Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 10
Chapter 312 — Various Mantras (नानामन्त्राः)
हेतुकः क्षेत्रपालश् च त्रिपुरान्तो द्वितीयकः अग्निवेतालो ऽग्निजिह्वः कराली काललोचनः
hetukaḥ kṣetrapālaś ca tripurānto dvitīyakaḥ agnivetālo 'gnijihvaḥ karālī kālalocanaḥ
“Hetuka”, “Kṣetrapāla” (Hộ thần gìn giữ thánh địa), “Tripurānta” (Đấng diệt Tripurā), “Dvitīyaka” (Vị thứ hai/Bạn đồng hành), “Agni-vetāla” (Vetāla rực lửa), “Agni-jihva” (Lưỡi lửa), “Karālī” (Đấng Kinh Khiếp), và “Kāla-locana” (Mắt của Thời gian/Tử thần)—đó là các danh hiệu của ngài.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) addressing the sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Stotra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Name-litany for japa/kīrtana and kavaca-style protection, especially for kṣetra-pāla/ugra attendant forms connected with Tripurā and fiery protective aspects.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Rakṣā-nāma-mālā: Hetuka, Kṣetrapāla, Tripurānta, Dvitīyaka, Agni-vetāla, Agni-jihva, Karālī, Kāla-locana","lookup_keywords":["Kṣetrapāla","Tripurānta","Agni-vetāla","Karālī","Kāla-locana"],"quick_summary":"Supplies a compact protective list of epithets used for recitation and armor-like (kavaca) safeguarding of the ritual precinct and practitioner."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprasa (name-chain alliteration/phonetic force)
Concept: Protection (rakṣā) through nāma-smaraṇa: fierce epithets function as psychological and ritual boundary-setting for sādhaka and kṣetra.
Application: Recite as a short kavaca before night rites, śmaśāna-oriented upāsanā, or Tripurā-related pūjā; place at gates as kṣetrapāla invocation.
Khanda Section: Nama-stotra / Devata-nama (Protective litany of names, often used in japa and kavaca-style recitation)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A fierce kṣetrapāla stands at a temple gate at night, flames curling from his tongue, vetāla imagery in the background, skull-garland motifs, and a devotee reciting a name-litany for protection.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, night-time temple gateway with oil lamps, fierce Kṣetrapāla with flaming tongue and wide eyes, stylized cremation-ground motifs, devotee chanting, bold outlines and earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Kṣetrapāla/Bhairava at ornate doorway, gold-leaf flames and halo, inscriptions of the eight names on decorative panels, rich jewel tones, heavy ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, clear depiction of guardian at threshold with labeled epithets (Hetuka, Kṣetrapāla, etc.) around as a protective chart, refined linework and soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, dramatic nocturnal courtyard scene with a fierce guardian figure, delicate rendering of flames and textiles, a reciter holding a manuscript of the nāma-mālā, architectural detail of the gate."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: क्षेत्रपालश् च→क्षेत्रपालः च; त्रिपुरान्तो→त्रिपुरान्तः; अग्निवेतालो→अग्निवेतालः; ऽग्निजिह्वः→अग्निजिह्वः।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 312.7 (Tripurā-pūjā context); Agni Purana 312.8–312.9 (Bhairava/Vaṭuka nomenclature leading into protective names)
FAQs
It supplies a precise set of deity-epithets intended for ritual recitation (japa) as a protective name-list (nama-patha), especially invoking fierce, guardian, and fire-associated forms.
By cataloging specialized divine names (guardian, Tripura-destroyer, fiery and fearsome forms), it preserves ritual vocabulary used across temple-practice, protective rites, and stotra traditions—one of the Purana’s characteristic compendia.
Reciting such names is traditionally held to invoke protection, remove impediments, and strengthen devotional focus through remembrance of the deity’s protective and transformative powers.