Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 4
Daṣṭa-cikitsā (Treatment for Bites) — Mantra-Dhyāna-Auṣadha Protocols for Viṣa
ख र्दय विमर्दय कवचाय अप्रतिहतशामनं वं हूं फट् अस्त्राय उग्ररूपवारक सर्वभयङ्कर भीषय सर्वं दह दह भस्मीकुरु कुरु स्वाहा नेत्राय सप्तवर्गान्तयुग्माष्टदिग्दलस्वर केशरादिवर्णरुद्धं वह्निराभूतकर्णकं मातृकाम्बुजं कृत्वा हृदिस्थं तन्मन्त्री वामहस्ततले स्मरेत् अङ्गष्ठादौ न्यसेद्वर्णान्वियतेर्भेदिताः कलाः
kha rdaya vimardaya kavacāya apratihataśāmanaṃ vaṃ hūṃ phaṭ astrāya ugrarūpavāraka sarvabhayaṅkara bhīṣaya sarvaṃ daha daha bhasmīkuru kuru svāhā netrāya saptavargāntayugmāṣṭadigdalasvara keśarādivarṇaruddhaṃ vahnirābhūtakarṇakaṃ mātṛkāmbujaṃ kṛtvā hṛdisthaṃ tanmantrī vāmahastatale smaret aṅgaṣṭhādau nyasedvarṇānviyaterbheditāḥ kalāḥ
‘خ’—قلب کے لیے: کچل دو، کچل دو۔ کَوَچ کے لیے: اَپرتِہَت (ناقابلِ روک) کا شَمَن کرنے والا۔ ‘وَم ہُوں فَٹ’—اَستر منتر: اُگْر روپوں کو روکنے والا۔ جو کچھ بھی خوفناک ہے اسے خوف زدہ کر؛ سب کو جلا، جلا؛ راکھ کر، کر—سواہا۔ نَیتر کے لیے—سات وَرگوں کے آخری حروف کے جوڑوں سے مرتب سُور، آٹھ دِشائیں جن کی پَتّیاں ہیں، کیسر وغیرہ رنگوں سے محدود رنگت، اور اگنی-روپ کرنِکا—ایسا ‘ماتृکا-کمل’ بنا کر منتر-نِپُن اسے ہردے میں اور بائیں ہاتھ کی ہتھیلی پر قائم تصور کرے۔ انگوٹھے سے شروع کر کے حروف کا نیاس کرے؛ کلاہیں ‘ویَتی’ کے مطابق مُمتاز ہیں۔
Lord Agni (teaching as narrator of ritual and mantra-vidhi to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purana’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Protective and aggressive-apotropaic ritual: kavaca and astra-mantra usage with mātṛkā-ambuja visualization and aṅga-nyāsa (thumb onward) for fear-removal, obstacle-burning, and psychic protection.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Kavaca–Astra prayoga with Mātṛkā-ambuja dhyāna and Nyāsa","lookup_keywords":["kavaca mantra","astra mantra","mātṛkā-ambuja","nyāsa","bhaya-nāśa"],"quick_summary":"The verse gives a protective-mantric procedure: utter kavaca/astric bījas and commands (burn, ash) while visualizing a fiery lotus of letters with eight directional petals, then perform letter-nyāsa beginning at the thumb to seal the body-mind with mantra-power."}
Alamkara Type: Ājñā/vidhi-bhāva (imperative incantatory style)
Weapon Type: Astra (mantra-missile)
Concept: Body-mind is ritually reconfigured through varṇa-nyāsa and dhyāna; mantra is both shield (kavaca) and weapon (astra).
Application: Use structured visualization (mātṛkā-lotus) and systematic nyāsa to stabilize practice, reduce fear, and create a consistent protective routine before risky undertakings.
Khanda Section: Mantra-Tantra & Yantra-Dhyana (Protective Kavacha, Astra-mantra, Matrika-nyasa)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sādhaka visualizes a blazing lotus of Sanskrit letters in the heart and on the left palm, performs nyāsa on the fingers starting from the thumb, while fiery mantra-syllables ‘vaṁ hūṁ phaṭ’ radiate outward as a protective weapon and shield.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, seated sādhaka with left palm raised showing a glowing lotus of letters, heart region aflame with mātṛkā-ambuja, eight directional petals marked, surrounding flames forming a protective aura, bold outlines and ritual intensity.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central yantric lotus with gold embossing, fiery pericarp, eight petals, Sanskrit letters in each petal, sādhaka performing nyāsa on fingers, heavy gold work and ornate border, dramatic protective theme.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional depiction: stepwise panels—(1) form mātṛkā lotus, (2) place in heart, (3) visualize on left palm, (4) nyāsa from thumb onward; fine linework, readable letter placement.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate interior scene of a practitioner with a luminous palm-lotus of letters, delicate flames and calligraphic bījas floating, detailed textiles and objects (rosary, water pot), dynamic yet precise."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"fierce-protective","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: rdaya → hṛdaya (orthographic loss of initial 'h' in source); bhasmīkuru → bhasmī-kuru; tanmantrī → tat-mantrī; smaret/nyaset are विधिलिङ्; nyasedvarṇān → nyaset varṇān; viyaterbheditāḥ → viyateḥ bheditāḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Yantra/nyāsa/dhyāna sections in Agneya-vidyā; Agni Purana: Kavaca and rakṣā-mantra passages (related protective rites)
FAQs
It teaches a protective kavaca and astra-mantra sequence using bīja-syllables (kha, vaṁ, hūṁ, phaṭ, svāhā) along with mātṛkā-ambuja (lotus-of-letters) visualization and aṅguṣṭhādi-nyāsa (placing letters starting from the thumb).
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves applied ritual technology—mantra grammar (bīja and endings), nyāsa mapping on the body/hand, and detailed dhyāna imagery (directional lotus, colors, fire-pericarp)—showing the Agni Purana as a compendium of practical religious procedures.
The rite is framed as apotropaic purification: obstacles and fears are ritually ‘burned to ash’ through mantra and visualization, aiming at protection, inner steadiness, and the removal of hostile influences (seen as both external threats and internal afflictions).