Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 6
Chapter 72 — स्नानविशेषादिकथनम्
Special Rules of Bathing, Mantra-Purification, and Sandhyā
अस्त्रसन्ध्यामुपास्याथ विधिस्नानं समाचरेत् सारस्वतादितीर्थानां एकमङ्कुशमुद्रया
astrasandhyāmupāsyātha vidhisnānaṃ samācaret sārasvatāditīrthānāṃ ekamaṅkuśamudrayā
Après avoir accompli le culte de l’Astra-sandhyā, qu’il entreprenne ensuite le bain rituel prescrit selon la règle. Et par une seule Aṅkuśa-mudrā, on peut obtenir le rite ou le fruit des tīrtha sacrés, à commencer par le Sārasvata tīrtha.
Lord Agni (narrating the ritual procedure to the sage Vashistha in the Agni Purana’s instructional frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Sequence of astra-sandhyā followed by vidhi-snānā; use of aṅkuśa-mudrā to ritually access/appropriate tīrtha-phala without physical travel.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Astra-sandhyā, Vidhi-snānā, and Tīrtha-phala via Aṅkuśa-mudrā","lookup_keywords":["astra-sandhyā","vidhi-snānā","aṅkuśa-mudrā","Sārasvata-tīrtha","tīrtha-sevana"],"quick_summary":"Perform astra-sandhyā first, then the prescribed bath; by a single aṅkuśa-mudrā one ritually obtains the merit of tīrthas beginning with Sārasvata."}
Weapon Type: Astra (mantra-weapon)
Concept: Ritual sequence (sandhyā → snāna) and symbolic access to sacred geography through sanctioned gestures.
Application: For householders unable to travel, employ authorized mudrā-prayoga to connect to tīrtha-merit while maintaining daily discipline.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Sandhya, Snana, Tirtha-sevana, Mudra-prayoga)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner completes astra-sandhyā at dawn, then performs ritual bath; hands form aṅkuśa-mudrā as luminous tīrtha symbols appear around.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dawn sky, temple tank, sādhaka in wet cloth, clear aṅkuśa hand-gesture, stylized tīrtha emblems floating (conch, lotus, river motifs), warm sacred palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-highlighted mudrā hand, ornate ghat steps, divine tīrtha icons encircling the devotee, rich reds and greens, embossed gold for ‘merit aura’.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional plate: left—astra-sandhyā posture; right—snāna; inset—close-up of aṅkuśa-mudrā with labeled finger positions; delicate shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, riverside pavilion, figure performing sandhyā then bathing, precise depiction of hand mudrā, faint cartouche-like tīrtha names around the border."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: astrasandhyāmupāsya → astra-sandhyām upāsya; sārasvatāditīrthānām → sārasvata-ādi-tīrthānām; ekamaṅkuśamudrayā → ekam aṅkuśa-mudrayā.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 72 (mudrā-prayoga; tīrtha-sevana by mantra/gesture)
FAQs
It prescribes a sequence: first the protective Astra-sandhyā worship, then the rule-based ritual bath (vidhi-snāna), and it introduces the use of the Aṅkuśa-mudrā as a ritual technique connected with tīrtha-related efficacy.
It compresses multiple domains—daily/occasional rites (sandhyā), purification practice (snāna-vidhi), pilgrimage theology (tīrtha-phala), and tantric-ritual technology (mudrā)—showing how the Agni Purana integrates practical liturgy with broader sacred geography and esoteric ritual methods.
The instruction frames purification as both protective (via Astra-sandhyā) and merit-generating (via snāna and tīrtha-phala), implying that correct procedure and focused ritual gestures (mudrā) can intensify cleansing and the religious benefit of sacred bathing.