Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 1
Chapter 52: देवीप्रतिमालक्षणं (Devī-pratimā-lakṣaṇa) — Characteristics of Goddess Images
इत्य् आदिमहापुराणे आग्नेये प्रतिमालक्षणं नाम एकपञ्चाशो ऽध्यायः अथ द्विपञ्चोशो ऽध्यायः देवीप्रतिमालक्षणं भगवानुवाच योगिन्यष्टाष्टकं वक्ष्ये ऐन्द्रादीशान्ततः क्रमात् हिनीसूत्रवान् शनिरिति ग, घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकद्वयपाठः खड्गो इति घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः मणिविद्याधराश् च खे इति ख, चिहितपुस्तकपाठः विस्तृतानना इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः शूलयुता इति ग, घ, ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः अक्षोभ्या रूक्षकर्णो च राक्षसी कृपणाक्षया
ity ādimahāpurāṇe āgneye pratimālakṣaṇaṃ nāma ekapañcāśo 'dhyāyaḥ atha dvipañcośo 'dhyāyaḥ devīpratimālakṣaṇaṃ bhagavānuvāca yoginyaṣṭāṣṭakaṃ vakṣye aindrādīśāntataḥ kramāt hinīsūtravān śaniriti ga, gha, cihnitapustakadvayapāṭhaḥ khaḍgo iti gha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ maṇividyādharāś ca khe iti kha, cihitapustakapāṭhaḥ vistṛtānanā iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ śūlayutā iti ga, gha, ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ akṣobhyā rūkṣakarṇo ca rākṣasī kṛpaṇākṣayā
ดังนี้ ในอัคนีปุราณะมหาปุราณดั้งเดิม บทที่ห้าสิบเอ็ดชื่อว่า “ลักษณะของรูปเคารพ (ประติมาลักษณะ)” ได้สิ้นสุดลง บัดนี้เริ่มบทที่ห้าสิบสองคือ “ลักษณะของรูปเคารพพระเทวี (เทวี-ประติมาลักษณะ)” พระผู้เป็นเจ้าตรัสว่า “เราจักพรรณนาเป็นลำดับ ตั้งแต่หมู่ที่เริ่มด้วยไอันตรี ไปจนถึงหมู่ผู้ยังความสงบ (ศานตา) คือหมู่โยคินีที่จัดเป็นชุดละแปด-แปด” ในข้อความสืบทอดมีความต่างของต้นฉบับเกี่ยวกับคุณลักษณะ เช่น ถือดาบ ประดับแก้วมณีและเหล่าวิทยาธร มีพักตร์กว้าง ทรงตรีศูล และมีนาม/สมญาอย่าง อักโษภยา รูักษกรณา รากษสี และกฤปณากษยา เป็นต้น
Bhagavān (primary narrator in Agni Purana tradition: Lord Agni instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Devī/Yoginī-pratimā design for pūjā: selecting the correct yoginī-group (aindrī-ādi to śāntā) and assigning their āyudha, mukha, and other lakṣaṇas while accounting for pāṭha-bheda (manuscript variants) in iconographic manuals.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Yoginī-aṣṭāṣṭaka-krama and Devī-pratimā-lakṣaṇa (with pāṭha-bheda)","lookup_keywords":["devī-pratimā-lakṣaṇa","yoginī-aṣṭāṣṭaka","aindrī-ādi","śāntā-gaṇa","āyudha-lakṣaṇa"],"quick_summary":"Introduces the sequential listing of Yoginī groups (eight-and-eight) for Devī iconography; notes variant manuscript readings affecting weapons, faces, and epithets—important for correct installation and ritual identification."}
Concept: Lakṣaṇa (defining marks) as the means of correct devatā-identification; textual plurality (pāṭha-bheda) handled through tradition and pramāṇa in ritual arts.
Application: Before commissioning a mūrti or painting a yoginī-maṇḍala, compare readings with local āgama/śilpa paddhati; fix a consistent iconographic specification for consecration and mantra-nyāsa.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Pratima-lakshana (Iconography and image-making)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher-god (Bhagavān) begins enumerating Yoginī groups from Aindrī onward; scribes/folios show variant readings; nearby are sketched yoginī figures holding sword or trident, with broad faces and jewel motifs, arranged in ordered sets.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat yet vivid colors, Bhagavān instructing sages, a circular yoginī-cakra diagram with eight-and-eight yoginīs, each with khaḍga or śūla, bold eyes, ornamental jewelry, palm-leaf manuscript bundles with variant lines, sacred lamp-lit ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf, central seated Bhagavān teaching, surrounding haloed yoginīs in two concentric rings (aindrī-ādi to śāntā), heavy jewelry and gold embossing on weapons (sword, trident), manuscript folios depicted as gilded palm leaves, rich red-green palette","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, refined linework, instructional layout: labeled yoginī groups in sequence, each figure with clear āyudha and mukha-lakṣaṇa, a small panel showing manuscript variants (pāṭha-bheda) as marginal notes, calm scholarly setting","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly atelier scene: scholars comparing manuscripts while an iconographer sketches yoginīs; two rings of yoginī figures with distinct weapons and faces; fine detailing of folios, inkpots, and marginal variant readings"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Primary sandhi resolutions: ity → iti; ekapañcāśo ’dhyāyaḥ → eka-pañcāśaḥ adhyāyaḥ; dvipañcośo ’dhyāyaḥ → dvi-pañcāśaḥ adhyāyaḥ; bhagavānuvāca → bhagavān uvāca; yoginyaṣṭāṣṭakaṃ → yoginī-aṣṭā-aṣṭakam; aindrādīśāntataḥ → aindra-ādi-īśāntataḥ. Large portions are manuscript-variant notes; only the core readable pādas were analyzed.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 51 (Pratimā-lakṣaṇa); Agni Purana 52 (Devī-pratimā-lakṣaṇa continuation: yoginī-nāma/āyudha lists)
FAQs
It introduces the technical iconographic taxonomy for Devī-images, specifically the ordered listing of Yoginī groups (aindrī-ādi to śāntā) and their identifying attributes used for correct installation and worship.
It shows the Purāṇa functioning as a śilpa/ritual manual: it preserves chapter colophons, systematic classifications (Yoginī-grouping), and even variant readings—evidence of a compendious tradition spanning theology, temple arts, and tantric-ritual detail.
By defining correct forms and sequences for Devī and Yoginī representations, it supports orthodox, effective worship (arcana) and proper consecration (pratiṣṭhā), which are traditionally held to yield merit (puṇya) and protection through correctly performed devotion.