Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 21
Chapter 40 — भूपरिग्रहो नाम
Bhū-parigraha) / अर्घ्यदानविधानम् (Arghya-dāna-vidhāna
रक्षोमातृगणेभ्यश् च पिशाचादिभ्य एव च पितृभ्यः क्षेत्रपालेभ्यो बलीन् दद्यात् प्रकामतः
rakṣomātṛgaṇebhyaś ca piśācādibhya eva ca pitṛbhyaḥ kṣetrapālebhyo balīn dadyāt prakāmataḥ
রাক্ষস ও মাতৃগণসমূহকে, পিশাচাদি সত্ত্বাদের এবং পিতৃগণ ও ক্ষেত্রপালদেরও ইচ্ছামতো ও যথোচিত পরিমাণে বলি-অর্ঘ্য প্রদান করা উচিত।
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purāṇa’s common narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Apotropaic bali-offerings to pacify potentially harmful beings (rakṣas, piśācas) and to honor pitṛs and kṣetrapālas so that worship/installation proceeds without obstacles.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Bali to Rakṣas–Mātṛgaṇa–Piśāca–Pitṛ–Kṣetrapāla","lookup_keywords":["bali","rakṣas","mātṛgaṇa","piśāca","kṣetrapāla"],"quick_summary":"Before or alongside temple/house rites, offer measured bali to attendant and liminal beings and to pitṛs/field-guardians to avert disturbances and secure ritual protection."}
Concept: Ritual completeness includes honoring visible deities and invisible/liminal stakeholders (bhūta, pitṛ, kṣetra-devatā) to maintain ṛta (order).
Application: Include bali and pitṛ-tarpaṇa elements in pūjā/installation sequences to reduce ‘vighna’ (obstacles) and social-ritual anxiety.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Bali, Bhuta-yajna, Protective Offerings)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At the edge of a temple courtyard, a priest places small bali portions at designated spots for rakṣas, mātṛgaṇas, piśācas, pitṛs, and the kṣetrapāla, marking protective boundaries around the sacred ground.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, temple courtyard at dusk, priest in white mundu offering bali at threshold stones, stylized kṣetrapāla guardian at gate, mātṛgaṇas as subtle divine silhouettes, rich earthy reds and greens, flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central kṣetrapāla at temple gateway with gold foil halo, priest offering bali on banana leaf, small subsidiary panels for pitṛs and mātṛgaṇas, ornate arch and lamps, jewel-like colors.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional layout showing bali placements around a mandira perimeter, labeled spots for pitṛ and kṣetrapāla, delicate linework, soft shading, calm ritual mood.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed temple forecourt with attendants, priest distributing small offerings at corners, subtle depiction of unseen beings as faint translucent figures, fine architectural detail and patterned textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"protective","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: rakṣomātṛgaṇebhyaś → rakṣaḥ-mātṛ-gaṇebhyaḥ (visarga before m); piśācādibhya → piśāca-ādibhyaḥ; क्षेत्रपालेभ्यो → kṣetra-pālebhyaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Puja-vidhi sections on bali, bhūta-yajña, kṣetrapāla-pūjā; Agni Purana chapters on pitṛ-kalpa and śrāddha (where applicable)
FAQs
It prescribes bali-pradāna (placing/allocating ritual offerings) to specific classes of beings—Rakṣas, Mātṛ-gaṇas, Piśācas, Pitṛs, and Kṣetrapālas—as part of protective and harmonizing household/temple ritual practice.
By cataloging multiple recipient categories for bali and integrating ancestor rites (Pitṛ) with site-guardian worship (Kṣetrapāla) and spirit-appeasement (Piśāca/Rakṣas), it shows the text’s practical, systematized coverage of ritual management alongside theology.
The instruction frames ritual offerings as a means to maintain auspiciousness, avert disturbances from unseen beings, honor ancestors, and secure protection of the ritual space—supporting purification and steadiness (śānti) in one’s religious life.