Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 36
Mantra-paribhāṣā
Technical Definitions and Operational Rules of Mantras
पञ्चदश्याः शशाङ्कस्तु पितरस्तिथिदेवताः हरो दुर्गा गुरुर्विष्णुर्ब्रह्मा लक्ष्मीर्धनेश्वरः
pañcadaśyāḥ śaśāṅkastu pitarastithidevatāḥ haro durgā gururviṣṇurbrahmā lakṣmīrdhaneśvaraḥ
পঞ্চদশী তিথির অধিষ্ঠাত্রী দেবতা শশাঙ্ক (চন্দ্র); তিথিসমূহের দেবতা পিতৃগণ। এই বিধানে হর (শিব), দুর্গা, গুরু (বৃহস্পতি), বিষ্ণু, ব্রহ্মা, লক্ষ্মী ও ধনেশ্বর (কুবের)ও অন্তর্ভুক্ত।
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the usual Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi / Tithi-devata","practical_application":"Selecting/propitiating presiding deities for tithi observances (especially Pañcadaśī) and aligning ritual acts with lunar-day guardians.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Tithi-devatā scheme: Pañcadaśī—Śaśāṅka; Pitṛs as tithi-devatā; associated deities (Hara, Durgā, Guru, Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Lakṣmī, Dhaneśvara)","lookup_keywords":["pañcadaśī tithi","śaśāṅka","tithi-devatā pitaraḥ","guru bṛhaspati","dhaneśvara kubera"],"quick_summary":"Defines a tithi-devatā mapping: the fifteenth lunar day is linked with the Moon, and tithis are broadly connected with Pitṛs. The accompanying deity list guides offerings and vrata choices for auspicious timing and ancestral satisfaction."}
Concept: Time (kāla) is sacralized through tithi-devatā; honoring Pitṛs and presiding deities harmonizes household dharma with cosmic rhythm.
Application: On Pañcadaśī, emphasize Candra-upāsanā and Pitṛ-tarpaṇa/śrāddha-adjacent acts; choose deity-specific offerings per the listed guardians.
Khanda Section: Jyotisha & Tithi-devata (Lunar Days and their Presiding Deities)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lunar calendar scene: full-moon Pañcadaśī with Candra prominent; a family performs tarpaṇa to Pitṛs; nearby are symbolic presences of Śiva, Durgā, Bṛhaspati, Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Lakṣmī, and Kubera indicating their roles as presiding powers in the scheme.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, night sky with radiant full moon (Śaśāṅka) above a riverbank tarpaṇa scene; Pitṛs shown in subtle ancestral forms receiving water; side panels with Śiva, Durgā, Bṛhaspati, Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Lakṣmī, Kubera; traditional palette and ornament","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central full moon with silver-white glow, gold-leaf halos for deities; foreground devotee offering tarpaṇa; surrounding deity icons in ornate frames; rich temple aesthetic","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional calendar illustration: Pañcadaśī marked, Candra and Pitṛ tarpaṇa depicted; small labeled deity figures for Hara, Durgā, Guru, Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Lakṣmī, Kubera; clean lines and soft shading","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, riverside evening tarpaṇa with moonlight; delicate rendering of water and sky; faint ancestral silhouettes; deities as marginal medallions; fine calligraphy for tithi name"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शशाङ्कस्तु = शशाङ्कः + तु; पितरस्तिथिदेवताः = पितरः + तिथि-देवताः; गुरुर्विष्णुर्ब्रह्मा = गुरुः + विष्णुः + ब्रह्मा; लक्ष्मीर्धनेश्वरः = लक्ष्मीः + धन-ईश्वरः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 292 (jyotiṣa-linked ritual mappings)
FAQs
It assigns presiding deities to calendrical units—especially Pañcadaśī (the 15th tithi)—supporting Jyotiṣa-based ritual timing for vows, worship, and ancestral rites.
By cataloging tithi-devatās (deities governing lunar days) alongside major deities, it functions as a practical reference for Panchāṅga-based observance—showing the text’s coverage of applied calendrics (Jyotiṣa) in addition to theology.
Aligning worship with the appropriate tithi-devatā is taught as a way to increase ritual efficacy; linking tithis with the Pitṛs also underscores merit connected to ancestral propitiation and purification through correctly timed observances.