Let us begin with the sacred teachings as revealed in the Agni Purāṇa, where the intricate art of mudrā and consecration are unfolded. The scripture first describes the arrangement of mudrās, those sacred hand gestures vital in ritual practice. Among them, three are common, forming the foundation, while others are distinguished as uncommon. By releasing the fingers starting from the little finger, eight mudrās are revealed in sequence. The order of these eight primary seeds must be observed with care, accomplished by bending three fingers—from the thumb to the little finger—according to the prescribed method. For the ninth mudrā, the fingers are raised upward and face forward; then, the left hand is gently turned upward and bent halfway. This is remembered as the mudrā of Varāha, marking the initial sequence of the limbs. Each finger is bound and then released from the left fist, continuing the sacred progression. To begin, the previous mudrā is contracted with the right hand, the thumb raised, and the left fist held as instructed, thus attaining the accomplishment of the mudrā. After these instructions, Sage Nārada speaks, promising to explain the rite of consecration as taught by the guru, a rite by which the adept finds success and the sick are freed from affliction. Through this ritual, a king may attain his kingdom, a son, and women, and the destruction of impurity. Earthen pots filled with jewels are placed at the center, east, and other directions, establishing auspiciousness. The practitioner performs a thousand or a hundred circumambulations, either in the pavilion or upon the maṇḍala, and places Viṣṇu on a seat facing east and northeast. After arranging the son, the adept, and others, the consecration is performed, preceded by singing and other rites. Offerings such as the yogapīṭha are given to those to be favored, and the guru, having gathered all, secretly instructs the disciple, who partakes of everything. Nārada continues, stating that the adept should accomplish the mantra in the abode of the deity or similar places, worshipping Hari and Īśvara on pure ground or in a house, within a maṇḍala. On a square field, the maṇḍala and other figures are drawn, and in compartments for mercury and gold, auspicious marks are placed on all sides. The lotus seat is then drawn in thirty-six compartments, arranged in rows outside; from two compartments, passageways are formed, and from two, doors are set in the directions. The line is rotated to mark the lotus field before the practitioner, and half the lotus is rotated to mark the twelfth part outside. The rest is divided and rotated, creating four circular fields: first, the central field; second, for the filaments; third, for the joints of the petals; and fourth, for the tips of the petals. Lines are stretched to the corners and to the middle of the directions at the end. At the tip of the filaments, the joints of the petals are measured, and lines are dropped there to draw eight leaves. The measure from the end of the petal joint is placed in the middle, rotated to mark the tip and extremity of the petal. The space in between and at the side, proceeding outward, is filled with pairs drawn in the filaments at the middle of the petals. This general form of the lotus is said to have twelve petals, and with half the measure of the central part, it is rotated in order, beginning from the east. By rotation at its side, six coils are formed, yielding twelve fish and a double-petaled lotus. For the five-leaved form, other double lines are drawn, and limbs are marked in the four directions. At three corners, elements for the feet are placed; at the other two, pairs are set. The limbs are marked in the four directions. Two rows are erased in the directions to create streets, and four doorways are made in each direction. Beside the doorways, eight adornments are crafted, and on each side, the same number of secondary adornments are prescribed. Near the secondary adornments, corners are marked, and in the four directions, two and two are considered with the central compartments. On the outside, four are marked on each side for adornment, and three and three are erased on each side of the petal. In reverse order, secondary adornments are made; for the inner and outer parts of the corner, three and three are considered, divided two ways. Thus, sixteen compartments are formed, and the circle is completed. In the section of twelve, the lotus has thirty-six petals, and the street is marked. One row, as before, is used for outer and inner adornment of the doorways; the circle is measured as twelve finger-breadths or one hand in diameter. If two hands, the measure is one hand, increasing by the doorway as one proceeds. The altar is square, adorned with a wheel and lotus design. Half the lotus is made with nine, the navel with three. Eight doorways are created, and the rim is four finger-breadths wide. The field is divided into three, and marked within two; for the accomplishment of the inner sound, lines are drawn by striking them. Shapes resembling blue lotus petals, citron fruit, or elongated lotus leaves are drawn as desired. The outer rim is revolved and placed between the lower joints, and the root of the petal, set in the middle of the joint, is revolved as well. Standing in the middle of the petal, the central stick is revolved evenly, and the other petals, equal and citron-shaped, are accomplished properly. The field is divided into seven, making fourteen divisions; when divided in two, there are one hundred, and ninety-six more. With those four, auspicious marks are drawn in the center of the compartments, distributed for the streets, and likewise marked in the directions. For the streets, the lotuses are smoothed all around; in the middle compartments, two are erased in each direction for the neck. Outside, four are erased, then three and three; at the side of the neck, outside, one adornment is prescribed. Thus, the sacred instructions for mudrā, consecration, and the intricate design of the maṇḍala are revealed, guiding the adept step by step in the auspicious rites and the creation of the divine lotus, the seat of the deity.