Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 34
Mantra-paribhāṣā
Technical Definitions and Operational Rules of Mantras
विश्वेदेवा हृषीकेशो वायवः सलिलाधिपः अजैकपादहिर्व्रध्नः पूषाश्विन्यादिदेवताः
viśvedevā hṛṣīkeśo vāyavaḥ salilādhipaḥ ajaikapādahirvradhnaḥ pūṣāśvinyādidevatāḥ
விஷ்வேதேவர்கள், ஹ்ருஷீகேசன், வாயுக்கள், நீரின் அதிபதி; அஜைகபாதன், அஹிர்புத்ந்யன், பூஷன், அஷ்வின்கள்—இவர்களும் பிற ஆதிதேவர்களும் வழிபடத்தக்கோர்।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi / Devata-nighantu","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Ritual invocation of Vedic deities (Viśvedevas, Vāyu, Varuṇa-like jalādhipa, Aja-Ekapād, Ahirbudhnya, Pūṣan, Aśvins) as part of pūjā/nyāsa or homa preliminaries.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Devata-nighaṇṭu: Viśvedevas–Hṛṣīkeśa–Vāyu–Jalādhipa–Aja Ekapād–Ahirbudhnya–Pūṣan–Aśvins","lookup_keywords":["viśvedevāḥ","hṛṣīkeśa","aja ekapād","ahirbudhnya","pūṣan aśvinau"],"quick_summary":"A concise enumeration of Vedic and Purāṇic identifications for ritual calling. It bridges Vedic devatā-s (Aja Ekapād, Ahirbudhnya, Pūṣan, Aśvins) with Purāṇic theonyms (Hṛṣīkeśa)."}
Concept: Ritual completeness through inclusive devatā enumeration (sarva-devatā-samāveśa).
Application: Use as an invocation set when integrating Vedic devatā-s into Purāṇic pūjā frameworks.
Khanda Section: Devata-nighantu / Devata-stuti (List of Vedic deities for ritual invocation)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual invocation tableau showing a circle of deities: Viśvedevas as a collective halo, Hṛṣīkeśa enthroned, Vāyu as wind personified, Jalādhipa rising from waves, Aja-Ekapād as a one-footed cosmic figure, Ahirbudhnya as deep-ocean serpent power, Pūṣan as traveler-guardian, and the twin Aśvins on horses.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, concentric mandala of deities around a pūjā altar; Hṛṣīkeśa central with conch-disc, Vāyu as swirling green-blue, Jalādhipa with wave motifs, Aja-Ekapād stylized one-legged form, Ahirbudhnya as coiled ocean-serpent, Pūṣan with staff, Aśvins as twin horsemen, bold outlines and temple palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf: central Hṛṣīkeśa with embossed halo; surrounding medallions for Viśvedevas, Vāyu, Jalādhipa, Aja-Ekapād, Ahirbudhnya, Pūṣan, Aśvins; ornate borders, jewel tones, devotional symmetry","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic chart-like composition: labeled deity icons and attributes; clean linework, soft washes; emphasis on rare Vedic forms Aja-Ekapād and Ahirbudhnya with explanatory emblems","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined assembly of deities in a garden-pavilion; Aśvins as twin riders, Jalādhipa near a riverbank, Vāyu indicated by fluttering scarves; fine detailing, pastel palette, calligraphy captions"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: viśvedevā = viśve + devāḥ; ajaikapādahirvradhnaḥ resolved as ajaikapād(a) + ahirvradhnaḥ (name-pair); pūṣāśvinyādidevatāḥ = pūṣā + aśvini-ādi-devatāḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 292 (devatā lists and nyāsa sequence)
FAQs
It supplies a ritual-ready roster of deities—names to be invoked in pūjā/homa sequences or in devatā-nyāsa style enumerations, ensuring correct divine “addressing” in Vedic-Purāṇic worship.
By functioning as a compact “devatā index,” it preserves Vedic deity taxonomy (collective gods like Viśvedevas, specialized forms like Aja-Ekapād and Ahirbudhnya) alongside Purāṇic theonyms (Hṛṣīkeśa), showing the text’s cataloging approach to ritual knowledge.
Correctly naming and invoking the intended deities is traditionally held to make worship precise (yathā-devatā), strengthening the efficacy (siddhi) of rites and accruing merit through disciplined remembrance of the divine order.