Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 17
Chapter 303: Mantras for Worship Beginning with the Five-syllable (Pañcākṣara) — पञ्चाक्षरादिपूजामन्त्राः
शिष्यमाचान्तमिति ञ अङ्गुष्ठादिकनिष्ठान्तं विन्यस्याङ्गानि सर्वतः न्यसेन्मन्त्राक्षरं पादगुह्यहृद्वक्त्रमूर्धसु
śiṣyamācāntamiti ña aṅguṣṭhādikaniṣṭhāntaṃ vinyasyāṅgāni sarvataḥ nyasenmantrākṣaraṃ pādaguhyahṛdvaktramūrdhasu
Pagkatapos papag-ācamana ang alagad, ayusin ang nyāsa mula sa hinlalaki hanggang sa kalingkingan; at matapos mailagay ang mga pantig sa lahat ng bahagi ng katawan, itanim ang pantig(ng) mantra sa mga paa, sa lihim na bahagi, sa puso, sa bibig, at sa tuktok ng ulo.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Guided disciple-facing ritual: begin with ācamana, then perform kara-nyāsa (thumb to little finger) and aṅga-nyāsa placing syllables on key body loci (feet, guhya, heart, mouth, head).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Kara-nyāsa and Aṅga-nyāsa after Ācamana","lookup_keywords":["ācamana","kara-nyāsa","aṅga-nyāsa","pāda-guhya-hṛd-vaktra-mūrdhan","śiṣya"],"quick_summary":"After ācamana, install mantra-syllables across fingers (thumb to little finger) and then on major loci—feet, secret region, heart, mouth, and head—to sacralize the practitioner’s body as mantra-seat."}
Concept: The body is converted into a mantra-maṇḍala through ordered placement (nyāsa), beginning with purification (ācamana) and proceeding from hands to vital centers.
Application: Use a consistent sequence: ācamana → kara-nyāsa → aṅga-nyāsa on specified loci, ensuring attention and correctness before offerings or japa.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mantra-nyasa (Tantric ritual procedure)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A guru instructs a seated disciple: the disciple performs ācamana, then touches thumb-to-little-finger in sequence, then touches feet, guhya, heart, mouth, and head for mantra installation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru and disciple in temple setting, clear hand gestures for ācamana and finger-nyāsa, warm lamp light, stylized lotus motifs behind them.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, guru-disciple scene with gold arch backdrop, ritual vessels, hands depicted in precise mudrās, sacred geometry border patterns.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, stepwise instructional composition: panels showing ācamana, finger sequence, then body loci touches; delicate lines and readable gestures.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate teaching scene in a pavilion, detailed hands and water vessel for ācamana, subtle annotations-like placement on body points."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śiṣyamācāntam → śiṣyam + ācāntam; vinyasyāṅgāni → vinya(s)ya + aṅgāni; nyasenmantrākṣaram → nyaset + mantra-akṣaram; pādaguhyahṛdvaktramūrdhasu → pāda + guhya + hṛd + vaktra + mūrdhasu.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 303.15 (ātmaśuddhi before nyāsa); Agni Purana 303.18 (vyāpaka and mūla-aṅga nyāsa)
FAQs
It teaches nyāsa—systematic placement of mantra-syllables on fingers (thumb to little finger) and key bodily loci (feet, guhya, heart, mouth, head) after ācamana, as part of tantric-style worship/initiatory practice.
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves precise ritual technology—finger/limb mappings, bodily loci, and mantra-phoneme installation—showing the text’s coverage of practical liturgy and esoteric procedure alongside other sciences.
Ācamana purifies the practitioner, and nyāsa sacralizes the body as a mantra-bearing vessel; the act is intended to make worship efficacious by internalizing the deity/mantra and aligning body, speech, and mind.