Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 25

Chapter 49 — मत्स्यादिलक्षणवर्णनम्

Description of the Characteristics of Matsya and the Other Incarnations

Devanagari script

शूलर्ष्टिधारी दक्षे च गदाचक्रधरो पदे रुद्रकेशवलक्ष्माङ्गो गौरीलक्ष्मीसमन्वितः

Transliteration

śūlarṣṭidhārī dakṣe ca gadācakradharo pade rudrakeśavalakṣmāṅgo gaurīlakṣmīsamanvitaḥ

Translation

دائیں ہاتھ میں وہ شُول اور ڑِشٹی (نیزہ) رکھتا ہے؛ بائیں ہاتھ میں گدا اور چکر۔ اس کے جسم پر رُدر اور کیشو کے نشانات، لکشمی کے لक्षणوں سمیت ہیں؛ اور وہ گوری اور لکشمی کے ساتھ مقرون ہے۔

Word by Word

• śūla-ṛṣṭi-dhārī: bearing trident and spear
• śūla-ṛṣṭi-dhārī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūla (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: śūlaṃ ca ṛṣṭiṃ ca dhārayati — 'bearing trident and spear'

• dakṣe: on the right
• dakṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण — 'on the right (side)'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• gadā-cakra-dharaḥ: bearing mace and discus
• gadā-cakra-dharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: gadāṃ cakraṃ ca dharati — 'bearing mace and discus'

• pade: at the foot/feet
• pade: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण — 'at/in the foot/feet' (locative)

• rudra-keśava-lakṣmā-aṅgaḥ: having the marks/limbs of Rudra, Keśava, and Lakṣmī
• rudra-keśava-lakṣmā-aṅgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + keśava (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣmā (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: rudra-keśava-lakṣmāṇām aṅgāni yasya (contextual) — 'having limbs/marks of Rudra, Keśava, and Lakṣmī'

• gaurī-lakṣmī-samanvitaḥ: accompanied by Gaurī and Lakṣmī
• gaurī-lakṣmī-samanvitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaurī (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (√anv i/अन्वि + sam- + kta)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (gaurīlakṣmī) + क्तान्त विशेषण 'samanvita' — 'accompanied by Gaurī and Lakṣmī'

Speaker

Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual/meditative visualization)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: śūlarṣṭidhārī→śūla-ṛṣṭi-dhārī; gadācakradharo→gadā-cakra-dharaḥ; rudrakeśavalakṣmāṅgo→rudra-keśava-lakṣmā-aṅgaḥ; gaurīlakṣmīsamanvitaḥ→gaurī-lakṣmī-samanvitaḥ.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Shiva)
• Keśava (Vishnu)
• Lakṣmī
• Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• Śūla (trident)
• Ṛṣṭi (spear)
• Gadā (mace)
• Cakra (discus)

FAQs

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

It gives dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditative iconography): visualize a composite deity bearing Śaiva weapons (trident, spear) and Vaiṣṇava weapons (mace, discus), marked by Rudra–Keśava–Lakṣmī features and accompanied by Gaurī and Lakṣmī—used as a precise template for pūjā and mantra-dhyāna.

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

By cataloging exact divine attributes (āyudha, mudrā/hand assignment, associated śaktis), it functions like a ritual manual and iconography guide—one of the Agni Purana’s hallmark “how-to” sections alongside law, polity, medicine, and martial sciences.

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

Meditating on a unified Rudra–Keśava form with Gaurī and Lakṣmī signifies harmonizing Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths and invoking both protection and prosperity; such correct dhyāna is traditionally held to purify intention and increase the efficacy (siddhi) of worship.