Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 8
Rudra-śānti (रुद्रशान्ति)
भूमौ तु मातृका लेख्याः कूटषण्डाववर्जिताः मन्त्राक्षराणि विश्लिष्य अनुस्वारं नयेत् पृथक्
bhūmau tu mātṛkā lekhyāḥ kūṭaṣaṇḍāvavarjitāḥ mantrākṣarāṇi viśliṣya anusvāraṃ nayet pṛthak
Trên mặt đất, nên viết mātrikā (chuỗi mẫu tự/chuỗi âm chủng), bỏ các nhóm kūṭa và ṣaṇḍa. Sau khi phân tách các âm tiết của thần chú, hãy đặt anusvāra (ṃ) riêng biệt.
Lord Agni (instructing Vasiṣṭha in ritual/mantra procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Ritual orthography for yantra/lekhanā: writing mātrikā on bhūmi, excluding specified groupings, and separating anusvāra for correct bīja/mantra formation and nyāsa.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Bhūmi-lekhanā of Mātrikā: omit kūṭa/ṣaṇḍa; separate anusvāra","lookup_keywords":["mātṛkā-lekhanā","yantra","kūṭa","ṣaṇḍa","anusvāra"],"quick_summary":"For mantra-yantra work, write the mātrikā series on the ground with specific exclusions, then parse the mantra into syllables and treat anusvāra as a distinct element. This preserves phonetic-ritual precision believed necessary for siddhi."}
Concept: Śabda (phoneme) discipline: correct varṇa-vinyāsa and orthographic separation are treated as causal supports for mantra efficacy.
Application: When preparing a yantra or bhūmi-lekha, follow the prescribed alphabet layout and phonetic parsing rules; do not conflate anusvāra with base consonant-vowel units.
Khanda Section: Mantra-vidhi & Yantra/Lekhana-prayoga (Tantric/ritual orthography)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual ground (bhūmi) prepared with rice-flour lines; the mātrikā letters are written in rows, with certain clusters left blank; a sādhaka points to a mantra broken into syllables, placing the anusvāra mark separately beside it.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, top-down view of ritual floor with white kolam-like lines, mātrikā letters in stylized script, sādhaka and guru in profile, lamp and flowers, emphasis on sacred geometry and script","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-highlighted yantra floor, bold mātrikā characters, sādhaka writing with stylus, ornate ritual vessels, luminous accents on the separated anusvāra mark","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional clarity: neatly drawn grid of mātrikā on ground, excluded kūṭa/ṣaṇḍa spaces indicated, mantra syllable segmentation shown, fine linework and soft colors","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed calligraphic scene of a scholar-sādhaka writing letters on a prepared ground, assistants holding manuscript, precise depiction of diacritics including anusvāra, architectural interior with patterned carpets"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कूटषण्डाववर्जिताः = कूटषण्डौ अवर्जिताः।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 324 (mātṛkā/lekhanā and mantra-viśleṣa sequence)
FAQs
It teaches a practical rule for mantra-writing (lekhana): inscribe the mātrikā series on the ground using a specified letter-set convention (excluding kūṭa/ṣaṇḍa groupings) and, when parsing mantra syllables, mark the anusvāra (ṃ) as a separate element.
Beyond myths and devotion, the Agni Purana preserves technical ritual protocols—here, precise phonemic/orthographic instructions for mantra construction and inscription, showing its coverage of applied liturgy, mantra-science, and writing practices.
Correct mantra inscription and accurate phoneme handling are treated as essential to preserving mantra-śakti; careful separation of elements like anusvāra is a purity-and-efficacy safeguard, preventing ritual error (doṣa) and supporting intended spiritual results.