Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 14
Worship by Limb-Syllables
Aṅgākṣara-arcana
वासुदेवादयः पूज्याश् चत्वारो दिक्षु मूर्तयः विदिक्षु श्रीसरस्वत्यै रतिशान्त्यै च पूजयेत्
vāsudevādayaḥ pūjyāś catvāro dikṣu mūrtayaḥ vidikṣu śrīsarasvatyai ratiśāntyai ca pūjayet
واسودیو وغیرہ چار مُورتیاں چاروں سمتوں میں قائم مان کر پوجنیہ ہیں؛ اور درمیانی سمتوں میں شری، سرسوتی، رتی اور شانتی کی بھی پوجا کرے۔
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Directional (dik/vidik) worship mapping: place Vāsudeva and allied four vyūha-forms in cardinal directions; worship Śrī, Sarasvatī, Rati, Śānti in intercardinal directions for complete maṇḍala-pūjā.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Dik-vidik maṇḍala worship of Vyūhas and Śaktis","lookup_keywords":["Vāsudeva","dikpūjā","vidik","Śrī","Sarasvatī"],"quick_summary":"Worship the four directional forms beginning with Vāsudeva in the cardinal directions, and worship Śrī, Sarasvatī, Rati, and Śānti in the intermediate directions to complete the ritual field."}
Concept: The deity is approached as a complete sacred field (maṇḍala) where directions are sacralized by specific forms/powers.
Application: In pūjā space, mark directions (east/south/west/north and corners) and mentally/physically assign these forms to prevent confusion in parivāra-arcana.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Murti-nyasa & Dikpala-style directional worship)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A square maṇḍala around a central altar: four Viṣṇu forms placed at the cardinal points, and four goddesses—Śrī, Sarasvatī, Rati, Śānti—at the corners/intercardinal points, each receiving offerings.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symmetrical maṇḍala layout with eight surrounding deities, bold outlines, saturated reds/ochres/greens, lamps at the four sides, ritual atmosphere","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central Viṣṇu focus with surrounding directional deities in medallions, heavy gold work on halos and ornaments, corner goddesses richly adorned","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, diagrammatic clarity: labeled cardinal/intercardinal placements, refined linework, gentle colors, instructional depiction of offerings at each station","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, top-down shrine courtyard composition showing directional placements, attendants offering flowers, fine architectural geometry, calligraphic labels for each deity"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shuddha Saveri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vāsudevādayaḥ resolved as vāsudeva-ādayaḥ; śrīsarasvatyai as śrī-sarasvatyai; ratiśāntyai treated as dvandva compound in dative singular.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 302.15; Agni Purana 302.12
FAQs
It prescribes a directional worship layout: the four Vyūha-forms beginning with Vāsudeva are installed/worshipped in the cardinal directions, while Śrī, Sarasvatī, Rati, and Śānti are worshipped in the inter-cardinal directions—guiding mandala-style placement in pūjā.
It exemplifies the Agni Purana’s practical ritual-technology: mapping specific deities to spatial directions (dik/vidik), a key feature of temple-ritual manuals, iconography, and Vāstu-informed worship systems included alongside many other sciences.
Directional worship sacralizes space into an ordered mandala, aiming at harmony, protection, and auspiciousness; invoking Śrī, Sarasvatī, Rati, and Śānti specifically aligns the rite with prosperity, knowledge, concord/attraction, and peace.