Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 14
Aghīrāstra-ādi-Śānti-kalpaḥ
Rite for Pacification of Aghora-Astra and Other Weapons
विकृता यत्र जायन्ते यात्राकाले ऽयुतं हुनेत् तिलाज्यलक्षहोमन्तु उत्तमासिद्धिसाधने
vikṛtā yatra jāyante yātrākāle 'yutaṃ hunet tilājyalakṣahomantu uttamāsiddhisādhane
Là où surgissent des anomalies de mauvais augure, au moment de partir en voyage on doit offrir mille oblations dans le homa. Mais pour obtenir l’accomplissement suprême, on accomplira cent mille oblations avec du sésame et du ghee.
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Ritual countermeasures for travel-omens and for attaining siddhi through graded homa counts, specifying materials (tila, ājya) and scale (1,000 vs 100,000).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Yātrā-kāla Homa for Omens; Lakṣa-homa with Sesame and Ghee for Uttama-siddhi","lookup_keywords":["yātrā-kāla","utpāta","sahasra-homa","tilājya","lakṣa-homa"],"quick_summary":"At the onset of a journey, if abnormalities/omens arise, perform a thousand oblations as a remedial homa. For the highest accomplishment, undertake a lakṣa (100,000) homa using sesame and ghee."}
Concept: Siddhi is proportional to saṅkhyā (count), dravya (materials), and niyama (observance); omens are met with deliberate ritual action.
Application: Use smaller homa as immediate travel-remedy; reserve lakṣa-homa as long-form disciplined practice for major aims.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Homa-prayoga (Ritual instructions for yajña, travel rites, and expiatory offerings)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A traveler preparing to depart while priests perform a homa; a clear contrast panel shows an extended lakṣa-homa with heaps of sesame and ghee, counting beads and offering ladles, indicating ‘uttama-siddhi’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized yajña scene with homa-kuṇḍa, priests offering tila and ājya, traveler with baggage at the edge, symbolic depiction of ‘100,000’ via repeated offering motifs, temple-like framing.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: richly ornamented homa altar with gold leaf on vessels, sesame and ghee offerings, traveler receiving blessings, luminous sacred fire, heavy decorative borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional clarity—layout of kuṇḍa, ladle, sesame bowl, ghee pot; a scribe-like counter marking 1,000 and 100,000; calm palette and fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: caravan departure with a small fire-rite in the foreground; second scene of a grand prolonged homa in a pavilion with attendants bringing sesame and ghee; intricate textiles and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ऽयुतम् = अयुतम् (अकार-लोपः due to avagraha after kāle). होमन्तु = होमम् + तु (म् + त् → न्त्).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 320 (travel omens and śānti measures); Agni Purana 321 (astra-mantra śānti and obstacle-removal)
FAQs
It prescribes a remedial fire-offering: perform 1,000 oblations at the start of a journey when inauspicious anomalies appear, and perform a 100,000-oblation sesame-and-ghee homa to seek the highest level of ritual success (siddhi).
It shows the text’s applied ritual science—linking omen-management, travel protocol, and graded homa counts (1,000 vs. 100,000) with specific substances (tila and ājya), demonstrating the Purana’s manual-like coverage of practical religious procedures.
The homa functions as a purification and obstacle-removal rite: it is meant to neutralize inauspicious conditions encountered at departure and to strengthen auspiciousness and attainment (siddhi) through intensified, substance-specific offerings.