Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 30
Chapter 56 — दिक्पालयागकथनम्
Account of the Worship of the Guardians of the Directions
सलोकोर्ध्वां दिशं रक्ष यज्ञस्याज नमोस्तु ते हिरण्यगर्भेति यजेन्नमस्ते ब्रह्मणेपि वा
salokordhvāṃ diśaṃ rakṣa yajñasyāja namostu te hiraṇyagarbheti yajennamaste brahmaṇepi vā
«Protège la direction d’en haut avec son monde (domaine), ô Seigneur du sacrifice; salutations à toi.» On doit rendre un culte avec le mantra « Hiraṇyagarbha »; ou bien aussi avec la salutation : « Hommage à toi, ô Brahman. »
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana’s ritual procedure, traditionally to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Protection of the zenith/upper direction (ūrdhva-diś) and its loka during yajña, with worship via ‘Hiraṇyagarbha’ mantra or a direct salutation to Brahman—used for vertical dikbandha and cosmic sealing of the rite.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Ūrdhva-diś rakṣā and Hiraṇyagarbha/Brahman worship option","lookup_keywords":["ūrdhva diś","saloka rakṣā","yajñasya aja","Hiraṇyagarbha mantra","Brahmaṇe namaḥ"],"quick_summary":"Invoke the Lord of sacrifice to protect the upper direction together with its realm; worship may be performed using the ‘Hiraṇyagarbha’ mantra or a simple ‘Obeisance to Brahman’ as an authorized alternative."}
Concept: Hiraṇyagarbha/Brahman as the cosmic source and sustaining principle; ritual protection extends beyond directions to lokas (realms).
Application: During dikbandha, mentally extend protection upward; use Hiraṇyagarbha mantra for cosmological grounding, or namaḥ to Brahman for concise practice.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Yajna-mantra-prayoga (Ritual Directions and Mantra Application)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A yajña altar beneath an open canopy; a vertical beam of light rises upward symbolizing the upper direction and its loka, while the priest chants ‘Hiraṇyagarbha’ to seal the space above.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, yajña pavilion with fire altar, luminous vertical column to the sky, subtle depiction of upper loka layers, priest chanting, warm earthy tones with bright white-gold light","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central golden vertical aura above altar, Hiraṇyagarbha as radiant cosmic egg motif in the upper register, heavy gold leaf, priest offering ghee below","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional depiction of ‘ūrdhva-diś’ arrow above mandapa, Hiraṇyagarbha (golden egg) icon at top, priest reciting, clean composition and fine detailing","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, pavilion scene with open sky, delicate cloud bands representing lokas, golden egg motif above, priest and assistants around altar, calligraphic ‘हिरण्यगर्भ’ panel"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: sa-loka+ūrdhvām written salokordhvāṃ (sandhi/orthography); namaḥ+astu→namostu; hiraṇyagarbha+iti→hiraṇyagarbheti; yajet+namaḥ→yajennamaḥ (t→n before n); namaḥ+te→namaste; brahmaṇe+api→brahmaṇepi.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 56 (directional protections; mantra alternatives)
FAQs
It gives a practical mantra-prayoga: during yajña, the upper (zenith) direction is ritually protected by worship using the mantra-name “Hiraṇyagarbha,” or by saluting “Brahman,” indicating alternative authorized invocations for dik-rakṣā.
It functions like a compact ritual handbook entry—prescribing direction-guarding (dik-rakṣā), specific mantra options, and the correct devotional address—showing how the Agni Purana catalogues actionable liturgical procedures alongside its many other disciplines.
Directional protection and correct mantra-invocation are taught as safeguards for the integrity of the sacrifice, supporting purity (śuddhi), obstacle-removal (vighna-śānti), and the successful fruition of yajña merit (puṇya).