Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 20
Śrāddha-kalpa-kathana
Exposition of the Śrāddha Procedure
इत्युक्त्वा तु प्रिया वाचः प्रणिपत्य विसर्जयेत् वाजे वाज इति प्रीतपितृपूर्वं विसर्जनं
ityuktvā tu priyā vācaḥ praṇipatya visarjayet vāje vāja iti prītapitṛpūrvaṃ visarjanaṃ
Nachdem man diese lieblichen Worte gesprochen hat, soll man sich verneigen und dann die rituelle Entlassung vollziehen. Die Entlassung ist zuerst für die zufriedenen Pitṛs (Ahnen) mit dem Mantra „vāje vāja“ auszuführen.
Lord Agni (instructional narration to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Procedural dismissal (visarjana) in śrāddha: speak courteous words, bow, then release invoked beings—beginning with Pitṛs—using the specified mantra.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śrāddha-visarjana (Dismissal of Pitṛs with “vāje vāja”)","lookup_keywords":["śrāddha","visarjana","pitṛ","vāje vāja","mantra"],"quick_summary":"After the rite, one formally concludes by respectful speech and prostration, then dismisses the satisfied ancestors first, employing the “vāje vāja” mantra as the ritual cue for release."}
Concept: Ritual completeness requires proper conclusion (saṃpatti) through respectful dismissal; invoked presences are not left ritually ‘open’.
Application: In any pūjā/śrāddha, include a clear end-step: namaskāra + visarjana mantra, maintaining mental composure and gratitude.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Pitṛ-kriyā / Śrāddha-vidhi — dismissal of invoked beings)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A śrāddha setting: the performer bows with folded hands after speaking gentle words; a small altar with arghya vessel and offerings; subtle depiction of Pitṛs being respectfully dismissed.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, ritual courtyard, performer in añjali and pranipāta posture, arghya vessel and darbha grass, stylized ancestral presence fading into the background, calm ochres and reds.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, ornate domestic shrine, performer prostrating, gold accents on vessels and ritual tray, symbolic Pitṛ figures above as faint halos, emphasis on auspicious closure.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional composition: step of visarjana labeled, performer bowing, mantra ‘vāje vāja’ indicated on a palm-leaf strip, neat ritual implements rendered precisely.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate indoor rite, detailed carpets and brass vessels, performer bowing, attendants/brāhmaṇas seated, ethereal ancestors suggested in pale wash, refined linework."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"ritual-closure","suggested_raga":"Śrī","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इत्युक्त्वा = इति + उक्त्वा; प्रिया वाचः = प्रियाः + वाचः (acc. pl.); वाज इति = वाज + इति; प्रीतपितृपूर्वं = प्रीत-पितृ-पूर्वम् (समास).
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Śrāddha-kalpa steps—āvāhana, arghya, piṇḍa, bhojana, dakṣiṇā, visarjana
FAQs
It teaches the proper close of the rite: after respectful speech and prostration, perform formal visarjana, dismissing the invoked beings—beginning with the Pitṛs—using the mantra formula “vāje vāja”.
Beyond theology, it preserves step-by-step liturgical protocol (procedural mantra-use, sequencing, and closure), showing the Agni Purana functioning as a practical ritual handbook alongside its many other disciplines.
Proper dismissal honors the Pitṛs and completes the rite without ritual residue, supporting ancestral satisfaction (pitṛ-prīti) and the intended merit (puṇya) of the śrāddha/offerings.