Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 2
Pratiṣṭhā-Kalaśa-Śodhana-Ukti (Instruction on Purifying the Consecration Pitcher) — Chapter 85
ॐ हां ह्रूं हांअप्तेजो वायुराकाशं तन्मात्रेन्द्रियबुद्धयः गुणत्रयमहङ्कारश् चतुर्विंशः पुमानिति
oṃ hāṃ hrūṃ hāṃaptejo vāyurākāśaṃ tanmātrendriyabuddhayaḥ guṇatrayamahaṅkāraś caturviṃśaḥ pumāniti
ॐ— پھر آب، تَیج (آگ)، ہوا اور آکاش؛ تنماترا، اندریاں اور بُدھی؛ نیز تین گُن اور اَہنکار— یوں ‘چوبیسواں’ پُرُش (پُرُش تتو) بیان کیا گیا ہے۔
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Use as a mnemonic/mantric enumeration of Sāṅkhya tattvas (bhūtas, tanmātras, indriyas, buddhi, guṇas, ahaṅkāra) culminating in puruṣa; applied in nyāsa, meditation, and consecration contexts to map reality onto body/altar/icon.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Sāṅkhya Tattva-Mantra: Enumeration up to Puruṣa","lookup_keywords":["Sāṅkhya","tattva","tanmātra","indriya","puruṣa"],"quick_summary":"A compact mantra-like list of principles: elements and faculties culminating in the declaration of puruṣa as the ‘twenty-fourth’/culminant principle in this recitation scheme, used for contemplative installation and ritual mapping."}
Concept: Reality can be analyzed into enumerated principles (tattvas); puruṣa is distinct from evolutes and is the witnessing principle in Sāṅkhya-oriented mapping.
Application: For meditation/nyāsa: mentally place each tattva in sequence (from gross to subtle or vice versa) to stabilize discrimination (viveka) between puruṣa and prakṛti/evolutes.
Khanda Section: Sāṅkhya–Tattva-Nirūpaṇa (Cosmology and Enumeration of Principles)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A schematic cosmic ladder: water, fire, wind, ether; subtle tanmātras; senses; buddhi; guṇas; ahaṅkāra; culminating in puruṣa—presented as a mantra-diagram for contemplation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, circular cosmogram with four elements as colored bands, inner rings for tanmātras and indriyas, central luminous puruṣa silhouette, traditional ornamental borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central golden puruṣa figure with radiating rings labeled as tattvas, gold work highlighting guṇas and buddhi, rich reds/greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional chart-like mandala: concentric circles with clear Sanskrit labels (āp, tejas, vāyu, ākāśa; tanmātra; indriya; buddhi; guṇa; ahaṅkāra; puruṣa), neat composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, allegorical cosmology page: elements personified around a central serene witness (puruṣa), fine calligraphy panels listing tattvas, delicate palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bageshri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हांअप्तेजो = हां + अप्-तेजः (मन्त्रपाठ-सन्धिः/संयोग); वायुराकाशं = वायुः + आकाशम्; महङ्कारश् = महङ्कारः + (अगला ध्वनि) इत्यर्थे विसर्ग-लोप; पुमानिति = पुमान् + इति.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa: tattva-nyāsa and pratiṣṭhā contemplations in ch. 85; Agni Purāṇa: cosmological enumerations elsewhere (bhuvana, rudra-saṅkhyā)
FAQs
It delivers Sāṅkhya-vidyā: a technical list of tattvas (principles)—elements, tanmātras, senses, buddhi, guṇas, and ahaṅkāra—culminating in the conscious principle (puruṣa), framed with invocatory bīja-syllables.
By embedding a concise Sāṅkhya taxonomy within a Purāṇic text, it shows the Agni Purāṇa’s scope beyond myth—cataloging philosophical doctrines (tattva-saṅkhyā) alongside ritual, dharma, and other sciences.
Discriminating puruṣa from the evolutes (guṇas, ahaṅkāra, senses, and elements) supports detachment and right knowledge (viveka), a classic basis for reducing karmic bondage through clearer self-identification with consciousness rather than material principles.