Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 13
Chapter 21 — सामान्यपूजाकथनम्
Teaching on General Worship
ह्रीं गौरीं गं गणः शक्रमुखाश् चण्डीहृतादिकाः क्रमात्सूर्यार्चने मन्त्रा दण्डी पूज्यश् च पिङ्गलः
hrīṃ gaurīṃ gaṃ gaṇaḥ śakramukhāś caṇḍīhṛtādikāḥ kramātsūryārcane mantrā daṇḍī pūjyaś ca piṅgalaḥ
في عبادة سوريّا Sūrya تُطبَّق المانترا على الترتيب—ابتداءً بـ «hrīṃ»، ثم «gaurīṃ»، ثم «gaṃ»؛ (مع استدعاء) غانا Gaṇa (غانيشا Gaṇeśa)، ثم شاكرا Śakra وسائر الآلهة؛ ثم تشاندي Caṇḍī وHṛt/Hṛdaya وما بعدهما. وبعد ذلك يُعبَد أيضًا داندي Daṇḍī وبينغالا Piṅgala.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Sūrya-arcana sequence: applying mantras in a prescribed order, invoking associated deities (Gaṇeśa, Indra/Śakra, Caṇḍī, Hṛdaya etc.) and attendant figures (Daṇḍī, Piṅgala) within the ritual.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Sūrya-upāsanā mantra-krama (hrīṃ–gaurīṃ–gaṃ … Daṇḍī, Piṅgala)","lookup_keywords":["Sūryārcana","hrīṃ","gaṃ","Śakra","Piṅgala"],"quick_summary":"Specifies the order of mantra application and deity-invocation within Sun worship. Practically, it functions as a checklist for sequencing recitations and offerings to the associated devatā-circle."}
Concept: Ritual efficacy depends on krama (correct sequence) and devatā-saṅgati (proper association of deities).
Application: During Sūrya-pūjā, recite the bījas and invoke the listed devatās in the stated order before proceeding to the next upacāra/nyāsa step.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Mantra and Deva-archana procedures; Surya-upasana)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A Sūrya altar with a circular maṇḍala; mantras ‘hrīṃ’, ‘gaurīṃ’, ‘gaṃ’ written around; Gaṇeśa, Indra and other gods placed in a ring; Daṇḍī and Piṅgala honored at designated points.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural of Sūrya in a radiant chariot motif, surrounding devatā-circle (Gaṇa, Śakra, Caṇḍī), bīja syllables painted as decorative script on the halo, ritual offerings below.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting of Sūrya with gold-leaf radiance, concentric devatā arrangement, small figures of Daṇḍī and Piṅgala at sides, ornate arch and lamps, rich reds and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional maṇḍala: clean concentric circles labeled with mantra sequence, central Sūrya icon, surrounding deities in order, priest performing arcana with flowers and water.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a sun-temple courtyard worship scene, circular diagram on cloth, calligraphic bījas, finely dressed worshipper, Sūrya depicted above with delicate rays and attendants."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Sūryakānt","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kramātsūryārcane = kramāt + sūryārcane; śakramukhāś = śakramukhāḥ (visarga sandhi before ca).
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa 21 (Sūrya-upāsanā and devatā-nyāsa passages)
FAQs
It gives a practical mantra-krama (ordered sequence) for Sūryārcana, specifying bīja-syllables and successive invocations (Gaṇeśa, Śakra and others, Caṇḍī, then Daṇḍī and Piṅgala) to structure the worship correctly.
It preserves a compact ritual manual inside a Purāṇa—cataloguing seed-mantras, deity-invocation order, and auxiliary worship steps—showing how the Agni Purana functions as a reference text for practical liturgy alongside myth and theology.
Following the prescribed order is presented as ensuring ritual completeness (saṃpūrṇatā) and alignment with the deity’s worship-method, which traditionally is held to increase the efficacy (siddhi) of the rite and the merit (puṇya) gained from Sūrya-upāsanā.