Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 26
Tvaritā-pūjā (The Worship of Tvaritā) — Transition Verse and Context
वैतालिनि दशार्णाः स्युस्त्यजान्यहिपलालवत् हृदादिकन्यासादौ स्यान् मध्ये नेत्रे न्यसेत्सुधीः
vaitālini daśārṇāḥ syustyajānyahipalālavat hṛdādikanyāsādau syān madhye netre nyasetsudhīḥ
वैतालिन्यां दशार्णाः स्युः; त्याज्यान्यहिपलालवत्। हृदादिकन्यासादौ मध्ये नेत्रयोर्न्यसेत्सुधीः।
Lord Agni (traditional narrator of the Agni Purana) addressing the sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Guidance for mantra-nyāsa/vinyāsa: handling a specific ‘Vaitālinī’ arrangement of ten syllables, discarding/omitting certain elements, and placing the nyāsa at the eyes during hṛdayādi-aṅga-nyāsa sequence.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Vaitālinī vinyāsa: ten-syllable handling and eye-placement in hṛdayādi-nyāsa","lookup_keywords":["Vaitālinī","daśārṇa","hṛdayādi-nyāsa","netra-nyāsa","matṛkā-vinyāsa"],"quick_summary":"A procedural note on a ten-syllable Vaitālinī arrangement: certain syllables are to be rejected, and in the hṛdayādi nyāsa sequence the placement is directed to the eyes (netra) as the central locus."}
Concept: Nyāsa is a disciplined mapping of mantra-syllables onto the body; correct placement (especially netra) is essential for efficacy and safety.
Application: During aṅga/kara-nyāsa, follow the prescribed sequence; place the designated syllables at the eyes as instructed, omitting those marked for rejection.
Khanda Section: Mantra-nyāsa and Tantra (Aṅga-nyāsa / Kara-nyāsa; Matṛkā-vinyāsa)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An instructional nyāsa scene: a practitioner touches heart and other limbs in sequence, then places fingers at the eyes to install the syllables; a diagram shows ten syllables in Vaitālinī order with some crossed out as ‘to be discarded’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, teacher-siddha demonstrating nyāsa mudrās; close focus on hands touching eyes; side panel with ten syllables in circular arrangement, a few marked as rejected; earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, devotional-instructional hybrid: seated sādhaka with gold aura, hands at eyes (netra-nyāsa), ornate border containing the ten-syllable wheel labeled Vaitālinī.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, diagrammatic clarity: body outline with marked nyāsa points (hṛd, śiras, śikhā, kavaca, netra), arrows to eyes as ‘madhye’; clean labels and soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, atelier-like instructional folio: practitioner before a low desk with manuscript; marginal diagram of ten syllables; delicate rendering of fingers touching the eyes, fine calligraphy annotations."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: syustyajānyahipalālavat resolved as स्युः + त्यज + अन्य + अहि-पलाल-वत् (manuscript-style concatenation).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 309.25 (protective mantra segments used with ritual actions); Agni Purana 309.27 (body-region mapping; complements nyāsa localization)
FAQs
It gives a nyāsa rule: in the Vaitālinī scheme (a specific arrangement), a ten-unit set is referenced, certain elements are to be omitted as impure/extraneous, and the practitioner should place the relevant mantra/letters centrally at the eyes during hṛdaya-ādi nyāsa.
Beyond myth and devotion, the Agni Purana preserves highly technical ritual technology—precise body-mapping (nyāsa) and mantra-installation methods—showing its coverage of tantric-ritual praxis alongside other sciences.
Correct nyāsa is held to purify and sacralize the practitioner’s body as a mantra-seat; placing at the eyes (netra) emphasizes consecrated perception and protection, supporting mantra efficacy and inner purification.