Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 10
Chapter 246 — वास्तुलक्षणम्
Characteristics of Building-sites / Vāstu
पर्जन्यः प्रथमो देवो द्वितीयश् च करग्रहः महेन्द्ररविसत्याश् च भृशो ऽथ गगनन्तथा
parjanyaḥ prathamo devo dvitīyaś ca karagrahaḥ mahendraravisatyāś ca bhṛśo 'tha gaganantathā
পৰ্জন্য প্ৰথম দেৱতা; দ্বিতীয় কৰগ্ৰহ। তদ্ৰূপ মহেন্দ্ৰ, ৰবি (সূৰ্য), সত্য, তাৰ পিছত ভৃশ, আৰু গগন (আকাশ)ও (আহ্বান/স্থাপনীয়)।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Pūjā-vidhi invocation sequence for vāstu-nyāsa/śānti: calling Parjanya, Karagraha, and a set of directional/cosmic powers before commencing rites.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pūjā-krama: Parjanya–Karagraha and allied invocations","lookup_keywords":["Parjanya","Karagraha","Mahendra","Ravi","Gagana"],"quick_summary":"Gives an invocation order beginning with Parjanya and Karagraha, followed by Mahendra, Ravi, Satya, Bhṛśa, and Gagana—usable as a concise pūjā-nyāsa checklist."}
Concept: Ritual ordering (krama) as a means to align human action with cosmic forces.
Application: Use the sequence as a practical pūjā checklist during vāstu-śānti, foundation rites, or house-entry ceremonies.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devata-nama (Invocation of deities and cosmic powers used in rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pūjā scene: a priest before a vāstu-maṇḍala, offering water/flowers; Parjanya shown as cloud-bearing deity, Indra and Sūrya as directional powers, and Gagana as a vast sky canopy above the ritual space.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural of a vāstu-śānti, Parjanya as dark cloud form with rain streaks, Indra and Sūrya flanking, the sky (Gagana) as a stylized blue canopy, ritual vessels prominent.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold-leaf aura for Sūrya and Indra, Parjanya with cloud motifs, priest and kalasha in foreground, ornate arch framing the invocation set.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style ritual-instruction scene, clear depiction of offerings and sequence, labeled deities in small medallions (Parjanya, Karagraha, Mahendra, Ravi, Satya, Bhṛśa, Gagana).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a domestic rite in a courtyard, priest reciting names, attendants holding offerings, sky rendered delicately, subtle personifications of Parjanya and Sūrya in the margins."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Megh","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved: dvitīyaś→dvitīyaḥ; mahendraravisatyāś→mahendra-ravi-satyāḥ (dvandva plural); bhṛśo 'tha→bhṛśaḥ + atha; gaganantathā→gaganam + tathā.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 246 (pūjā-vidhi and devatā-nāma sequences)
FAQs
It provides a sequential list of deities/powers to be remembered or invoked in a ritual context (devatā-smaraṇa), functioning as a practical checklist for worship/nyāsa-style recitation.
By cataloguing specific divine names (from rain and sky to solar and Indraic powers), it preserves ritual taxonomies used across puja traditions—one of the Agni Purana’s hallmark “manual-like” compilations.
Correct remembrance and invocation of the intended deities is taught as a means to align the rite with cosmic order (ṛta/satya), supporting purification and the intended efficacy (siddhi) of worship.