Agni Purana

बध्नन्ति व्यतिपश्यन्तो यद्विशिष्टः स उच्यते । परिग्रहादप्यसतां सतामेवापरिग्रहात् ।। ३४७.

They establish their positions by mutual opposition; that which is distinguished in this way is so called, whether accepted by the true or the false, or not accepted by the true.

भिद्यमानस्य तस्यायं द्वैविध्यमुपगीयते । प्रत्यज्ञादिप्रमाणैर्यद्बाधितं तदसद्विदुः ।। ३४७.

When such a convention is divided, this twofoldness is described; whatever is refuted by primary means of knowledge, such as direct perception, is considered unreal.

कविभिस्तत् प्रतिग्राह्यं ज्ञानस्य द्योतमानता । यदेवार्थक्रियाकारि तदेव परमार्थसत् ।। ३४७.

Poets should accept the self-luminosity of knowledge; whatever produces practical results is alone the ultimate reality.

अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानतस्त्वेकं ब्रह्मैव परमार्थसत् । विष्णुः स्वर्गादिहेतुः स शब्दालङ्काररूपवान् ।। ३४७.

But whether through ignorance or knowledge, Brahman alone is the ultimate reality; Viṣṇu is the cause of heaven and so forth, and is possessed of the form of verbal ornament.

अपरा च परा विद्या तां ज्ञात्वा मुच्यते भवात् ।। ३४७.

There is lower and higher knowledge; by knowing that, one is liberated from worldly existence.

अग्निरुवाच एकाक्षराभिधानञ्च मातृकान्तं वदामि ते । अ विष्णुः प्रतिषेधः स्यादा पितामहवाक्ययोः ।। ३४८.

Agni said: I will tell you the meaning of each single letter up to the end of the alphabet; 'a' is Viṣṇu, and in the statements of the Creator, 'a' is negation.

सीमायामथाव्ययं आ भवेत्संक्रोधपीडयो । इः कामे रतिलक्ष्म्योरी उः शिवे रक्षकाद्य ऊः ।। ३४८.

'Ā' is imperishable at the boundary, and also indicates distress from anger; 'i' is for desire, for the marks of pleasure and Lakṣmī; 'ī' is for Śiva, for the protector, and so on; 'ū' likewise.

ऋ शब्दे चादितौ ऋॄस्यात् लृ लॄ ते वै [https://puranastudy.freeoda.com/pur_index14/diti.htm दितौ] गुहे । ए देवी ऐ योगिनी स्यादो ब्रह्मा औ महेश्वरः ।। ३४८.

'Ṛ' and 'ṝ' are for sound at the beginning; 'ḷ' and 'ḹ' are for the cave; 'e' is the goddess, 'ai' is the yoginī; 'o' is Brahmā, 'au' is Maheśvara.

अङ्कामः अः प्रशस्तः स्यात् को ब्रह्मादौ कु कुत्सिते । खं शून्येन्द्रियं खङ्गो गन्धर्व्वे च विनायके ।। ३४८.

'Aṃ' is for desire, 'aḥ' is praised; 'ka' is for Brahmā at the beginning, 'ku' is for what is base; 'kha' is for emptiness, for the senses, 'khaṅga' is for the sword, for the Gandharva and Vināyaka.

गङ्गीते गो गायने स्याद् घो घण्टा किङ्किणीमुखे । ताड़ने ङ्श्च विषयेस्पृहायाञ्चैव भैरवे ।। ३४८.

'Ga' is for the Ganges, 'gi' is for singing, 'gha' is for the bell at the mouth of the small bell; 'ṅa' is for crossing over, and for desire in objects, and also for Bhairava.

चो दुर्जने निर्म्मले छश्छेदे जिर्ज्जयने तथा । जं गीते ज्ञः प्रशस्ते स्याद् बले ञो गायने च टः ।। ३४८.

'Ca' is for the wicked, 'ci' is for the pure, 'cha' is for cutting, 'chi' is for victory; 'jaṃ' is for singing, 'jñaḥ' is for praise, 'ṭa' is for strength, 'ña' is for singing as well.

ठश्चन्द्रमण्डले शून्ये शिवे चोद्बन्धने मतः । डश्च रुद्रे ध्वनौ त्रासे ढक्कायां ढो ध्वनौ मतः ।। ३४८.

Ṭha is considered to denote the void in the lunar disc, and also in the binding of Shiva; ḍa is for Rudra, in sound, in fear, and ḍhakkā (drum); ḍha is regarded as sound.

णो निष्कर्षे निश्चये च तश्चौरे क्रोडपुच्छके । भक्षणे थश्छेदने दो धारणे शोभने मतः ।। ३४८.

Ṇa is for extraction and certainty; ṭa is for a thief and the tail of a mongoose; in eating, tha; in cutting, da; in holding and in beauty, da is regarded.

धो धातरि च धूस्तूरे नो वृन्दे सुगते तथा । प उपवने विख्यातः फश्च झञ्झानिले मतः ।। ३४८.

Dha is for the supporter and for the dhūstūra plant; na is for a group and for good movement; pa is renowned in a grove; pha is considered in the windstorm.

फुः फुत्कारे निष्फले च विः पक्षी भञ्च तारके । मा श्रीर्म्मानञ्च माता स्याद्यागे यो यातृवीरणे ।। ३४८.

Phu is for blowing and for fruitlessness; vi is for a bird; bhañ is for a star; mā is for prosperity, honor, and mother; ya is for sacrifice and for the hero among travelers.

रो वह्नौ च लः शक्रे च लो विधातरि ईरितः । विश्लेषणे वो वरुणे शयने शश्च शं सुखे ।। ३४८.

Ra is for fire, la for Indra, lo is said for the creator; in separation, vo; in Varuṇa, in lying down, śa is for happiness.

षः श्रेष्ठे सः परोक्षे च सा लक्ष्मीः सं कचे मतः । धारणे हस्तथा रुद्रे क्षः क्षत्त्त्रे चाक्षरे मतः ।। ३४८.

Ṣa is for the best; sa for what is remote; sā is Lakṣmī; saṃ is for hair; dhā is for holding, as well as for Rudra; kṣa is for kṣatriya and for the syllable akṣara.

क्षो नृसिंहे हरौ तद्वत् क्षेत्रपालकयोरपि । मन्त्र एकाक्षरो देवो भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकः ।। ३४८.

Kṣa is for Narasiṃha and Hari, and likewise for the two guardians of the field; the mantra of a single syllable is divine, granting both enjoyment and liberation.

हैहयशिरसे नमः सर्व्वविद्याप्रदो मनुः । अकाराद्यास्तथा मन्त्रा मातृकामन्त्र उत्तमः ।। ३४८.

Salutation to the head of the Haihayas; the mantra grants all knowledge; the mantras beginning with 'a' and so on, as well as the mātṛkā mantra, are supreme.

एकपद्मेऽर्चयेदेतान्नव दुर्गाश्च पूजयेत् । भगवती कात्यायनी कौशिकी चाथ चण्डिका ।। ३४८.

One should worship these on a single lotus, and also worship the nine Durgās: Bhagavatī, Kātyāyanī, Kauśikī, and Caṇḍikā.

प्रचण्डा सुरनायिका उग्रा पार्व्वती दुर्गया । ओं चण्डिकायै विद्महे भगवत्यै धीमहि तन्नो दुर्गा प्रचोदयात् । क्रमादि तु षड़ङ्गं स्याद् गणो गुरुर्गुरुः क्रमात् ।। ३४८.

Pracaṇḍā, leader of the gods, Ugrā, Pārvatī, Durgā; 'Om, we contemplate Caṇḍikā, we meditate on the blessed one; may Durgā inspire us.' In order, the ṣar̤aṅga is prescribed, and the group, the guru, and the teacher, in sequence.

अजितापराजिता चाथ जया च विजया ततः । कात्यायनी भद्रकाली मङ्गला सिद्धिरेवती ।। ३४८.

Ajitā, Aparājitā, then Jayā and Vijayā; Kātyāyanī, Bhadrakālī, Maṅgalā, and Siddhirevatī.

सिद्दादिवटुकाः पूज्या हेतुकश्च कपालिकः । एकपादो भीमरूपो दिक्पालान्मध्यतो नव ।। ३४८.

Siddhā and the other attendants are to be worshipped, as well as Hetuka and Kapālika; Ekapāda, of terrible form, and the nine guardians of the directions in the center.

ह्रीं दुर्गे दुर्गे रक्षणि स्वाहा मन्त्रार्थसिद्धये । गौरी पूज्या च धर्म्मद्याः स्कन्दाद्याः शक्तयो यजेत् ।। ३४८.

'Hrīṃ, O Durgā, Durgā, protect! Svāhā'—for the accomplishment of the mantra's purpose; Gaurī is to be worshipped, and the foremost powers, beginning with Skanda.

प्रज्ञा ज्ञाना क्रिया वाचा वागीशी ज्वालिनी तथा । कामिनी काममाला च इन्द्राद्याः शक्तिपूजनं ।। ३४८.

Prajñā, Jñānā, Kriyā, Vācā, Vāgīśī, Jvālinī, Kāminī, Kāmamālā, and the powers beginning with Indra are to be worshipped.

ओं गं स्वाहा मूलमन्त्रोऽयं गं वा गणपतये नमः । षड़ङ्गो रक्तशुक्लश्च कदन्कताक्षपरशूत्कटः ।। ३४८.

'Om gaṃ svāhā' is the root mantra; or 'gaṃ, salutation to Gaṇapati.' Ṣar̤aṅga is red and white, with a crooked gaze, an axe, and a large belly.

समोदकोऽथ गन्धादिगन्धोल्कायेति च क्रमात् । गजो महागणपतिर्म्महो ल्कः पूज्य एव च ।। ३४८.

With modaka, and then with sandal and other fragrances, and with a flaming torch, in order; the elephant, the great Gaṇapati, and the great lkaḥ are also to be worshipped.

कुष्माण्डाय एकदन्तत्रिपुरान्तकाय श्यामदन्तविकटहरहासाय । लम्वनाशाननाय पद्मदंष्ट्राय मेघोल्काय धूमोल्काय । वक्रतुण्डाय विघ्नेश्वराय विकटोत्कटाय गजेन्द्रगमनाय ।। ३४८.

To Kuṣmāṇḍa, Ekadanta, Tripurāntaka, Śyāmadanta, Vikaṭa, Hara, Hāsāya; to Lamvanāśāna, Padmadaṃṣṭra, Megholkā, Dhūmolkā; to Vakratuṇḍa, Vighneśvara, Vikaṭotkaṭa, and Gajendragamana.

वक्रतुण्डाय विघ्नेश्वराय विकटोत्कटाय गजेन्द्रगमनाय । भुजगेन्द्रहाराय शशाङ्कधराय गणाधिपतये स्वाहा ।। ३४८.

To Vakratuṇḍa, Vighneśvara, Vikaṭotkaṭa, Gajendragamana; to Bhujagendrahāra, Śaśāṅkadhara, and Gaṇādhipati—svāhā.