantric worship.
Khanda Section: Mantra-vidhi / Devata-dhyana (Tantric-ritual iconography and deity-forms)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A row or circle of four-faced deities, each with a distinct hue (white, yellow, pale, red, smoke-hued, tawny, bright), holding trident, thunderbolt, arrow, and bow, with their mounts indicated beside them.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, caturānana Śaiva guardians in a circular āvaraṇa, bold flat hues including dhūmra and aruṇa, each holding śūla and vajra-like aśani, arrows and bows, mounts stylized, ornate temple borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, four-faced deities with heavy gold halos and weaponry, rich reds/yellows/whites, embossed gold work on weapons and crowns, mounts in lower band, symmetrical composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear iconographic chart: each caturānana figure labeled by hue, weapons drawn distinctly (śūla, vajra, śara, bow), neat arrangement for instructional use.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, finely detailed multi-figure study with four-faced deities in varied hues, jeweled weapons, delicate rendering of mounts, patterned background and calligraphic captions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: rakto 'ruṇaḥ = raktaḥ aruṇaḥ (visarga elision). vāhavaś caturānanāḥ = vāhavaḥ caturānanāḥ (visarga before c).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 303 (vidyeśa/āvaraṇa iconography lists)
FAQs
It gives dhyāna–lakṣaṇa (visualization markers) for worship: the deity’s color-variants and identifying attributes (trident, thunderbolt, bow, arrows, and mount) used to correctly form the mental image and iconographic specification in pūjā/mantra practice.
Beyond myth, it catalogs practical ritual data—standardized color-forms and weapon/vehicle attributes—functioning like a manual for temple/household worship and tantric visualization, one of the many technical domains the Agni Purana compiles.
Accurate dhyāna and correct identification of form (rūpa-lakṣaṇa) are held to stabilize mantra efficacy and devotion; the verse supports focused worship that is traditionally said to yield purification and merit through properly directed reverence.