Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 21
Sāma-vidhāna
Procedure of the Sāman Hymns
वासकेध्मसहस्रन्तु हुतं युद्धे जयप्रदं हस्त्यश्वपुरुषान् कुर्याद्बुधः पिष्टमयान् शुभान् अथर्वशिरसो ऽध्येता सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते प्राधान्येन तु मन्त्राणां किञ्चित् कर्म तवेरितं
vāsakedhmasahasrantu hutaṃ yuddhe jayapradaṃ hastyaśvapuruṣān kuryādbudhaḥ piṣṭamayān śubhān atharvaśiraso 'dhyetā sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate prādhānyena tu mantrāṇāṃ kiñcit karma taveritaṃ
La oblación de mil trozos de leña de vāsaka, ofrecida al fuego, concede la victoria en la batalla. El sabio debe modelar con masa figuras auspiciosas de elefantes, caballos y hombres. El recitador (estudiante) del Atharvaśiras queda libre de todos los pecados. Así, subrayando la primacía de los mantras, se te ha expuesto un determinado acto ritual.
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Victory-procuring homa using specified samidh count and symbolic dough-figures; sin-purification via Atharvaśiras recitation.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Vāsaka-samid-homa for jaya (battle-victory) and Atharvaśiras-prāyaścitta","lookup_keywords":["vāsaka samidh","sahasra-homa","jaya prayoga","piṣṭa-maya hastyaśva","Atharvaśiras pāpa-kṣaya"],"quick_summary":"Offer 1000 vāsaka kindling pieces into fire for victory; prepare auspicious dough-figures of elephant/horse/man; Atharvaśiras study is stated to remove sins, underscoring mantra-primacy."}
Concept: Mantra-prādhānya (primacy of mantra) with karma (rite) as its applied vehicle; śuddhi (sin-removal) through Atharvaśiras.
Application: Treat mantra as the core efficacy; perform homa with correct count/materials and maintain disciplined recitation for inner and outer success.
Khanda Section: Mantra-shastra & Homa-vidhi (Ritual applications for protection and victory)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A fire-altar with a learned officiant offering a thousand vāsaka sticks; nearby are dough-made figures of an elephant, horse, and a man; a manuscript of Atharvaśiras is present as the source of purification.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, homa scene with agni-kunda, brahmin in white dhoti offering vāsaka samidh, dough effigies of elephant horse man arranged on banana leaf, warm ochres and reds, stylized flames, sacred manuscript motif","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central agni-kunda with gold-leaf flames, priest performing homa, ornate borders, dough elephant-horse-man icons on a tray, subtle halo effect around Atharvaśiras palm-leaf manuscript, rich reds and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, instructional ritual layout: labeled vāsaka samidh bundle, count marks suggesting 1000, agni-kunda, priest posture, dough figures neatly placed, clean lines and soft shading","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court-camp ritual before battle: pandit at fire, attendants holding bundles of vāsaka sticks, small dough animal figures, detailed textiles and tents, fine brushwork, controlled flame depiction"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vāsakedhmasahasrantu → vāsaka-edhma-sahasram tu; kur yādbudhaḥ → kuryāt budhaḥ; atharvaśiraso 'dhyetā → atharva-śirasaḥ adhyetā; taveritaṃ → tava īritam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 260 (Mantra-śāstra, homa-vidhi context)
FAQs
It prescribes a specific victory-oriented homa: offering one thousand vāsaka fuel-sticks and preparing dough effigies (elephant, horse, man) as part of a mantra-prayoga linked to Atharvaśiras.
It combines practical ritual technology (measured oblations, specified materials, symbolic effigies) with Atharvavedic mantra authority and ethical-spiritual outcomes (sin-removal), illustrating the text’s broad coverage from warfare efficacy to expiatory doctrine.
Beyond promised battlefield success, it states that studying/reciting the Atharvaśiras purifies the practitioner, freeing them from all sins—framing the rite as both pragmatic and expiatory.