Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 5
Chapter 326 — देवालयमाहात्म्यम्
The Glory of Temples
तर्जन्यङ्गुष्ठमाक्रम्य न मेरुं लङ्घ्येज्जपे प्रमादात् पतिते सूत्रे जप्तव्यन्तु शतद्वयम्
tarjanyaṅguṣṭhamākramya na meruṃ laṅghyejjape pramādāt patite sūtre japtavyantu śatadvayam
Sa pagdiin ng hinlalaki sa hintuturo, sa oras ng japa ay huwag, dahil sa kapabayaan, lumampas sa butil na meru (ulo ng rosaryo). Kapag nahulog ang sinulid ng rosaryo, dapat magsagawa ng dalawang daang pag-uulit.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as the Agni Purana’s primary narrator)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Rosary discipline: correct finger use, do not cross the meru bead; expiation/compensation count if mala falls.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Meru-niyama and prāyaścitta for fallen mālā in japa","lookup_keywords":["tarjanī-aṅguṣṭha","meru-lāṅghana","japa-niyama","mālā-patana","dvi-śata-japa"],"quick_summary":"Count japa by pressing forefinger with thumb; do not cross the meru bead. If the mala falls, perform 200 extra repetitions as corrective discipline."}
Concept: Niyama and prāyaścitta preserve sanctity of practice; negligence (pramāda) is corrected by additional japa.
Application: Maintain meru etiquette (reverse direction rather than crossing); if lapse occurs (mālā falls), add prescribed repetitions to restore discipline.
Khanda Section: Japa-vidhi (Mantra-japa rules and rosary discipline)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner doing japa with a mala, stopping at the meru bead and turning back; a secondary vignette shows a fallen mala and the practitioner resuming with a tally of 200 extra recitations.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-panel narrative: hand at meru bead turning back; mala fallen on floor with devotee in remorseful composure, then resuming japa; bold outlines, temple interior.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold-highlighted meru bead, devotee turning the mala at the head bead, ornate frame; small inset showing fallen mala and renewed japa with count marks.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional painting, clear depiction of meru bead and reversal technique, annotated count '200' in Devanagari, soft colors and precise lines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed beads and fingers, subtle narrative of mistake and correction, refined interior setting with manuscript and inkpot."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तर्जन्यङ्गुष्ठमाक्रम्य = तर्जनी + अङ्गुष्ठम् + आक्रम्य; लङ्घ्येज्जपे = लङ्घ्येत् + जपे (त् + ज → ज्ज).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Japa-vidhi on meru bead handling and doṣa-prāyaścitta; Agni Purana Puja-vidhi on śuddhi and niyama
FAQs
It teaches japa-mālā discipline: do not cross the meru (head bead) while counting, and if the rosary/thread falls due to negligence, perform an expiatory count of 200 additional recitations.
Beyond theology, it records precise operational rules of daily ritual practice—minute procedures for mantra-japa and rosary handling—showing the text’s compendium-like coverage of practical religious disciplines.
It frames carelessness in japa as a ritual fault and prescribes a specific remedial act (200 recitations), emphasizing attentiveness, purity of practice, and restoration of merit through prayāścitta.