Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 63
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
वायव्ये हाञ्च नागेभ्यो नक्षत्रेभ्यश् च मध्यतः हां राशिभ्यः स्वाहा वह्नौ विश्वेभ्यो नैरृते यथा
vāyavye hāñca nāgebhyo nakṣatrebhyaś ca madhyataḥ hāṃ rāśibhyaḥ svāhā vahnau viśvebhyo nairṛte yathā
Im Nordwesten (Vāyavya) soll man (mit der Silbe) „hāñ“ den Nāgas das Bali darbringen; und aus der Mitte (darbringen) den Nakṣatras. Mit „hāṃ“ soll man den Rāśis eine Opfergabe darbringen, indem man „svāhā“ ins Feuer spricht. Ebenso soll man im Südwesten (Nairṛta) den Viśvedevas opfern.
Lord Agni (teaching the rite to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Integrates nakṣatra and rāśi propitiation into bali/homa through directional and central offerings, supporting astrological pacification within puja-vidhi.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Nakṣatra–Rāśi Bali with Nāga and Viśvedevas Offerings","lookup_keywords":["nakṣatra-tarpana","rāśi-homa","nāga-bali","viśvedevas","vāyavya"],"quick_summary":"Offer bali in the Vāyavya quarter to Nāgas (hāñ), make central offerings to Nakṣatras, and with ‘hāṃ svāhā’ offer to Rāśis into the fire; additionally offer in Nairṛta to Viśvedevas."}
Concept: Microcosm–macrocosm linkage: the ritual ground mirrors the sky (nakṣatra/rāśi), and offerings aim to synchronize human action with cosmic timing.
Application: Used when performing rites for auspiciousness, graha-balancing, or removing astrological impediments by integrating jyotiṣa entities into homa.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mantra-nyasa and Dik-puja (Directional offerings in fire-ritual context)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Sacred-direction (dik) and ritual center
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual mandala with a central point for Nakṣatra offerings, fire for Rāśi oblations with ‘svāhā’, and quarter placements for Nāgas (NW) and Viśvedevas (SW).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: starry band of nakṣatras above the mandala, zodiac ring motif around the kuṇḍa; priest offering into fire; nāga icon at Vāyavya; viśvedevas as a collective divine row at Nairṛta; earthy reds and deep greens.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold zodiac wheel encircling the fire; central nakṣatra lotus; priest offering ghee with ‘svāhā’; stylized serpent emblem at NW; gold-ornamented divine assembly for Viśvedevas at SW.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clear schematic—center labeled Nakṣatra, fire labeled Rāśi-homa, NW labeled Nāga-bali, SW labeled Viśvedevas; minimal background, precise geometry.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: refined top-down mandala with zodiac motifs; priest and assistants; delicate star patterns; serpent banner at NW; small group of deities at SW."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हाञ्च → हां + च; नक्षत्रेभ्यश् च → नक्षत्रेभ्यः + च; विश्वेभ्यो → विश्वेभ्यः (ओ-लेखनभेद/विसर्गलोपः).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 75 (dik-bali mantras); Agni Purana jyotiṣa-related sections elsewhere in the text (nakṣatra/rāśi discussions)
FAQs
It prescribes a homa-style sequence of offerings tied to directions and cosmic groups—Nāgas, Nakṣatras, and Rāśis—using specific bīja-syllables (“hāñ”, “hāṃ”) and the oblation formula “svāhā,” with an additional directional offering to the Viśvedevas.
It blends ritual liturgy (homa and dik-puja) with Jyotiṣa categories (nakṣatra and rāśi), showing how the Agni Purana integrates cosmology, mantra-practice, and ceremonial procedure into a single operational manual.
By ritually honoring direction-linked powers and cosmic regulators through fire offerings, the practitioner seeks harmonization with protective forces (Nāgas), time-cycles (Nakṣatras), and zodiacal order (Rāśis), supporting purification, auspiciousness, and obstacle-removal in the rite.