Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 2
अध्याय ११५ — गयायात्राविधिः
Procedure for the Pilgrimage to Gayā
कृत्वा प्रतिदिनङ्गच्छेत् संयतश्चाप्रतिग्रही गृहाच्चलितमात्रस्य गयया गमनं प्रति
kṛtvā pratidinaṅgacchet saṃyataścāpratigrahī gṛhāccalitamātrasya gayayā gamanaṃ prati
Après avoir accompli les observances quotidiennes prescrites, qu’on se mette chaque jour en route, maître de soi et sans accepter de dons ; pour celui qui n’a fait que quitter sa demeure, le voyage doit être entrepris en prenant Gayā pour destination visée.
Lord Agni (in dialogue tradition, instructing sage Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Pilgrimage discipline for Gayā-yātrā: daily regulated movement, self-restraint, and avoidance of gift-taking to preserve ritual purity and intention (saṅkalpa).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Gayā-yātrā-niyama (daily conduct: saṃyama & apratigraha)","lookup_keywords":["Gayā-yātrā","saṃyama","apratigraha","nitya-karman","saṅkalpa"],"quick_summary":"Begin the journey after daily observances, proceed day by day with restraint, and do not accept gifts; keep Gayā as the fixed destination-intention."}
Concept: Dharma is safeguarded by niyama (self-restraint) and apratigraha (non-acceptance), making the rite efficacious.
Application: Maintain ethical purity during pilgrimage: avoid transactional piety, keep vows, and sustain a clear intention toward the sacred goal.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-yatra & Shraddha-vidhi (Gaya-mahatmya / Pinda-dana related observances)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A restrained pilgrim sets out from home after daily rites, walking day by day toward Gayā, refusing gifts offered on the road, holding a water-pot and staff, with the destination implied by distant sacred landscape.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: a calm dharmic pilgrim with kamaṇḍalu and daṇḍa, simple white garments, palm-leaf bundle, village threshold behind, long road leading to a stylized Gayā tīrtha landscape, flat warm colors, bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: central pilgrim figure with halo-like aureole of dharma, ornate but restrained border, gold-leaf accents on the kamaṇḍalu and path motifs, distant temple/ghāṭ silhouette labeled Gayā, devotional ambience.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: instructional composition showing sequence—morning nitya-karman at home, then departure, then refusal of gifts—soft shading, delicate lines, minimal background, captions in Devanagari style.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed travel scene with attendants offering gifts which the pilgrim declines, roadside trees and caravan path, architectural home gate behind, distant river/ghāṭ indicating Gayā, fine brushwork and naturalistic palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रतिदिनङ्गच्छेत् → प्रतिदिनम् + गच्छेत्; संयतश्चाप्रतिग्रही → संयतः + च + अप्रतिग्रही; गृहाच्चलितमात्रस्य → गृहात् + चलितमात्रस्य.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Gayā-māhātmya / śrāddha-vidhi sections in the same khanda; Agni Purana: general dāna-pratigraha cautions in dharma portions
FAQs
It prescribes the discipline for Gaya-yatra: proceed daily after completing prescribed duties, remain self-controlled, and avoid accepting gifts (apratigraha) while undertaking the pilgrimage.
Beyond mythology, it codifies practical dharma for pilgrimage—behavioral restraints, travel-vrata, and ritual readiness—showing the text’s coverage of lived religious practice alongside other sciences and teachings.
Self-restraint and non-acceptance of gifts preserve the purity (śuddhi) and intention (saṅkalpa) of the pilgrimage, supporting the merit of rites associated with Gaya, especially ancestral offerings.