Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 28
Chapter 24 — कुण्डनिर्माणादिविधिः
Procedure for Constructing the Fire-pit and Related Rites
आज्यं तयोस्तु सङ्गृह्य द्विर्नीत्वा त्रिरवाङ्क्षिपेत् स्रुक्स्रुवौ चापि सङ्गृह्य ताभ्यां प्रक्षिप्य वारिण
ājyaṃ tayostu saṅgṛhya dvirnītvā triravāṅkṣipet sruksruvau cāpi saṅgṛhya tābhyāṃ prakṣipya vāriṇa
بعد جمع السمن المصفّى (الغي) من تلك المغارف، يُستخرج مرتين ويُسكب إلى الأسفل ثلاث مرات. ثم تُجمع مغرفتا السروك والسروفا أيضًا وتُغسلان بالماء.
Lord Agni (in dialogue with sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Standardizes ladle-handling, ghee-transfer, and rinsing steps to maintain ritual purity and prevent contamination during homa.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Sruk–Sruva Ajya-grahana and Prokshana (Rinsing) क्रम","lookup_keywords":["sruk","sruva","ajya","prokshana","homa-vidhi"],"quick_summary":"Collect ghee from the ladles, draw it in the stated counts, pour in the prescribed direction, then rinse the implements with water to restore śauca and readiness for the next act."}
Concept: Ritual efficacy (yajña-siddhi) depends on precise krama and purity of instruments.
Application: Treat implements as extensions of mantra; maintain cleanliness and correct directional actions to avoid doṣa in rite.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Agni-karya / Homa-prayoga)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A homa setting: the practitioner holds sruk and sruva, gathers ghee, pours offerings in counted motions, then rinses the ladles with water beside the fire altar.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette; a yajña-śālā with agni in a square kunda, a brāhmaṇa-sādhaka in white dhoti holding sruk and sruva, ghee vessel nearby, water pot for prokṣaṇa; stylized flames and ritual vessels, flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold work; central agni-kunda with ornate border, gleaming sruk-sruva and ghee pot highlighted with gold, the practitioner in frontal pose performing offering and rinsing; rich reds and greens, temple-like aura.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, clean linework; instructional depiction of sruk-sruva handling: stepwise posture, ghee transfer, downward pouring thrice, then water rinse; labeled vessels and calm fire altar.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed interior of a ritual pavilion; practitioner seated near fire altar, attendants holding water pot and ghee, precise hand gesture showing ladle collection and rinsing; fine textiles and delicate flames."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: द्विर्नीत्वा = द्विः + नीत्वा; त्रिरवाङ्क्षिपेत् = त्रिः + अवाक् + क्षिपेत्; चापि = च + अपि; स्रुक्स्रुवौ treated as coordination of two implements (not a single samāsa).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 24 (Pūjā-vidhi / Homa-prayoga context); Agni Purana sections on mantra-upacāra and homa-aṅga (near 24.32)
FAQs
It gives a precise homa-handling protocol: how to draw and pour ājya (ghee) in counted actions and how to ritually rinse the sruk and sruva ladles with water afterward.
Beyond theology, it preserves operational ritual technique—minute handling of implements (sruk/sruva), measured repetitions, and purification—showing the text’s role as a practical manual of puja and yajña procedure.
Measured offering and post-offering cleansing maintain ritual purity (śauca) and correctness (vidhi), which is traditionally held to safeguard the efficacy (phala) of the homa and prevent ritual impurity from diminishing merit.