Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 11
Śrāddha-kalpa-kathana
Exposition of the Śrāddha Procedure
यथालाभोपपन्नेषु रौप्येषु तु विशेषतः दत्वान्नं पृथिवीपात्रमिति पात्राभिमन्त्रणं
yathālābhopapanneṣu raupyeṣu tu viśeṣataḥ datvānnaṃ pṛthivīpātramiti pātrābhimantraṇaṃ
Dans des récipients acquis selon ses moyens—surtout en argent—après y avoir déposé la nourriture en offrande, on doit consacrer le récipient en récitant : « Ceci est un récipient de terre (né de la terre) » ; telle est l’invocation de consécration du récipient.
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana’s ritual instructions, traditionally to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Guidance on appropriate offering vessels by means and the specific pātra-abhimantraṇa (‘pṛthivī-pātram’) used to consecrate the vessel, with a note favoring silver when possible.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Pātra-prāpti (yathālābha), raupya-pātra preference, and ‘pṛthivīpātram’ consecration","lookup_keywords":["yathālābha","raupya pātra","pātrābhimantraṇa","pṛthivīpātram","anna dāna"],"quick_summary":"Use vessels according to capacity—ideally silver—and sanctify the vessel with the ‘earth-born vessel’ formula before placing the offering."}
Concept: Dharma accommodates capacity (yathā-śakti/yathālābha) while maintaining saṃskāra through mantra; material choice supports śraddhā but does not override sincerity.
Application: If silver vessels are available, prefer them; otherwise use what is properly obtained, but always consecrate the vessel before use.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Dāna & Mantra-prayoga / Ritual Procedures)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Several vessels are arranged; a prominent silver vessel is shown. The officiant places food into a vessel and recites a consecration mantra identifying it as earth-born.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: row of vessels with one shining silver bowl, yajamāna touching/gesturing over the vessel in abhimantraṇa, palm-leaf manuscript motif in background, warm tones and bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ornate silver vessel with gold embossing highlights, food being placed, mantra-consecration gesture (right hand in mudrā), rich decorative frame and jewel-like colors.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional still-life emphasis—different vessels by affordability, silver highlighted; yajamāna performing pātra-abhimantraṇa; clean composition, fine detailing on metalwork.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: meticulous rendering of metal vessels and grains, courtly domestic interior, yajamāna reciting while placing food; subtle calligraphic cartouche for ‘pṛthivīpātram’."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यथा+लाभ+उपपन्नेषु → यथालाभोपपन्नेषु; दत्वा+अन्नम् → दत्वान्नम्; पृथिवीपात्रम्+इति → पृथिवीपात्रमिति
Related Themes: Agni Purana 163.12 (food sanctification mantras); Agni Purana 163.9-10 (śrāddha procedural flow)
FAQs
It teaches pātrābhimantraṇa—how to ritually consecrate the offering vessel (especially silver) after placing food, using the formula “pṛthivīpātram” to sacralize the vessel in a dāna/naivedya context.
Beyond mythology, it preserves practical liturgical micro-instructions—choice of vessel, suitability by means, and exact mantra-phrasing—showing the Agni Purana’s role as a handbook for ritual procedure (puja-vidhi) and dharmic practice.
Consecrating the vessel aligns the offering with purity and elemental sanctity (earth), supporting the merit (puṇya) of food-offering/dāna by ensuring the act is performed with proper ritual correctness (vidhi).