Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 43
Explanation of the Vāsudeva and Related Mantras (वासुदेवादिमन्त्रनिरूपणम्)
उपस्थो भूर्जलन्तेजो वायुराकाशमेव च पुरुषं व्यापकं न्यस्य अङ्गुष्ठादौ दश न्यसेत्
upastho bhūrjalantejo vāyurākāśameva ca puruṣaṃ vyāpakaṃ nyasya aṅguṣṭhādau daśa nyaset
以安置法（nyāsa）先安立地、水、火、风与空（以太）；继而安立遍一切的普鲁沙（Puruṣa）；然后当从拇指等开始安置十种（nyāsa）。
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Bhuta-nyasa and Purusha-nyasa: ritually purify and reconstitute the body by installing the five mahabhutas (earth, water, fire, wind, ether) and then the all-pervading Purusha, followed by ten finger/limb placements beginning with the thumb.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Bhuta-nyasa (Prithvi–Jala–Tejas–Vayu–Akasha) with Purusha-nyasa; ten placements from thumb","lookup_keywords":["bhuta-nyasa","mahabhuta","Purusha-nyasa","thumb-nyasa","vyapaka"],"quick_summary":"Install the five elements and then Purusha through nyasa to effect bhuta-shuddhi; complete with ten placements starting from the thumb to seal the rite and stabilize mantra-power."}
Concept: Bhuta-shuddhi: the body is re-envisioned as composed of purified elements, then pervaded by Purusha; microcosm aligned to macrocosm.
Application: Use before japa/homa/puja to steady attention, reduce bodily impurity-sense, and cultivate a ‘deha-as-mandala’ contemplative state.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Tantra-nyasa (Anga-nyasa and Bhuta-nyasa)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner performs bhuta-nyasa: five elemental symbols (earth square, water crescent, fire triangle, wind circle, ether void) are placed onto the body, then a luminous Purusha aura envelops the figure; hands move to thumb and other points for ten placements.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized elemental emblems hovering over the body, sequential placement gestures, Purusha as radiant outline filling the figure, bold colors and sacred lamp-lit ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central figure with gold-embossed elemental yantra symbols on torso/limbs, Purusha aura as gilded halo-field, ornate arch and lotus base, rich gold work","mysore_prompt":"Mysore didactic composition: clear elemental icons with arrows to body locations, then an overlay of a luminous Purusha silhouette, neat and instructional, soft palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined ritual chamber, elemental symbols painted like manuscript marginalia around the practitioner, subtle glow indicating Purusha-pervasion, intricate textiles and calligraphic labels"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भूर्जलन्तेजो→भूः जलम् तेजः; वायुराकाशम्→वायुः आकाशम्; (आकाशमेव→आकाशम् एव); न्यस्य = नि√अस् क्त्वान्त; अङ्गुष्ठादौ = अङ्गुष्ठ-आदि + सप्तमी.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 25.40 (limb placements for nyasa); Agni Purana 25.39 (Vishnu-nama-nyasa; vyapaka theme)
FAQs
It teaches bhūta-nyāsa (installing the five elements) followed by installing the all-pervading Puruṣa, and then performing the tenfold kara-nyāsa beginning from the thumb—standard preparatory steps for mantra-japa and pūjā.
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves precise, practice-ready ritual technology—elemental purification and hand/body nyāsa—showing the text’s coverage of tantra-informed pūjā manuals alongside its many other disciplines.
By ritually internalizing the elements and the Puruṣa, the practitioner sacralizes the body as a locus of worship, supports mental steadiness for japa, and aims at purification (śuddhi) and alignment with the pervasive Self.