Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 5

अध्याय ७३: सूर्यपूजाविधिः

Sūrya-pūjā-vidhi — The Procedure for Sun-Worship

Devanagari script

अग्न्यादौ विमलं सारमाराध्यं परमं सुखं सितरक्तपीतनीलवर्णान् सिंहनिभान् यजेत्

Transliteration

agnyādau vimalaṃ sāramārādhyaṃ paramaṃ sukhaṃ sitaraktapītanīlavarṇān siṃhanibhān yajet

Translation

En commençant par Agni, on doit vénérer le principe suprême, immaculé et essentiel—digne d’être apaisé et dispensateur de la félicité la plus haute—sous des formes blanche, rouge, jaune et bleue, à l’allure de lion.

Word by Word

• अग्नि-आदौ: at the beginning with Agni (first)
• अग्नि-आदौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; लोकेटिव-अर्थे अव्ययम् (in the beginning/at first, with reference to Agni)

• विमलम्: pure, spotless
• विमलम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (agreeing with ‘सारम्’)

• सारम्: essence
• सारम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (object)

• आराध्यम्: to be worshipped
• आराध्यम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु) → आराध्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be worshipped’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with ‘सारम्’)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (agreeing with ‘सुखम्’)

• सुखम्: happiness, bliss
• सुखम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (as object/apposition)

• सित-रक्त-पीत-नील-वर्णान्: having white, red, yellow, and blue colors
• सित-रक्त-पीत-नील-वर्णान्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पीत (प्रातिपदिक) + नील (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वर्णाः येषां ते); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन (qualifying the worshipped forms)

• सिंह-निभान्: lion-like
• सिंह-निभान्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सिंह इव निभाः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional mode)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Guides deity-dhyana and arcana by specifying auspicious visual forms (varna, vahana/ākṛti) to stabilize concentration and standardize worship.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Agnyādi-arcana: Vimalasāra worship with four hues and siṃha-nibha form","lookup_keywords":["Agni-arcana","vimalasāra","sita-rakta-pīta-nīla","siṃha-nibha"],"quick_summary":"Worship begins with Agni and proceeds by meditating on a pure essential principle in four color-forms; the lion-like aspect signals power and protection, supporting focused dhyāna and effective arcana."}

Kavya & Alamkara Layer

Alamkara Type: Upama

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śuddha-dhyāna of the ‘essential principle’ (sāra) as a means to paramasukha through upāsanā.

Application: Use color-form visualization to steady mind (ekāgratā) before offerings; treat the deity-form as a support for realizing purity and bliss.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Devatā-dhyāna and Arcana of Agni and related forms)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: Adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: Shanta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A worshipper begins arcana before a sanctified fire/Agni icon, visualizing four radiant color-forms—white, red, yellow, blue—each with a lion-like majesty, conveying immaculate essence and supreme bliss.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, Agni as luminous deity with four color emanations (white red yellow blue) around, lion-like aura, stylized flames, flat perspective, rich earthy pigments, sacred geometry halo, priest in añjali","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central Agni/tejas principle with embossed gold halo, four colored forms as surrounding medallions, lion-like visage or lion-throne motif, ornate arch, gemstones, devotional symmetry","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework and soft shading, instructional puja scene with labeled color-forms, Agni altar, lion-like iconography, calm devotee posture, minimal background","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly precision, devotee performing arcana before fire altar, four colored radiant figures in clouds, lion-like features subtly rendered, fine floral borders, delicate gold highlights"}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: अग्न्यादौ = अग्नि + आदौ; सारमाराध्यं = सारम् + आराध्यम्; सितरक्तपीतनीलवर्णान् is a multi-member compound; सिंहनिभान् = सिंह + निभान्.

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana Puja-vidhi sections on devatā-dhyāna and arcana (Agni/Sūrya/Śakti sequences)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Multi-coloured deity-forms (white/red/yellow/blue)
• Lion-like (siṃha-nibha) iconographic form

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It teaches a dhyāna/arcana rule: worship starting with Agni, visualizing the worship-worthy “pure essence” in specified colour-forms (white, red, yellow, blue) and a lion-like iconographic appearance.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

It preserves practical ritual-technology—iconography (varṇa, form), visualization, and worship procedure—showing the text’s handbook-like coverage of temple/household pūjā methods alongside other sciences.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

The verse frames correct worship and pure visualization as producing “parama sukha” (highest bliss), implying purification (vimala) and merit through properly directed devotion and ritual attention.