Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 33
Adhyāya 88 — निर्वाणदीक्षाकथनं
Teaching of the Nirvāṇa-Initiation
कुम्भमण्डलवह्निभ्यः शिष्यादपि निजात्मनः गृहीत्वा षड्विधविधानं श्रुगग्रे प्राणनाडिकं
kumbhamaṇḍalavahnibhyaḥ śiṣyādapi nijātmanaḥ gṛhītvā ṣaḍvidhavidhānaṃ śrugagre prāṇanāḍikaṃ
Nachdem man die prāṇa-nāḍikā, den Prāṇa-Kanal, an der Spitze der Kelle (śruva) genommen (und eingesetzt) hat, indem man sie aus dem kumbha, aus dem maṇḍala und aus den Ritualfeuern—ja sogar aus dem Schüler und aus dem eigenen Selbst—heranzieht, soll man das vorgeschriebene sechsfach gegliederte Verfahren anwenden.
Lord Agni (in the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse, typically addressed to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Homa-prayoga subtleization: drawing prāṇa-streams from ritual loci (kumbha, maṇḍala, fires) and from guru-śiṣya/self into the ladle-tip, then applying a sixfold ritual operation for empowered offering.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Prāṇa-nāḍikā Saṅgraha at Śruva-Agra and Ṣaḍvidha-vidhāna in Homa","lookup_keywords":["prāṇa-nāḍikā","śruva-agra","kumbha","maṇḍala","ṣaḍvidha-vidhāna"],"quick_summary":"Collect and establish the prāṇa-channel at the ladle’s tip by drawing from kumbha, maṇḍala, fires, disciple, and self; then execute the prescribed sixfold method to charge the offering."}
Concept: Microcosm–macrocosm linkage in ritual: prāṇa is intentionally routed through implements, spaces, and persons to make the offering a vehicle of consciousness.
Application: During homa, visualize prāṇa as a fine channel converging at the ladle-tip; treat kumbha/maṇḍala/agni as power-nodes and align guru–śiṣya–self intention before the sixfold operation.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Agni-karya / Homa-prayoga)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A homa altar with kumbha and maṇḍala nearby; multiple subtle streams of light (from kumbha, maṇḍala, three fires, disciple, and officiant) converge into the tip of a ladle held over the flames.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, square homa-kunda, bright stylized flames, kumbha and maṇḍala drawn clearly, luminous lines converging to ladle-tip, guru and disciple seated nearby, bold contours.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-highlighted ritual vessels and flames, radiant energy threads converging to the ladle-tip, ornate borders, devotional grandeur.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, semi-diagrammatic scene: labeled nodes (kumbha/maṇḍala/agni/śiṣya/ātman) with fine light-lines to śruva-agra, clean composition for instruction.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed ritual courtyard, careful rendering of vessels and geometric maṇḍala, subtle translucent energy lines to the ladle-tip, refined figures of teacher and disciple."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shree","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kumbhamaṇḍalavahnibhyaḥ = kumbha-maṇḍala-vahnibhyaḥ; śiṣyādapi = śiṣyāt + api; śrugagre = śrug-agre.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 88 (Agni-kārya/homa-prayoga; ṣaḍvidha operations context)
FAQs
It teaches a homa-prayoga detail: establishing or ‘drawing’ prāṇa (vital force) into the offering instrument (śrug), integrating it with kumbha (vessel), maṇḍala (ritual space), and the fires, then performing a defined sixfold procedural sequence.
Beyond mythology, it preserves operational ritual technology—how implements, ritual geometry (maṇḍala), consecrated vessels (kumbha), and subtle-body concepts (prāṇa/nāḍikā) are coordinated—showing the text’s breadth across liturgy, mantra-practice, and tantric-style ritual mechanics.
By ritually aligning prāṇa with the offering act and the consecrated ritual field, the practitioner is understood to purify intention and action, making the oblation more efficacious and merit-bearing (puṇya), while reinforcing inner discipline and sanctity of the rite.