Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 28
Nīrājana-vidhiḥ
Procedure of Nīrājana / Auspicious Lamp-Waving and Royal Propitiation
निष्क्रम्य नागमारुह्य तोरणेनाथ निर्गमेत् बलिं विभज्य विधिवद्राजा कुञ्जरधूर्गतः
niṣkramya nāgamāruhya toraṇenātha nirgamet baliṃ vibhajya vidhivadrājā kuñjaradhūrgataḥ
Nachdem er den Palast verlassen und einen Elefanten bestiegen hat, soll der König durch das Zeremonialtor (torana) hinausziehen. Nachdem er die Bali-Opfergaben vorschriftsgemäß verteilt hat, soll er, im Howdah sitzend, weiter voranschreiten.
Lord Agni (in dialogue with sage Vasiṣṭha, as the primary narrator of Agni Purana teachings)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Palace/City-gate
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नागमारुह्य = नागम् आरुह्य; तोरणेनाथ = तोरणेन अथ; विधिवद्राजा = विधिवत् राजा.
FAQs
It prescribes a rule-bound royal departure: the king exits, mounts an elephant, passes through the ceremonial toraṇa, and performs/distributes bali-offerings to ensure an auspicious and ritually correct procession.
It preserves practical governance-ritual protocol (royal movement, public ceremony, and offerings) alongside theology—showing the text’s coverage of statecraft, civic rites, and auspicious observances as part of applied dharma.
Performing bali and departing in a prescribed, auspicious manner is treated as a dharmic act that removes obstacles, secures public welfare and royal legitimacy, and aligns the king’s actions with ritual order (vidhi).