Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 4
Chapter 308 — Worship of Tvaritā (त्वरितापूजा)
मयूरबलया पिच्छमौलिः किसलयांशुका सिंहासनस्था मायूरवर्हच्छत्रसमन्विता
mayūrabalayā picchamauliḥ kisalayāṃśukā siṃhāsanasthā māyūravarhacchatrasamanvitā
அவள் மயூர-வளையங்களை அணிந்து, தலையில் இறகுக் கிரீடம் கொண்டு, இளந்தளிர் பச்சை மென்மையான ஆடை உடுத்து, சிங்காசனத்தில் அமர்ந்து, மயூர இறகுச் சத்திரத்தால் சூழப்பட்டிருப்பாள்.
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Provides dhyāna-iconography for Tvaritā/Devī visualization in pūjā: attire, seat, ornaments, and parasol—used for accurate meditation and image-making.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Devī-dhyāna: peacock-feather ornaments, green garments, lion-throne, peacock-plume parasol","lookup_keywords":["mayūra-piccha","kisalaya-aṃśuka","siṃhāsana","mayūra-varha-chattra","devī-dhyāna"],"quick_summary":"Meditate on the Goddess adorned with peacock-feather bracelets and crest, wearing tender green garments, seated on a lion-throne, shaded by a peacock-plume parasol."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Concept: Form-based meditation (sākāra-upāsanā): precise iconographic details serve as supports (ālambana) for steadiness and immediacy of devatā-bhāva.
Application: Use consistent visual anchors—color, seat, ornaments—to reduce mental drift during japa and to standardize ritual visualization across practitioners.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devata-dhyana (Iconography and meditation-visualization of deities)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A regal Goddess with peacock-feather bracelets and a feathered crest, dressed in fresh sprout-green cloth, seated on a lion-throne beneath a peacock-plume parasol.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, Devī seated on siṃhāsana, kisalaya-green garments, peacock-feather bracelets and crest, peacock-plume parasol overhead, rich ornaments, bold outlines, deep green and ochre palette, temple sanctum backdrop","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Devī on lion-throne with heavy gold jewelry and embossed gold halo, vivid green silk garments, peacock-feather crown and bangles, ornate peacock-feather parasol with gold detailing, jewel-toned background","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, elegant Devī portrait with soft shading, accurate depiction of peacock-feather accessories and parasol, lion-throne rendered with fine linework, calm symmetrical composition for meditation aid","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly divine scene: Devī on a lion-throne in a pavilion garden, attendants holding a peacock-feather parasol, delicate rendering of feathers and textiles, refined pastel palette and intricate borders"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: किसलयांशुका = किसलय + अंशुका; मायूरवर्हच्छत्रसमन्विता = मयूर-वर्ह-छत्र-समन्विता (समास; छत्रे ‘च्’ संयोग)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 308 dhyāna/nyāsa sequence (308.1–308.3); Agni Purana iconography and pratimā-lakṣaṇa chapters (Śilpa sections)
FAQs
This verse provides dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (visualization markers) for Devī: ornaments, clothing color, seat (lion-throne), and royal insignia (peacock-feather parasol), used to stabilize meditation and correctly perform pūjā/mantra-upāsanā.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purāṇa catalogs practical worship technology—iconographic standards and meditation templates—showing how to visualize a deity with precise attributes for ritual correctness across traditions of pūjā and dhyāna.
Accurate deity-visualization (yathā-śāstra-dhyāna) is held to make worship effective, purify attention, and generate merit by aligning the practitioner’s mind and ritual acts with the intended divine form.