Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 10
The Root-Mantra of Tvaritā
Tvaritā-mūla-mantra
तापयेत्खादिराङ्गारैर् भूर्जमाक्रम्य पादयोः सप्ताहादानयेत् सर्वं त्रेलोक्यं सचराचरम्
tāpayetkhādirāṅgārair bhūrjamākramya pādayoḥ saptāhādānayet sarvaṃ trelokyaṃ sacarācaram
Ilagay ang bhūrja (balat ng birch) sa ilalim ng mga paa at painitin ito sa baga ng kahoy na khadira; isagawa ang ritwal ng pagpapainit. Sa loob ng pitong araw, maaaring mapasailalim sa sariling impluwensiya ang buong tatlong daigdig—ang gumagalaw at ang di-gumagalaw.
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s didactic dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"A heating (tāpana) rite using khadira embers and bhūrja-bark placed under the feet, aimed at stambhana/ākarṣaṇa-style influence operations within a set time-frame (seven days).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Khadirāṅgāra-Tāpana on Bhūrja under the Feet (Saptāha-kriyā)","lookup_keywords":["tāpana","khadira-aṅgāra","bhūrja","stambhana","ākarṣaṇa"],"quick_summary":"Place bhūrja-bark beneath the feet and heat it with khadira embers as a timed rite; the text claims rapid operative efficacy within seven days for drawing influence over beings and things."}
Concept: Ritual technology (kriyā) framed as a means to exert binding/drawing power; time-bound observance (saptāha) as a discipline amplifier.
Application: Highlights the tantric principle of fixed-duration practice; also implicitly warns that claims of total control are hyperbolic and demand restraint and dharmic oversight.
Khanda Section: Mantra-Tantra & Occult Rites (Abhichara / Stambhana–Akarshana practices)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayānaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner stands with bhūrja-bark under the feet while khadira embers glow nearby; the rite is shown as controlled heating with a ritual boundary, suggesting a seven-day observance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, intense ember reds against dark background, practitioner within a ritual circle, bhūrja sheet under feet, khadira embers in a brazier, austere sacred mood.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, embers and brazier accented with gold, bhūrja sheet clearly depicted under feet, ritual implements arranged symmetrically, ornate border emphasizing power.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional depiction: labeled khadira embers, bhūrja under feet, sequence cues for ‘tāpana’ and ‘saptāha’, calm but focused scene.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtyard at dusk, brazier with glowing embers, practitioner standing on a pale birch-bark sheet, attendants keeping distance, fine detailing of smoke and light."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tāpayetkhādirāṅgārair → tāpayet khādira-aṅgāraiḥ; bhūrjamākramya → bhūrjam ākramya; saptāhādānayet → saptāhāt ānayet; trelokyaṃ → tri-lokyam (dvigu).
Related Themes: Agni Purana abhicāra subsections on stambhana/ākarṣaṇa, tāpana, and use of specific woods/substrates
FAQs
It teaches an akārṣaṇa-style rite using specific substances—khadira embers and bhūrja (birch-bark)—applied under the feet and heated over a seven-day period to ‘draw’ beings/things under one’s influence.
Alongside dharma, worship, and other sciences, the Agni Purana also records pragmatic mantra–tantra procedures and material protocols (choice of wood, bark, bodily placement, time-span), illustrating its wide-ranging catalog of ritual technologies.
The verse presents a coercive/controlling application of ritual power (abhicāra/akārṣaṇa); traditionally, such acts are treated as spiritually risky and karma-bearing, emphasizing that intent and ethical restraint are central to the religious valuation of ritual practice.