Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 12
Chapter 154: विवाहः
Vivāha — Marriage
वैवाहिके ऽह्नि कुर्वीत कुम्भकारमृदा शुचीं जलाशये तु तां पूज्य वाद्याद्यैः स्त्रीं गृहत्रयेत्
vaivāhike 'hni kurvīta kumbhakāramṛdā śucīṃ jalāśaye tu tāṃ pūjya vādyādyaiḥ strīṃ gṛhatrayet
বিবাহদিনে কুম্ভকাৰৰ মাটিৰে এটা শুচি (মঙ্গল) স্ত্ৰী-প্ৰতিমা গঢ়ি, জলাশয়ত গৈ বাদ্যাদি সহ তাত পূজা কৰি; তাৰ পিছত স্ত্ৰীক গৃহলৈ নিবলৈ কোৱা হৈছে।
Lord Agni (teaching the rites in the Agni Purana’s instructional voice to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Wedding-day rite involving a clay-formed auspicious female figure (symbolic/ritual substitute), worship at a water-body with music, and ceremonial leading of the bride into the house.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Vaivahika-dina: Mrinmayi Stri-Puja at Jalashaya and Griha-pravesha","lookup_keywords":["vaivahika-vidhi","kumbhakara-mrit","jalashaya-puja","vadya","griha-pravesha"],"quick_summary":"Prescribes making a pure female form from potter’s clay, worshipping it at a water-reservoir with music, and then leading the bride into the home—an auspicious transition rite."}
Concept: Ritual symbolism (pratika) and shuddhi establish auspiciousness; music and water sanctify the rite of passage into grihastha life.
Application: For a wedding procession: prepare the clay auspicious figure, perform brief puja at a nearby pond/ghat with instruments, then conduct formal griha-pravesha.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Samskara & Grihya-ritual procedure)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: mangala
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A wedding day scene: artisans shaping a small clay female figure from potter’s clay; at a pond/ghat the figure is worshipped with lamps, flowers, and musicians; then the bride is ceremonially led into the house threshold.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural of a ghat-side puja: clay feminine figure on a pedestal, oil lamps, flower offerings, chenda drums and cymbals; bride in traditional attire being led toward a nalukettu house entrance.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: central clay figure worship scene with gold leaf halo-like arch, musicians at sides, bride and groom near a decorated doorway with mango leaves and kalasha; rich ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional composition: three-step panel (making clay figure → jalashaya puja with vadya → griha-pravesha), clear linework, labeled ritual items (deepa, pushpa, kalasha).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: refined courtyard and riverside ghat, detailed musicians, attendants carrying puja trays; bride led under a canopy toward an ornate doorway, soft pastel palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: 'hni = ahni (loc. of ahan) after elision: vaivāhike 'hni = vaivāhike + ahni; kumbhakāramṛdā = kumbhakāra-mṛdā; vādyādyaiḥ = vādya-ādyaiḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 154 (Puja-vidhi and samskara procedures around marriage)
FAQs
It prescribes a vivāha-day procedure: create a ritually pure female representation using potter’s clay, worship it at a water body with festive accompaniments (music, etc.), and then ceremonially lead the bride into the home.
Alongside theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical grihya-samskāra protocol—minute domestic-ritual steps (materials, location like a jalāśaya, and celebratory elements like vādya)—showing its coverage of lived religious practice.
The act frames the bride’s entry as a consecrated transition: purity (śuci), worship (pūjā), and water-site auspiciousness function to invoke well-being, remove ritual impurity, and establish auspicious household dharma at the start of married life.