Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 46
Chapter 59 — अधिवासनकथनं
Adhivāsana: The Rite of Inviting and Stabilizing Hari’s Presence
गन्धपुष्पादिभिः सम्यक् साङ्गं सावरणं क्रमात् द्वादशाक्षरवीजैस्तु केशवादीन् समर्चयेत्
gandhapuṣpādibhiḥ samyak sāṅgaṃ sāvaraṇaṃ kramāt dvādaśākṣaravījaistu keśavādīn samarcayet
Avec parfums, fleurs et autres offrandes, qu’on adore correctement et selon l’ordre la Divinité avec ses aṅga (membres auxiliaires) et son āvaraṇa (cercle d’entourage); puis, au moyen des bīja-mantra de douze syllabes, qu’on honore Keśava et les autres (noms).
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Avaraṇa-arcana with upacāras (gandha, puṣpa, etc.) and japa/arcana of the twelve-syllable Vaiṣṇava mantra for Keśava and the vyūha/12-nāma sequence.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Aṅga-sāvaraṇa pūjā with Dvādaśākṣara bīja for Keśava-ādi","lookup_keywords":["dvādaśākṣara","Keśava","āvaraṇa-arcana","upacāra","Vaiṣṇava mantra"],"quick_summary":"Offer gandha-puṣpa etc. in sequence, worshiping the deity with aṅgas and āvaraṇa, then complete Keśava-ādi worship using the twelve-syllabled seed-mantra."}
Concept: Wholeness in worship: the deity is approached with limbs (aṅga) and cosmic entourage (āvaraṇa) through mantra and upacāra.
Application: Design pūjā to include both mantra-japa and tangible offerings, maintaining krama (sequence) for ritual integrity.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Vaishnava Mantra-Puja and Avarana-Archana)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A worship scene with incense and flowers offered in a clockwise sequence to a central Viṣṇu, with a ring of attendant deities; the priest recites the dvādaśākṣara while honoring Keśava and subsequent names.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, central Viṣṇu with conch-disc, surrounding āvaraṇa deities in a mandalic ring, priest offering flowers and sandal paste, rhythmic repetition implied by repeated hand gestures","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, richly ornamented Viṣṇu, gold leaf on jewelry and halo, trays of gandha and puṣpa, small medallions around showing Keśava-ādi forms, temple lamp glow","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional layout: numbered sequence of offerings, mantra text ribbon ‘dvādaśākṣara’, priest performing āvaraṇa-arcana around the icon","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed offering items (attar, garlands), circular arrangement of attendants, priest chanting with rosary, architectural niche framing the deity"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गन्धपुष्पादिभिः = गन्ध + पुष्प + आदिभिः; द्वादशाक्षरवीजैस्तु = द्वादशाक्षरवीजैः + तु (visarga sandhi); no other required splits.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa 59 (Vaiṣṇava mantra-pūjā and āvaraṇa-krama)
FAQs
It teaches a Vaiṣṇava pūjā sequence: offer gandha, puṣpa, etc., then perform sāṅga (ancillary/limb-based) worship and sāvaraṇa (retinue/enclosure) worship, culminating in Keśavaādi arcana using dvādaśākṣara bīja-mantras.
It exemplifies the Agni Purana’s manual-like coverage of applied ritual technology—precise sequencing of offerings, mantra-usage, and āvaraṇa-archana—alongside its many other domains (law, polity, medicine, arts).
By performing orderly, mantra-informed worship of Viṣṇu with aṅga and āvaraṇa components, the practitioner is understood to gain ritual purity, steadiness of devotion, and the merit associated with complete (samarcana) deity-propitiation.