Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 17
Devapūjā, Vaiśvadeva Offering, and Bali (देवपूजावैश्वदेवबलिः)
धर्माधर्ममयौ द्वारे गृहमध्ये ध्रुवाय च मृत्यवे च वहिर्दद्याद्वरुणायोदकाशये
dharmādharmamayau dvāre gṛhamadhye dhruvāya ca mṛtyave ca vahirdadyādvaruṇāyodakāśaye
Am Türschwellenbereich soll man Dharma und Adharma eine Opfergabe darbringen; in der Mitte des Hauses Dhruva; draußen Mṛtyu; und am Ort, wo das Wasser aufbewahrt wird (Wasserständer), Varuṇa.
Lord Agni (narrating prescriptive ritual instructions, as customary in the Agni Purana dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Gṛhya-bali/śrāddha-related appeasement offerings placed at specific household loci (doorway, center, outside, water-stand) to maintain ritual purity and avert inauspicious influences.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Gṛha-bali placements for Dharma–Adharma, Dhruva, Mṛtyu, Varuṇa","lookup_keywords":["gṛhya-bali","dvāra-dāna","dhruva-bali","mṛtyu-bali","varuṇa-udaka"],"quick_summary":"Offerings are spatially mapped within the house: doorway for Dharma/Adharma, center for Dhruva, outside for Mṛtyu, and near stored water for Varuṇa—creating a protective and orderly ritual perimeter."}
Concept: Spatial dharma: aligning household space with cosmic/ethical forces (Dharma–Adharma; Dhruva as stability; Mṛtyu as boundary; Varuṇa as waters/order).
Application: Use locus-specific offerings to cultivate steadiness (dhruvatā), ethical vigilance at thresholds, and boundary-protection against inauspiciousness.
Khanda Section: Gṛhya-Śrāddha & Dāna-vidhi (Domestic rites, offerings, and funerary/propitiatory prescriptions)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Household (gṛha) microcosm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder places small bali portions at the doorway, the central floor-space, outside the house, and near a water-stand, invoking Dharma–Adharma, Dhruva, Mṛtyu, and Varuṇa respectively.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm mineral pigments, a traditional Brahmin house interior with marked threshold and central space; symbolic deities hovering: Dharma and Adharma at the doorway, Dhruva as a star/axis above the center, Mṛtyu outside the gate, Varuṇa near a water pot; ritual bali plates, serene protective mood.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf halos, stylized household mandala: doorway scene with Dharma–Adharma, central Dhruva emblem, outer Mṛtyu guardian, Varuṇa beside ornate water vessel; rich reds and greens, embossed ornaments, devotional domestic ritual.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework and soft shading, instructional layout showing four loci labeled (dvāra, madhya, bahis, udaka-sthāna) with the householder placing offerings; subtle deity icons as emblems; didactic composition.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed domestic courtyard and interior architecture; a patron performs offerings at threshold, center, outside, and near water-stand; small cartouches naming Dharma/Adharma, Dhruva, Mṛtyu, Varuṇa; fine textiles and precise spatial perspective."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: धर्माधर्ममयौ = धर्म-अधर्म-मयौ; गृहमध्ये = गृह-मध्ये; वहिर्दद्याद्वरुणायोदकाशये = वहिः दद्यात् वरुणाय उदक-आशये.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 263 (gṛhya-śrāddha/dāna-vidhi sequence); Agni Purana sections on bali and gṛhya rites (adjacent verses 263.18–263.21)
FAQs
It prescribes a spatially mapped household offering (bali/dāna) protocol: specific deities/forces are propitiated at the doorway, the house-center, outside, and at the water-storage area.
It records practical gṛhya-ritual micro-instructions linking domestic architecture (threshold, center, exterior, water-spot) with cosmological/ethical deities—showing the text’s coverage of lived ritual practice alongside theology and dharma.
By propitiating Dharma/Adharma, stabilizing Dhruva, appeasing Mṛtyu, and honoring Varuṇa at the water-place, the rite is meant to maintain household order, reduce obstacles and inauspiciousness, and support purity and protection.