Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 18
Chapter 231 — शकुनानि (Śakunāni) | Omens in Governance, Travel, and War
सोपानत्कमुखो धन्यो मांसपूर्णमुखो ऽपि च अमङ्गल्यमुखद्रव्यं केशञ्चैवाशुभं तथा
sopānatkamukho dhanyo māṃsapūrṇamukho 'pi ca amaṅgalyamukhadravyaṃ keśañcaivāśubhaṃ tathā
من شوهد فمُه ومعه نعلٌ عند العتبة عُدَّ ذلك مُبشِّرًا؛ وكذلك من كان فمُه ممتلئًا باللحم عُدَّ أيضًا ذا يُمن. أمّا الموادّ التي تُرى عند الفم فتدلّ على الشؤم، وكذلك الشَّعر، فهي غير مُباركة.
Lord Agni (teaching Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s dialogic frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Pūjā and threshold-omen reading: interpret what is seen at the mouth/entrance as auspicious or inauspicious before commencing rites or undertakings.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Pūjā-śubha-aśubha nimitta: mukha-darśana signs (sandal, meat, hair)","lookup_keywords":["puja nimitta","shubha ashubha","mukha darshana","sopanatka","kesha ashubha"],"quick_summary":"Certain sights at the threshold/at the mouth are read as auspicious (e.g., sandal at the step; mouth with meat), while inauspicious substances and hair are negative signs; use this to time or postpone ritual action."}
Concept: Śubha-aśubha discernment (viveka) applied to ritual commencement.
Application: If inauspicious signs appear, perform śānti/ācamanā and delay; if auspicious, proceed with pūjā or departure.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Shubha-ashubha-nimitta (Auspicious–inauspicious omens and ritual signs)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At a house/temple threshold with steps, a person is seen with a sandal near the mouth area (as an omen-sign), another with mouth full of meat; hair and inauspicious substances are shown as warning signs before worship.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, temple doorway with sopāna steps, priest and householders observing omens, symbolic depiction of sandal and hair as signs, flat colors and ornamental borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, richly decorated doorway with gold leaf, figures holding ritual tray, auspicious sign highlighted with gold, inauspicious hair shown aside, devotional domestic setting","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional panel: threshold scene with clearly separated auspicious vs inauspicious items (sandal/meat vs hair), neat composition and soft shading","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, interior doorway scene with attendants, detailed textiles and architecture, subtle depiction of omen-objects near the threshold, observational realism"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मांसपूर्णमुखो ऽपि = मांसपूर्णमुखः + अपि; केशञ्चैवाशुभम् = केशम् + च + एव + अशुभम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 231 (Pūjā-vidhi and nimitta lists)
FAQs
It gives nimitta-śāstra style guidance: how to judge immediate auspiciousness or inauspiciousness based on what is first seen at the ‘front/mouth’ (mukha) during an encounter—some items are शुभ (favorable), while hair and certain inauspicious substances are अशुभ.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical cultural knowledge—ritual etiquette and omen-reading used in daily life and worship—showing its wide scope across dharma, rites, and applied traditional sciences.
Following auspicious signs and avoiding inauspicious ones is presented as supporting ritual purity and favorable outcomes, helping a practitioner align actions with śubha-kāla/śubha-nimitta and reduce obstacles in religious undertakings.