Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 28
Chapter 64 — कूपादिप्रतिष्ठाकथनं
The Account of the Consecration of Wells and Other Water-Works
कृत्वाष्टौ स्थण्डिलान् रम्यान् सैकतान् देशिकोत्तमः वरुणस्येति मन्त्रेण साज्यमष्टशतं ततः
kṛtvāṣṭau sthaṇḍilān ramyān saikatān deśikottamaḥ varuṇasyeti mantreṇa sājyamaṣṭaśataṃ tataḥ
Après avoir préparé huit beaux sthaṇḍila (autels) de sable, l’officiant éminent offre ensuite huit cents oblations de ghee, au moyen du mantra commençant par «(Ô) Varuṇa…».
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana frame: Agni instructing Vasiṣṭha; chapter context is ritual instruction)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","practical_application":"Varuṇa-śānti oriented homa: constructing eight sandy sthaṇḍilas and offering a fixed count (800) of ghee oblations with a Varuṇa-mantra.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Varuṇa-śānti homa: eight sandy sthaṇḍilas and 800 ājya-āhutis","lookup_keywords":["Varuṇa śānti","aṣṭa sthaṇḍila","sai-kata altar","aṣṭaśata āhuti","ājya homa"],"quick_summary":"Prepare eight sand-based altars and perform a large-count ghee oblation (800) with a Varuṇa-mantra—used for appeasement, purification, and restoring harmony with the waters/cosmic order."}
Concept: Śānti is achieved through disciplined preparation (eight sthaṇḍilas) and sustained offering-count (800) aligned to a specific devatā-mantra.
Application: For Varuṇa-related appeasement rites, construct eight neat sand altars and complete the prescribed 800 ghee oblations without breaking count or mantra continuity.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Homa-vidhi (Ritual procedure and mantra-based offerings; Varuna-shanti context)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Eight small, pleasing sand altars arranged symmetrically; the officiant repeatedly offers ghee into the fire while reciting a Varuṇa-mantra; water pots and conch symbolize Varuṇa’s watery sovereignty.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, eight sand sthaṇḍilas in a mandalic arrangement, central priest offering ājya, blue-green water motifs and makara symbols for Varuṇa, rhythmic repetition suggested by multiple ladle-gesture echoes; bold sacred palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-highlighted flames and ghee vessels, eight sand altars with decorative borders, Varuṇa iconography (pāśa, makara, water waves) in a top register, rich jewel tones and gold work.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear layout of eight sthaṇḍilas with measurement-like neatness, priest counting up to 800 with a tally cord, labeled ‘Varuṇa-mantra’ scroll, calm instructional aesthetic.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, symmetrical garden-like ritual ground with eight sandy platforms, priest and assistants with ghee pots, delicate depiction of repeated offerings, water channel or basin nearby hinting Varuṇa; fine textile and vessel detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Malkauns","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कृत्वाष्टौ = कृत्वा + अष्टौ; साज्यमष्टशतं = स + आज्यम् + अष्टशतम् (sandhi with vowel coalescence).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 64 (Varuṇa-related homa/pūjā procedures)
FAQs
It specifies a precise śānti/homa protocol: prepare eight sand-made sthaṇḍilas and perform 800 ājya (ghee) oblations while reciting a Varuṇa-invoking mantra.
It exemplifies the text’s procedural detail in ritual technology—numbers of altars, material specification (sand), and quantified oblations—showing Agni Purana’s role as a practical manual alongside theology.
Varuṇa-related offerings are classically linked with purification and appeasement (śānti), aiming to remove ritual/ethical impurities and restore harmony through mantra-guided oblations.