Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 19
Chapter 43 — प्रासाददेवतास्थापनम्
Installation of Deities in a Temple
अन्यधामसु यज्ञविदिति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः युग्मधामस्वयं हरिमिति घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः कौमुदी इति ख, घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकद्वयपाठः उन्मत्तलक्षणा इति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः मन्त्रयेदिति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः अत्र ये संस्थिताः सत्त्वा यातुधानाश् च गुह्यकाः सिद्धादयो वा ये चान्ये तान् सम्पूज्य क्षमापयेत्
anyadhāmasu yajñaviditi kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ yugmadhāmasvayaṃ harimiti gha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ kaumudī iti kha, gha, cihnitapustakadvayapāṭhaḥ unmattalakṣaṇā iti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ mantrayediti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ atra ye saṃsthitāḥ sattvā yātudhānāś ca guhyakāḥ siddhādayo vā ye cānye tān sampūjya kṣamāpayet
Welche Wesen auch immer hier verweilen—sattvas, yātudhānas, guhyakas, siddhas oder andere—nachdem man sie gebührend verehrt hat, soll man sie um Vergebung bitten, damit das Ritual ohne Hindernis fortschreite.
Lord Agni (traditionally narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Ritual space-clearing and non-obstruction (avighna) by honoring and dismissing local subtle beings before commencing worship.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Kṣamāpanā of Sattvas/Yātudhānas/Guhyakas before Pūjā","lookup_keywords":["kṣamāpanā","yātudhāna","guhyaka","avighna","bhūta-śānti"],"quick_summary":"Before a rite, acknowledge any subtle beings present, offer them due worship, and request forgiveness so the ceremony proceeds without disturbance."}
Concept: Ahimsā and saumanasya in ritual: even unseen beings are respected; harmony precedes sacred action.
Application: Adopt a non-hostile, conciliatory approach to perceived obstacles; perform formal apology/appeasement rather than coercion.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Ritual Procedure and Propitiatory Rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A priest at a ritual ground offers respectful bali and folded-hands apology toward unseen spirits—yātudhānas, guhyakas, siddhas—so they withdraw without hindrance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, temple courtyard at dusk, priest with lamp and bali plate, subtle translucent yaksha/guhyaka forms in the background, rich earthy reds and greens, calm protective mood.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central priest with ornate bali tray and deepa, gold-leaf highlights on ritual vessels, faint stylized spirit-figures at the margins, emphasis on auspiciousness and order.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional composition showing bali placement points and priest’s añjali gesture, clean lines, soft shading, annotated ritual objects (kalasha, lamp, offerings).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed pavilion and ritual ground, attendants holding offerings, delicate depiction of unseen beings as pale silhouettes, fine textile patterns, narrative moment of appeasement."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यातुधानाश् च = यातुधानाः + च (visarga sandhi); चान्ये = च + अन्ये; सम्पूज्य is gerund from सम्+पूज्; क्षमापयेत् is causative optative from √क्षम.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Bhūta-śānti/avighna rites within Pūjā-vidhi sections; Agni Purana: Bali-dāna and Rakṣā-vidhāna passages nearby in the same khanda
FAQs
It teaches kṣamāpanā (formal appeasement and request for pardon) of all unseen presences in the ritual site—spirits, yātudhānas, guhyakas, siddhas—by first offering proper worship, to prevent ritual obstruction (vighna).
Beyond mythology, it records practical liturgical protocol: managing the ritual environment through śānti/propitiation of non-human entities—an applied manual-like instruction typical of the Agni Purāṇa’s broad coverage of rites and religious technology.
By honoring all beings present and seeking forgiveness, the practitioner avoids harm, reduces negative karmic entanglement from inadvertent offense, and secures a non-hostile, purified field for successful worship and its intended merit.