Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 14
Chapter 65 — सभास्थापनकथनं
Account of Establishing an Assembly-hall
पूश् चतुष्पथग्रामादाविति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः ध्वजादि इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः संस्थाप्य मनुजानाञ्च समुदायोक्तकर्मणा प्रातः सर्वौषधीस्नानं कृत्वा शुचिरतन्द्रितः
pūś catuṣpathagrāmādāviti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ dhvajādi iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ saṃsthāpya manujānāñca samudāyoktakarmaṇā prātaḥ sarvauṣadhīsnānaṃ kṛtvā śuciratandritaḥ
Après avoir installé Pūṣan (ou, selon une leçon manuscrite signalée, après avoir installé [la divinité] au carrefour des quatre routes du village ; et, selon une autre leçon signalée, après avoir installé l’étendard et le reste), et après avoir aussi accordé l’autorisation à l’assemblée des gens selon l’acte prescrit pour le rite collectif, on doit, à l’aube, prendre un bain avec toutes les herbes médicinales, demeurant pur et sans torpeur.
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana instructions to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Ayurveda","practical_application":"Conduct dawn purification for communal consecration/installation rites: obtain public assent per collective procedure and perform sarvauṣadhi-snāna (herbal bath) to ensure ritual purity and vigor.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Sarvauṣadhi-snāna and communal sanction in pūjā/pratiṣṭhā","lookup_keywords":["sarvauṣadhi-snāna","prātaḥ","samudāya-ukta-karma","dhvaja","Pūṣan"],"quick_summary":"For a collective rite, after installation steps and granting assent to the assembly, the officiant bathes at dawn with medicinal herbs, remaining pure and alert—linking ritual purity with herbal cleansing."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Śuddhi (purity) and apramāda (non-lethargy/alertness) are prerequisites for effective ritual action, especially in public/collective ceremonies.
Application: Before officiating, cultivate bodily cleanliness via herbal bath and mental vigilance; secure community consent to align social dharma with ritual performance.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Ritual procedure and consecration rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: mangala
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At dawn, a priest/officiant after installing Pūṣan or a banner at a public crossroads/temple precinct, formally granting permission to an assembled community, then performing a herbal bath with bundles of medicinal plants.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style dawn scene: village crossroads with installed deity emblem or dhvaja, gathered community, priest performing sarvauṣadhi bath with green herb bundles and water pot, warm ochres and deep greens, ritual purity focus","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: priest at sunrise with golden haloed dawn, ornate vessels, heaps of herbs labeled ‘auṣadhi’, community in attendance, installed dhvaja with gold work, rich reds and gold leaf","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style instructional sequence: panel 1 installation/permission to assembly, panel 2 dawn herbal bath with labeled herbs and vessels, clean lines and didactic captions in Sanskrit","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: early morning courtyard/crossroads, officiant bathing with attendants holding herb bundles, assembled townspeople receiving permission, delicate architecture and soft sunrise gradient"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: catuṣpathagrāmādāviti → catuṣpatha-grāma-ādau iti; manujānāñca → manujānām ca; samudāyoktakarmaṇā → samudāya-ukta-karmaṇā; sarvauṣadhīsnānaṃ → sarva-auṣadhī-snānam; śuciratandritaḥ → śuciḥ atandritaḥ (visarga sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 65 (pūjā/pratiṣṭhā sequence); Agni Purana sections on snāna, śauca, and āyurvedic dravyas (recensional)
FAQs
It prescribes a collective ritual setup (installation of a deity/banner at a designated place such as a crossroads) followed by a dawn-time sarvauṣadhī-snānā (herbal purification bath), emphasizing disciplined, alert purity.
It combines public/communal ritual protocol (samudāya-karman, permissions to participants, installation details) with a quasi-Ayurvedic purification practice (herbal bath), showing how the text integrates ritual law, social procedure, and practical health-oriented purification.
The verse frames purity as both bodily and ritual: installing sacred symbols correctly and bathing with herbs at dawn is presented as a means to remove impurity, maintain ritual fitness, and ensure the rite yields auspicious, merit-bearing results.