Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 7

Worship of Gaurī and Others (Gauryādi-pūjā) — Mantra, Maṇḍala, Mudrā, Homa, and Mṛtyuñjaya Kalaśa-Rite

Devanagari script

व्यापकं सृष्टिसंयुक्तं वह्निमायाकृशानुभिः शिवशक्तिमयं वीजं वीजं हृदयादिविवर्जितं

Transliteration

vyāpakaṃ sṛṣṭisaṃyuktaṃ vahnimāyākṛśānubhiḥ śivaśaktimayaṃ vījaṃ vījaṃ hṛdayādivivarjitaṃ

Translation

یہ بیج ہمہ گیر ہے اور سِرشٹی (تخلیق) کے ساتھ وابستہ ہے؛ وہنِی، مایا اور ‘کرِشانو’ (گفتار میں آتشیں توانائی) سے مرکب ہے۔ یہ بیج شِو-شکتی مَی ہے اور ہردیہ وغیرہ جیسے (ظاہری) نیاس سے خالی ہے۔

Word by Word

• व्यापकम्: all-pervading
• व्यापकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यापक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc sg)

• सृष्टि-संयुक्तम्: connected with creation
• सृष्टि-संयुक्तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + सं√युज् (धातु) → संयुक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘सृष्ट्या संयुक्तम्’ (connected with creation)

• वह्नि-माया-कृशानुभिः: by/with ‘vahni’, ‘māyā’, and ‘kṛśānu’
• वह्नि-माया-कृशानुभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक) + कृशानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental pl); द्वन्द्व-समास (समाहार/इतरेतर): ‘वह्नि-माया-कृशानुभिः’ = by/with (the syllables/terms) vahni, māyā, kṛśānu

• शिव-शक्ति-मयम्: consisting of Śiva and Śakti
• शिव-शक्ति-मयम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘शिवशक्त्या मयम्’ (consisting of Śiva-Śakti)

• बीजम्: seed syllable (bīja)
• बीजम्: कर्म/विधेय (Object/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc sg)

• बीजम्: bīja (again, emphatic)
• बीजम्: कर्म/विधेय (Object/Emphasis)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• हृदय-आदि-विवर्जितम्: devoid of the hṛdaya etc.
• हृदय-आदि-विवर्जितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + वि√वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु) → विवर्जित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘हृदयादिभिः विवर्जितम्’ (devoid of heart etc., i.e., without hṛdaya and other aṅgas)

Speaker

Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Understanding and selecting the correct bīja by its tattvic composition (vahni, māyā, kṛśānu/phonemic fire) and its mode of use (non-nyāsa/placement-free in gross ṣaḍaṅga sense).","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Śiva-Śakti bīja: all-pervading, creation-linked, fire–māyā–phonemic-fire constituted, placement-free","lookup_keywords":["śivaśakti bīja","vahni māyā kṛśānu","vyāpaka","sṛṣṭisaṃyukta","hṛdayādi-vivarjita"],"quick_summary":"The seed-mantra is defined as pervasive and creation-associated, composed of fiery and māyic phonemic energies, essentially Śiva-Śakti; it is to be treated as a subtle bīja not requiring gross ‘heart/head’ placements."}

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Non-dual polarity: the bīja embodies Śiva-Śakti as the pervasive ground of manifestation; mantra is a microcosm of sṛṣṭi through śabda-agni and māyā.

Application: In sādhanā, contemplate the bīja as pervading consciousness-energy rather than merely a sound; apply it in japa/dhyāna without overloading it with external nyāsa if the tradition marks it ‘hṛdayādi-vivarjita’.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Mantra-Tantra (Bīja-mantra and Śiva-Śakti doctrine)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An abstract tantric visualization: a central bīja-syllable radiating through the cosmos, interwoven flames (vahni), a veil-like māyā pattern, and a subtle Śiva-Śakti union motif; no bodily nyāsa marks shown.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, cosmic mandala with central glowing bīja, stylized flames and lattice-like māyā veil, Śiva-Śakti as intertwined luminous forms, flat iconic geometry and saturated colors","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central bīja in embossed gold, surrounding ring of flames, māyā as patterned textile motif, Śiva-Śakti as Ardhanārīśvara-like aura without full figure, rich reds and gold","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean mandala diagram: labels ‘vahni’, ‘māyā’, ‘kṛśānu’, central bīja, radiating pervasion lines, soft pastel shading and precise symmetry","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, allegorical cosmogram: central calligraphic bīja on a page floating over a landscape, flames and translucent veil motifs, subtle paired Śiva-Śakti silhouettes, intricate borders"}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Darbārī Kānaḍā","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: सृष्टिसंयुक्तम् → सृष्टि-संयुक्तम्; वह्निमायाकृशानुभिः → वह्नि-माया-कृशानुभिः; शिवशक्तिमयम् → शिव-शक्ति-मयम्; हृदयादिविवर्जितम् → हृदय-आदि-विवर्जितम्.

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 325.5 (Śiva-bīja extraction; ṣaḍaṅga/jāti); Agni Purana 325.4-325.6 (hṛdaya-nyāsa usage—here a doctrinal qualification)

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Vahni)
• Māyā
• Śiva
• Śakti
• Bīja-mantra

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It defines the bīja-mantra as a Śiva–Śakti essence tied to cosmic manifestation, and indicates a technical point of mantra-śāstra: the bīja can be treated as beyond gross bodily nyāsa-loci (such as heart-placements), emphasizing its subtle, all-pervading status.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Alongside dharma, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purana also preserves mantra-tantra theory—here giving a compact doctrinal definition of bīja-mantras, their cosmological components (Agni, māyā) and Śaiva-Śākta metaphysics.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

By contemplating the bīja as Śiva–Śakti and as all-pervading (rather than merely a bodily technique), the practitioner is directed toward subtler mantra-japa and inner purification—aimed at dissolving limitation and aligning consciousness with the source of manifestation.