Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 21
Devapūjā, Vaiśvadeva Offering, and Bali (देवपूजावैश्वदेवबलिः)
आकाशे च तथा चोर्ध्वे स्थण्डिलाय क्षितौ तथा दिवा दिवाचरेभ्यश् च रात्रौ रात्रिचरेषु च
ākāśe ca tathā cordhve sthaṇḍilāya kṣitau tathā divā divācarebhyaś ca rātrau rātricareṣu ca
Asimismo, la ofrenda o apaciguamiento debe hacerse en el cielo y en lo alto; también sobre el sthāṇḍila, el altar de tierra preparado, en la tierra; de día para los seres que vagan de día, y de noche entre los que vagan de noche.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Protective appeasement across vertical and temporal domains: offerings to beings above/in the sky, on the earth’s sthandila, and to day-roaming and night-roaming entities at their respective times—used to pacify unseen forces and prevent disturbances.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Appeasement of aerial, terrestrial, diurnal and nocturnal beings (sthāṇḍila rite)","lookup_keywords":["sthāṇḍila","divācara","rātricara","ākāśa-bali","bhūta-śānti"],"quick_summary":"Make appeasement offerings upward/in the sky and on the prepared ground-altar; perform by day for diurnal beings and by night for nocturnal beings—timing and locus are integral to efficacy."}
Concept: Kāla-deśa-niyama: right time and right place govern ritual interaction with subtle beings; harmony is maintained by respecting their domains.
Application: Schedule appeasement rites appropriately (day vs night) and use a properly prepared sthāṇḍila to reduce fear, disturbances, and perceived inauspicious events in the household.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Protective rites and appeasement rituals for beings of day/night and directions)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Ritual space and time (kāla) context
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A prepared sthandila on the ground receives offerings; the performer gestures upward to the sky, then performs separate appeasements for day-wandering beings and night-wandering beings under changing light.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: split scene with bright day and deep night; central sthāṇḍila on earth; the ritualist offering upward into ākāśa; faint silhouettes of divācara beings in daylight and rātricara beings in moonlit darkness; protective, solemn tone.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ornate sthāṇḍila with lamps; gold-highlighted sky band above receiving offering; two side panels—day scene with bright palette and night scene with dark blues and gold stars; devotional protective theme.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional two-frame composition: (1) ākāśa/ūrdhva and sthāṇḍila on kṣiti, (2) day vs night timing; labeled elements; clean lines and gentle colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed courtyard with a drawn sthāṇḍila; one half sunlit with divācara figures, the other moonlit with rātricara figures; the officiant repeats offerings; fine starry sky and architectural detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चोर्ध्वे = च ऊर्ध्वे; दिवाचरेभ्यः = दिवा-चरेभ्यः; रात्रिचरेषु = रात्रि-चरेषु.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 263.17–263.20 (locus/direction offerings)
FAQs
It specifies the correct placement and timing of pacificatory offerings: upward/in space and on a prepared sthaṇḍila on earth, performed by day for day-moving beings and by night for night-moving beings.
It preserves practical ritual logistics—where and when to perform offerings—showing the text’s catalog-like coverage of applied religious procedures alongside many other sciences and disciplines.
By aligning offerings with proper place and time, the rite is considered more efficacious for appeasement and protection, reducing disturbances attributed to roaming beings and supporting ritual purity and auspiciousness.