Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 2
Chapter 60 — वासुदेवप्रतिष्ठादिविधिः
Procedure for the Installation of Vāsudeva and Related Rites
देवमनुषपैशाचभागेषु न कदाचन ब्रह्मभागं परित्यज्य किञ्चिदाश्रित्य चाण्डज
devamanuṣapaiśācabhāgeṣu na kadācana brahmabhāgaṃ parityajya kiñcidāśritya cāṇḍaja
Ô né de l’œuf, lorsqu’on attribue des parts destinées aux dieux, aux humains et aux piśāca (esprits), on ne doit jamais délaisser la part appartenant à Brahman (la part de Brahmā/Brāhmaṇa). Au contraire, on réservera toujours quelque chose en s’appuyant sur cette part, par respect pour elle.
Lord Agni (narrating)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","practical_application":"Ensuring the Brahman/Brahmā share is never omitted when distributing offerings among gods, humans, and piśācas—maintaining ritual completeness and dharmic priority.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Rule","entry_title":"Brahma-bhāga Anapāya (Never omitting the Brahman share in distribution)","lookup_keywords":["brahma-bhaga","bali-vibhaga","deva-manushya-pishacha","nitya-karma","dharma-niyama"],"quick_summary":"When apportioning ritual shares to various recipients, one must always reserve the Brahma portion; neglecting it is treated as a fault in distribution and undermines the rite’s dharmic balance."}
Concept: Hierarchy of obligation in ritual giving: the Brahma-share anchors the rite’s legitimacy and auspiciousness amid multiple claimants.
Application: In bali/naivedya distribution, explicitly earmark a Brahma portion (often for brāhmaṇa/ācārya or Brahmā-principle) before allocating other shares.
Khanda Section: Pūjā-vidhi / Nitya-karma and Bali-offerings (Ritual distribution of offerings)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual distributor arranges offering portions on plates labeled for devas, humans, and piśācas, while prominently reserving a central ‘Brahma-bhāga’ portion that is not to be omitted.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, top-down view of offering plates around a central reserved portion, priest pointing to the Brahma-share, stylized directional layout, warm earthy tones and bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate plates with gold embossing, central Brahma-bhāga highlighted with gilded border, priest and assistants in temple setting, rich reds and greens with gold detailing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic arrangement: clearly separated portions with inscriptions, central Brahma-bhāga emphasized, calm temple interior, fine linework and soft palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, meticulous depiction of trays and labels, distributor in courtly pavilion, central reserved portion guarded from being removed, decorative margins and delicate colors."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: devamanuṣapaiśācabhāgeṣu is a multi-member compound; kiñcidāśritya = kiñcit + āśritya; cāṇḍaja appears as an address; verse seems truncated in the provided excerpt.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 60 (pratiṣṭhā and offering distributions)
FAQs
It gives a procedural rule for bali/offerings: even while distributing portions to devas, humans, and piśācas, one must not omit the brahma-bhāga (the sacred Brahman/Brāhmaṇa portion) and should reserve at least some portion for it.
Beyond myth, the Agni Purana preserves practical liturgical protocol—fine-grained rules for allocating ritual shares—showing its coverage of applied dharma and temple/household worship procedure alongside broader theology.
Honoring the brahma-bhāga safeguards the rite’s completeness and dharmic correctness; neglecting it is treated as a ritual omission that diminishes merit, while maintaining it supports purity and auspicious results.