Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 46
Chapter 61 — द्वारप्रतिष्ठाध्वजारोहाणादिविधिः
Gateway Installation, Flag Hoisting, and Allied Rites
इति ग, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः मण्डले इति ग, ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकद्वयपाठः स्वर्णचक्रन्तु मध्यत इति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः नेत्रं यत्नेन च्छादयेदिति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः ॐ क्षौं नृसिंहाय नम इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः दधिभक्तयुते पात्रे ध्वजस्याग्रं निवेशयेत् ध्रुवाद्येन फडन्तेन ध्वजं मन्त्रेण पूजयेत्
iti ga, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ maṇḍale iti ga, ṅa, cihnitapustakadvayapāṭhaḥ svarṇacakrantu madhyata iti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ netraṃ yatnena cchādayediti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ oṃ kṣauṃ nṛsiṃhāya nama iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ dadhibhaktayute pātre dhvajasyāgraṃ niveśayet dhruvādyena phaḍantena dhvajaṃ mantreṇa pūjayet
En plaçant la pointe (le fleuron) de la bannière/hampe dans un vase contenant du caillé mêlé de riz cuit, on doit l’installer. Puis, au moyen d’un mantra commençant par « dhruvā- » et se terminant par l’exclamation protectrice « phaḍ », on doit adorer la bannière avec ce mantra. (Les segments précédents sont des notes de variantes manuscrites, avec des leçons telles que « dans le maṇḍala », « un disque d’or au milieu », « couvrir l’œil avec soin » et le mantra « oṃ kṣauṃ nṛsiṃhāya namaḥ ».)
Lord Agni (in dialogue, traditionally narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Dhvaja-stambha installation: seat the banner tip in a curd-and-rice vessel, then worship with a protective mantra (dhruvādi…phaḍ) to stabilize and guard the rite; also preserves textual variant readings for correct ritual performance.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Dhvaja-agra sthāpana in dadhi-bhakta and dhruvādi-phaḍ mantra-pūjā","lookup_keywords":["dhvaja","dadhi-bhakta","dhruvādi mantra","phaḍ","pūjā"],"quick_summary":"Fix the banner’s finial in a vessel of curd mixed with cooked rice, then consecrate it with a dhruvā-beginning mantra ending in phaḍ for protective sealing."}
Concept: Ritual efficacy depends on correct materials (dadhi, bhakta), correct placement (agra-niveśa), and correct mantra-form (dhruvādi…phaḍ); variant readings matter for orthopraxy.
Application: Use stabilizing, auspicious substances for installation and employ protective ‘phaḍ’ ending to ‘cut’ obstacles; consult reliable pāṭha when performing.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Dhvaja-stambha / banner installation and mantra worship)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A banner finial is set into a vessel filled with curd and cooked rice; the priest sprinkles and offers worship while chanting a dhruvādi mantra ending with phaḍ; marginal notes show variant readings on palm-leaf manuscripts.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, priest installing dhvaja tip into a white vessel of curd-rice, assistants holding banner, palm-leaf manuscript with variant marks nearby, warm temple ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate dhvaja with gold embossing, vessel with curd-rice rendered in bright whites, mantra-worship scene with gold highlights, decorative borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional composition: close-up of vessel, banner tip insertion, priest chanting ‘dhruvā…phaḍ’, neat arrangement of ritual items, subtle colors","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed ritual workshop scene, banner staff and vessel, scribe-like manuscript notes in corner, fine textiles and precise utensils"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ध्वजस्याग्रं = ध्वजस्य + अग्रम्; च्छादयेदिति = च्छादयेत् + इति. This item contains critical apparatus words (ga/ṅa/kha etc.) treated as indeclinable sigla.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 61 (dhvaja rites; Nṛsiṃha protection; maṇḍala and cakra placement variants)
FAQs
It teaches a dhvaja (banner/flagstaff) installation step: inserting the banner’s tip into a vessel with curd and rice, then performing mantra-based worship using a “dhruvā-” opening and a protective “phaḍ” ending (with manuscript tradition also linking Nṛsiṃha-mantra usage).
It preserves practical temple-ritual micro-procedures—materials (dadhi-bhakta), installation action (niveśa), and specialized mantra morphology (dhruvādi…phaḍ)—showing the Agni Purana functioning as a manual of applied liturgy alongside its many other disciplines.
Consecrating and worshipping the dhvaja is treated as energizing the deity’s emblem and protecting the ritual space; the “phaḍ” ending signals warding-off of obstacles, while offerings like curd and rice signify auspiciousness and ritual purity.