Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 27
Chapter 72 — स्नानविशेषादिकथनम्
Special Rules of Bathing, Mantra-Purification, and Sandhyā
हंसपद्मासनां रक्तां चतुर्वक्त्रां चतुर्भुजां गुह्यकाजातसंरवैर् इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः तत्खरोत्खातरेणुभिरिति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः स्मरेत्तत इति ग, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः प्रस्कन्दमालिनीं दक्षे वामे दण्डकमण्डलुं
haṃsapadmāsanāṃ raktāṃ caturvaktrāṃ caturbhujāṃ guhyakājātasaṃravair iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ tatkharotkhātareṇubhiriti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ smarettata iti ga, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ praskandamālinīṃ dakṣe vāme daṇḍakamaṇḍaluṃ
พึงเพ่งภาวนาถึงพระเทวีผู้ประทับเหนือหงส์และปัทมาสนะ มีพระวรกายสีแดง มีสี่พระพักตร์สี่พระกร ทรงพวงมาลัยห้อยลงที่พระอุระ; พระหัตถ์ขวาทรงลูกประคำ ส่วนพระหัตถ์ซ้ายทรงไม้เท้าและกมณฑลุ (หม้อน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์)
Lord Agni (in instruction to Vasiṣṭha, the typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Devī-dhyāna for pūjā/nyāsa: visualize the goddess’ color, seat (haṃsa + padma), faces/arms, and held attributes to stabilize mantra and invoke the intended śakti-form.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Dhyāna of a Red Four-faced, Four-armed Devī on Haṃsa and Padma","lookup_keywords":["haṃsa-padmāsanā","raktā devī","caturvaktrā caturbhujā","mālā (garland)","daṇḍa kamaṇḍalu akṣamālā"],"quick_summary":"Meditate on a red goddess seated on swan and lotus, four-faced and four-armed, adorned with a chest-hanging garland, holding rosary, staff, and water-pot—an iconographic template for ritual visualization."}
Concept: Dhyāna-lakṣaṇa: precise form-visualization as a technology to ‘seat’ the deity in consciousness and make mantra effective.
Application: During japa/pūjā, hold a stable mental image (color, seat, faces, hands, emblems); treat deviations as loss of dhyāna-siddhi and return to the template.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devata-dhyana (Tantric-style iconography and meditation)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A red-complexioned goddess with four faces and four arms sits on a lotus supported by a swan; a garland drapes across her chest; she holds a rosary, a staff, and a water-pot, radiating calm authority.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: four-faced red Devī on lotus with swan, bold outlines, flat traditional pigments, ornate but balanced jewelry, garland emphasized across chest, temple-lamp ambience.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Devī with embossed gold halo and ornaments, lotus throne with stylized swan, rich crimson skin tone, gem-like detailing on rosary and kamaṇḍalu, thick gold relief work.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined linework showing four faces in symmetrical arrangement, clear depiction of akṣamālā, daṇḍa, kamaṇḍalu; soft pastel background; instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: delicate rendering of four-faced goddess in a garden pavilion, swan and lotus carefully detailed, fine textiles and jewelry, subtle shading, ornate border."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Text contains critical apparatus notes (iti kha/ga) not analyzed as padas. haṃsapadmāsanāṃ etc. are accusative feminine singular epithets (object of an implied/variant smaret). guhyakājātasaṃravair → guhyaka-ajāta-saṃravaiḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 72.28-72.29 (other sandhyā devatā-dhyānas)
FAQs
It gives a dhyāna-prayoga: the precise iconographic visualization (āsana, color, faces, arms, and hand-held emblems) to be used before mantra-japa or pūjā.
Beyond narrative, the Agni Purāṇa preserves practical ritual technology—standardized deity-forms and attributes—functioning like a manual for worship, meditation, and mantra application.
Correct dhyāna is treated as a prerequisite for effective worship: it steadies the mind, aligns the rite with śāstric form, and is traditionally held to enhance mantra-siddhi and purificatory merit.
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