Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 34
Mantra-paribhāṣā
Technical Definitions and Operational Rules of Mantras
विश्वेदेवा हृषीकेशो वायवः सलिलाधिपः अजैकपादहिर्व्रध्नः पूषाश्विन्यादिदेवताः
viśvedevā hṛṣīkeśo vāyavaḥ salilādhipaḥ ajaikapādahirvradhnaḥ pūṣāśvinyādidevatāḥ
وِشویدیو، ہریشیکیش، وایو دیوتا، پانی کے ادھیپتی؛ اجَیکپاد، اہِربُدھنْی، پُوشن اور اَشوِنین—یہ اور دیگر آدی دیوتا آہوان و پوجا کے لائق ہیں۔
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi / Devata-nighantu","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Ritual invocation of Vedic deities (Viśvedevas, Vāyu, Varuṇa-like jalādhipa, Aja-Ekapād, Ahirbudhnya, Pūṣan, Aśvins) as part of pūjā/nyāsa or homa preliminaries.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Devata-nighaṇṭu: Viśvedevas–Hṛṣīkeśa–Vāyu–Jalādhipa–Aja Ekapād–Ahirbudhnya–Pūṣan–Aśvins","lookup_keywords":["viśvedevāḥ","hṛṣīkeśa","aja ekapād","ahirbudhnya","pūṣan aśvinau"],"quick_summary":"A concise enumeration of Vedic and Purāṇic identifications for ritual calling. It bridges Vedic devatā-s (Aja Ekapād, Ahirbudhnya, Pūṣan, Aśvins) with Purāṇic theonyms (Hṛṣīkeśa)."}
Concept: Ritual completeness through inclusive devatā enumeration (sarva-devatā-samāveśa).
Application: Use as an invocation set when integrating Vedic devatā-s into Purāṇic pūjā frameworks.
Khanda Section: Devata-nighantu / Devata-stuti (List of Vedic deities for ritual invocation)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual invocation tableau showing a circle of deities: Viśvedevas as a collective halo, Hṛṣīkeśa enthroned, Vāyu as wind personified, Jalādhipa rising from waves, Aja-Ekapād as a one-footed cosmic figure, Ahirbudhnya as deep-ocean serpent power, Pūṣan as traveler-guardian, and the twin Aśvins on horses.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, concentric mandala of deities around a pūjā altar; Hṛṣīkeśa central with conch-disc, Vāyu as swirling green-blue, Jalādhipa with wave motifs, Aja-Ekapād stylized one-legged form, Ahirbudhnya as coiled ocean-serpent, Pūṣan with staff, Aśvins as twin horsemen, bold outlines and temple palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf: central Hṛṣīkeśa with embossed halo; surrounding medallions for Viśvedevas, Vāyu, Jalādhipa, Aja-Ekapād, Ahirbudhnya, Pūṣan, Aśvins; ornate borders, jewel tones, devotional symmetry","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic chart-like composition: labeled deity icons and attributes; clean linework, soft washes; emphasis on rare Vedic forms Aja-Ekapād and Ahirbudhnya with explanatory emblems","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined assembly of deities in a garden-pavilion; Aśvins as twin riders, Jalādhipa near a riverbank, Vāyu indicated by fluttering scarves; fine detailing, pastel palette, calligraphy captions"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: viśvedevā = viśve + devāḥ; ajaikapādahirvradhnaḥ resolved as ajaikapād(a) + ahirvradhnaḥ (name-pair); pūṣāśvinyādidevatāḥ = pūṣā + aśvini-ādi-devatāḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 292 (devatā lists and nyāsa sequence)
FAQs
It supplies a ritual-ready roster of deities—names to be invoked in pūjā/homa sequences or in devatā-nyāsa style enumerations, ensuring correct divine “addressing” in Vedic-Purāṇic worship.
By functioning as a compact “devatā index,” it preserves Vedic deity taxonomy (collective gods like Viśvedevas, specialized forms like Aja-Ekapād and Ahirbudhnya) alongside Purāṇic theonyms (Hṛṣīkeśa), showing the text’s cataloging approach to ritual knowledge.
Correctly naming and invoking the intended deities is traditionally held to make worship precise (yathā-devatā), strengthening the efficacy (siddhi) of rites and accruing merit through disciplined remembrance of the divine order.