Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 5
Gaṇeśa-pūjā-vidhiḥ
The Procedure for Worship of Gaṇeśa
निर्विघ्नां पापनाशिनीमिति ग, घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकद्वयपाठः बलकर्णिने चेति ख, ग, घ, ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः महोदराये दण्डहस्तायाक्षि इति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः मुख्यास्तिमण्डलमिति ख, ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकद्वयपाठः सत्यां च विघ्ननाशा च आसनं गन्धमृत्तिका यं शोषा रं च दहनं प्लवो लं वं तथामृतम्
nirvighnāṃ pāpanāśinīmiti ga, gha, cihnitapustakadvayapāṭhaḥ balakarṇine ceti kha, ga, gha, ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ mahodarāye daṇḍahastāyākṣi iti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ mukhyāstimaṇḍalamiti kha, ṅa, cihnitapustakadvayapāṭhaḥ satyāṃ ca vighnanāśā ca āsanaṃ gandhamṛttikā yaṃ śoṣā raṃ ca dahanaṃ plavo laṃ vaṃ tathāmṛtam
„(Sie ist) ohne Hindernis und Sündenvernichterin“ — so lesen zwei gekennzeichnete Handschriften. „Und (sie ist) für Balakarṇa“ — so lesen die gekennzeichneten Handschriften (kha, ga, gha, ṅa). „Für Mahodara, für den Stabträger (daṇḍahasta), (und als) das Auge“ — so liest die gekennzeichnete Handschrift ṅa. „Das Hauptsächliche ist die Knochen-Maṇḍala (mukhya-asthi-maṇḍala)“ — so lesen zwei gekennzeichnete Handschriften (kha, ṅa). Und (sie ist) „Satyā“ sowie „Vighna-nāśā“ (die Hindernisse beseitigt). Das āsana (Sitz) ist duftende Erde/Lehm; „yaṃ“ ist Austrocknung (śoṣaṇa); „raṃ“ ist Verbrennung (dahana); „laṃ“ ist Schweben/Schwimmen (plava); „vaṃ“ ist amṛta (Nektar).
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional mode)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Text-critical ritual instruction plus bhūta-śuddhi/nyāsa mapping: reconcile variant readings across manuscripts and apply bīja-syllables (yaṃ, raṃ, laṃ, vaṃ) to elemental processes (drying, burning, floating, nectar) and ritual materials (gandha-mṛttikā as āsana).","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Pāṭha-bheda notes and bīja-kriyā mapping (yaṃ-śoṣaṇa, raṃ-dahana, laṃ-plava, vaṃ-amṛta)","lookup_keywords":["pāṭhabheda","bīja","bhūtaśuddhi","yaṃ raṃ laṃ vaṃ","āsana mṛttikā"],"quick_summary":"This passage preserves variant manuscript readings while teaching practical bīja-application: use fragrant clay as seat and apply seed-syllables to purificatory actions—drying, burning, buoyancy, and nectarization."}
Concept: Mantra as operative phoneme: bīja-syllables correspond to specific transformative functions in ritual purification.
Application: During pūjā, stabilize posture with a consecrated seat and perform inner purification by visualizing/intoning bījas as sequential processes (dry → burn → buoy → nectarize).
Khanda Section: Mantra-vidhi / Yantra-Mudra-Nyasa (Ritual and Tantric Practical Instructions)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritualist consults two manuscripts with marginal marks, then prepares a fragrant clay seat and performs bīja-based purification: yaṃ (drying), raṃ (burning), laṃ (floating), vaṃ (nectar), visualized as elemental transformations around the body/mandala.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, priest seated on a clay āsana, palm-leaf manuscripts open with marked letters; surrounding symbolic elements: wind drying, fire burning, water buoyancy, nectar droplets; earthy tones and stylized flames.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, shrine setting with gold accents on ritual vessels; manuscripts on a stand; devotee on fragrant clay seat; four bīja syllables shown as decorative calligraphy with corresponding elemental motifs; luminous lamp light.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic layout: four panels labeled yaṃ-śoṣaṇa, raṃ-dahana, laṃ-plava, vaṃ-amṛta; central figure on gandha-mṛttikā āsana reading variant manuscripts; clean lines and soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholar-priest comparing two manuscripts with letter markers; nearby a prepared clay seat and incense; subtle allegorical motifs of drying wind, fire, floating lotus, and nectar vial; fine detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: This item contains extensive critical-apparatus prose. Sandhi resolved where applicable: पापनाशिनीमिति = पापनाशिनीम् + इति; दण्डहस्तायाक्षि = दण्डहस्ताय + अक्षि; तथामृतम् = तथा + अमृतम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa 71 (nyāsa, mandala, devī-nāma arcana context)
FAQs
It assigns functional meanings to specific bīja-syllables (yaṃ = drying, raṃ = burning, laṃ = floating, vaṃ = nectar) and specifies a ritual āsana made of fragrant clay, within an obstacle-removal (vighna-nāśa) framework.
Beyond narrative धर्म, it preserves applied ritual technology: manuscript-variant readings, deity-epithets, and a compact mapping of phonetic bījas to operative effects—showing the text’s coverage of mantra-prayoga alongside theology.
By invoking ‘pāpa-nāśinī’ and ‘vighna-nāśā’, the passage frames the practice as both purificatory (sin-removing) and protective (obstacle-clearing), supporting successful completion of rites and auspicious undertakings.