Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 16
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
आहुतित्रितयं दद्याच्छिरसाम्बुकणान्वितं सीमन्तोन्नयनं षष्ठे मासि सम्पूज्य रूपिणा
āhutitritayaṃ dadyācchirasāmbukaṇānvitaṃ sīmantonnayanaṃ ṣaṣṭhe māsi sampūjya rūpiṇā
Il doit offrir un ensemble de trois oblations, accompagné de l’aspersion de gouttes d’eau sur la tête ; puis, au sixième mois, après avoir dûment vénéré la divinité incarnée en forme, il doit accomplir le sīmantonnayana (rite de la raie des cheveux de la femme enceinte).
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, standard Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Guidance for sīmantonnayana in the sixth month: three oblations with head-sprinkling (śiras-ambu-kaṇa) and worship of the deity ‘embodied in form’ prior to the hair-parting rite.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Sīmantonnayana (6th month): three āhutis with head-sprinkling","lookup_keywords":["sīmantonnayana","sixth month","āhuti-traya","śiras-ambu-kaṇa","pregnancy samskāra"],"quick_summary":"Perform three oblations while sprinkling water-drops on the head; in the sixth month, after worship, conduct sīmantonnayana to protect and bless the mother and fetus."}
Concept: Lifecycle dharma: pregnancy is ritually guarded through samskāras that invoke protection, steadiness, and auspicious continuity of lineage.
Application: Observe month-specific timing (ṣaṣṭha-māsa) and preparatory worship before the central act (hair-parting), ensuring procedural purity.
Khanda Section: Samskara & Grihya-karma (Pregnancy rites / Ante-natal rituals)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vatsalya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual scene where the priest offers three oblations; simultaneously, water-drops are sprinkled upon the head, followed by the ceremonial parting of a pregnant woman’s hair in the sixth month after worship.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, serene household rite, priest by homa fire, attendant sprinkling water on the woman’s head, stylized depiction of hair-parting with auspicious motifs (lotus, conch), calm protective mood","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold highlights on jewelry and ritual vessels, pregnant woman seated, priest performing homa, water-drops rendered as pearl-like dots, hair-parting moment framed by ornate arch border","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional composition: left panel three āhutis, center panel head-sprinkling, right panel sīmantonnayana hair-parting; clear depiction of implements and sequence","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate zenana-like interior, fine textiles, priest and women attendants, delicate water-sprinkle detail, hair-parting ceremony with subtle gestures and refined facial expressions"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dadyācchirasāmbukaṇānvitaṃ = dadyāt + śiras-ambu-kaṇa-anvitam; sīmantonnayanam = sīmanta-unnayanam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 75 (sequence around puṃsavana and sīmantonnayana)
FAQs
It prescribes the procedure for sīmantonnayana: offer three oblations (āhuti-tritaya), sprinkle water-drops on the head as a purificatory act, and perform the hair-parting rite in the sixth month after due worship of the invoked deity.
Alongside theology and myth, the Agni Purana preserves practical domestic liturgy (gṛhya-karma), detailing household samskāras like prenatal rites with specific timings and ritual actions, showing its wide-ranging compendium style.
The triad of oblations and head-sprinkling function as purification and protective rites, intended to secure auspiciousness, fetal well-being, and merit through correctly timed samskāra performed with worship and mantra-guided ritual order.