Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 13
Chapter 303: Mantras for Worship Beginning with the Five-syllable (Pañcākṣara) — पञ्चाक्षरादिपूजामन्त्राः
हस्ताभिषेकं कृत्वाथ प्रायात् पूजादिकं बुधः मूलेनाब्जासनं कुर्यात्तेन पूरककुम्भकान्
hastābhiṣekaṃ kṛtvātha prāyāt pūjādikaṃ budhaḥ mūlenābjāsanaṃ kuryāttena pūrakakumbhakān
Having performed the hand-ablution, the wise practitioner should then proceed to the acts of worship and the rest. By the mūla-mantra (root-mantra) he should assume the lotus-seat; and with that same root-mantra he should perform prāṇāyāma—pūraka (inhalation) and kumbhaka (breath-retention).
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Yoga","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Integrate ritual purity (hand-ablution) with worship, then mantra-supported posture (padmāsana) and regulated breath (pūraka, kumbhaka) as immediate preparation for deeper japa/dhyāna.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pūjā-krama with padmāsana and mantra-led prāṇāyāma","lookup_keywords":["hastābhiṣeka","pūjā","mūla-mantra","padmāsana","pūraka-kumbhaka"],"quick_summary":"After cleansing the hands, proceed with worship; then sit in lotus posture and perform inhalation and retention, coordinated with the root-mantra, to stabilize mind and prāṇa for sādhana."}
Concept: Ritual action (kriyā) is completed by inner regulation (prāṇāyāma) using mantra as the linking principle.
Application: Before japa/meditation, do brief cleansing, assume stable seat, then a measured pūraka–kumbhaka cycle synchronized with mantra to reduce distraction.
Khanda Section: Pūjā-vidhi / Yoga-prāṇāyāma (Ritual procedure with breath-regulation)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner washes hands over a vessel, then sits in padmāsana before a small altar, counting breath with a mālā while silently aligning the root-mantra to inhalation and retention.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, sādhaka in padmāsana before lamp-lit altar, hands freshly washed, stylized breath lines subtle, calm facial expression, warm temple interior tones.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf lamp and altar frame, sādhaka seated in lotus with mālā, ritual vessels gleaming, devotional stillness with ornate borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional clarity: sequence panels—hand ablution, pūjā items, padmāsana, breath phases labeled pūraka/kumbhaka; delicate linework and soft palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate interior with prayer niche, sādhaka seated cross-legged (lotus), attendant objects (mālā, water pot), refined textiles, quiet concentration."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कृत्वाथ = कृत्वा + अथ; मूलेनाब्जासनं = मूलेन + अब्जासनम्; कुर्यात्तेन = कुर्यात् + तेन.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 303 (pūjā-vidhi with prāṇāyāma)
FAQs
It prescribes a precise worship-preparatory sequence: hand-ablution (hastābhiṣeka), then proceeding to pūjā, adopting padmāsana, and performing pūraka–kumbhaka prāṇāyāma while employing the mūla-mantra.
It integrates multiple disciplines in a single operational instruction—ritual hygiene, mantra-application, yogic posture, and prāṇāyāma—showing how the Agni Purāṇa blends pūjā-vidhi with yoga/tantric praxis as a practical handbook.
The hand-ablution symbolizes purification, while mantra-supported āsana and regulated breath steady the mind and prāṇa, making the worship more focused and ritually “fit,” thereby enhancing the efficacy (siddhi) and merit (puṇya) of the pūjā.