Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 56
Chapter 24 — कुण्डनिर्माणादिविधिः
Procedure for Constructing the Fire-pit and Related Rites
गुरुः संशिक्षयेच्छिष्यान् तैः पूज्यो नामभिर्हरिः विश्वक्सेनं यजेदीशं शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम्
guruḥ saṃśikṣayecchiṣyān taiḥ pūjyo nāmabhirhariḥ viśvaksenaṃ yajedīśaṃ śaṅkhacakragadādharam
师长应当周密教诲诸弟子；而弟子们应以圣名礼敬哈利（Hari）。亦当供奉毗湿伐克塞那（Viśvaksena）主尊——执螺（śaṅkha）、轮（cakra）与杵（gadā）者。
Lord Agni (in the Agni Purana’s standard narration to a sage, commonly Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Namāvali-based worship of Hari under guru instruction; include ancillary worship of Viśvaksena as a protective/precedent deity in Vaiṣṇava ritual order.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Hari-nāmārcana and Viśvaksena worship (śaṅkha-cakra-gadādhara)","lookup_keywords":["nāmabhiḥ","Hari-pūjā","Viśvaksena","śaṅkha-cakra-gadā","guru-śikṣā"],"quick_summary":"The guru trains disciples to worship Hari through His names (namāvali), and to worship Viśvaksena—iconically bearing conch, discus, and mace—as part of Vaiṣṇava arcana protocol."}
Concept: Nāma as a primary upāsanā (nāmārcana) and the necessity of proper ritual hierarchy (āvaraṇa/guardian worship) under guru guidance.
Application: Use a structured namāvali for Hari; begin/precede with Viśvaksena worship to remove obstacles and stabilize the rite (as per tradition).
Khanda Section: Pūjā-vidhi (Vaiṣṇava-arcana and mantra/namāvali worship)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A guru instructs disciples in namāvali worship before a Vaiṣṇava shrine; Viśvaksena is depicted as a commanding deity holding conch, discus, and mace, receiving preliminary offerings before Hari’s main worship.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Viśvaksena with śaṅkha-cakra-gadā, bold outlines, symmetrical shrine setting, disciples chanting names with rosaries/flower offerings, lamps and lotus borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Viśvaksena and Hari richly ornamented, gold-leaf on weapons and crowns, disciples offering garlands, guru pointing to a namāvali palm-leaf manuscript","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, instructional clarity: guru teaching namāvali, disciples repeating; Viśvaksena icon with clearly rendered conch/discus/mace; soft colors and refined faces","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed shrine alcove, guru and students in a semicircle reciting names, Viśvaksena standing guard with weapons, intricate textiles and floral margins"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Madhyamavati","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: संशिक्षयेच्छिष्यान्→संशिक्षयेत् + शिष्यान्; नामभिर्हरिः→नामभिः + हरिः; यजेदीशं→यजेत् + ईशम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 24.57
FAQs
It teaches a procedural principle of Vaiṣṇava pūjā: the guru trains disciples, who then worship Hari specifically through nāma-recitation (worship by names), along with worship of Viśvaksena as an attendant-deity supporting the rite.
Alongside theology, it preserves practical liturgical guidance—guru-led training, name-based worship (namāvali), and inclusion of subsidiary deities like Viśvaksena—showing the Agni Purana’s role as a ritual handbook as well as a mythic text.
Proper instruction and correct worship—especially nāma-worship of Hari with due honor to Viśvaksena—are presented as means to make the rite effective, remove impediments, and accrue devotional merit through disciplined, lineage-based practice.