Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 18
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
जातकर्मनृकर्मभ्यां दशमे मासि पूर्ववत् वह्निं सन्धुक्ष्य दर्भाद्यैः स्नानं गर्भमलापहं
jātakarmanṛkarmabhyāṃ daśame māsi pūrvavat vahniṃ sandhukṣya darbhādyaiḥ snānaṃ garbhamalāpahaṃ
Pour le jātakarma et les rites humains qui suivent, au dixième mois, comme précédemment : après avoir attisé le feu sacré (vahni), on doit accomplir le bain avec l’herbe kuśa (darbha) et autres, bain qui ôte les impuretés du sein maternel.
Lord Agni (in dialogue tradition, narrating purāṇic ritual instructions)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Jātakarma and allied post-birth rites in the tenth month: kindle fire and perform a kuśa-assisted bath to remove garbha-mala (womb-related impurities), establishing śauca for subsequent samskāras.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Jātakarma preparation: fire-kindling and kuśa-bath removing garbha-mala","lookup_keywords":["jātakarma","tenth month","kuśa (darbha) bath","garbha-mala","post-birth rites"],"quick_summary":"In the tenth month, kindle the sacred fire and perform a bath using kuśa and related purifiers to remove birth-impurity, preparing for jātakarma and subsequent rites."}
Concept: Śauca (purity) as enabling condition for dhārmic action: removal of garbha-mala precedes the child’s formal entry into ritual society via jātakarma.
Application: Maintain strict cleanliness and prescribed preliminaries (agni-sandhukṣaṇa, darbha usage) before conducting birth rites.
Khanda Section: Samskara-vidhi (Garbhadhana to Jatakarma rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vatsalya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"After childbirth, the sacred fire is kindled; a ritual bath is prepared with kuśa grass and purifying items, symbolizing removal of garbha impurities before jātakarma.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, gentle domestic scene: homa fire glowing, kuśa bundles and water pot, attendants preparing bath, subdued maternal-newborn presence implied, auspicious motifs (mango leaves, lotus)","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold accents on fire and kalasha, kuśa grass rendered with stylized detail, ritual bath setup near the homa-kunda, rich textiles and auspicious border designs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional still-life: homa-kunda, kuśa (darbha) bundle, water vessel, bathing area; clear depiction of steps ‘kindle fire’ then ‘kuśa-bath’","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined interior with attendants, small fire altar, detailed rendering of kuśa and water vessels, narrative moment of preparation for newborn rite"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: jātakarmanṛkarmabhyāṃ = jāta-karma + nṛ-karma + bhyām (dvandva + instr.dual); sandhukṣya = sam + dhukṣya (ktvānta); darbhādyaiḥ = darbha-ādyaiḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 75 (jātakarma and śauca-related prayogas)
FAQs
It prescribes a jātakarma-related procedure: kindle the ritual fire and perform a purificatory bath using darbha (kuśa) and similar substances to remove birth-related impurity (garbha-mala).
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana catalogs practical dharma and household ritual technology—here, detailed saṃskāra procedure (fire-kindling, purificatory materials, timing in the tenth month) for life-cycle rites.
The rite frames birth as a transition requiring śuddhi (purification): removing garbha-mala through fire and ritual bathing is treated as restoring ritual fitness and auspiciousness for subsequent ceremonies.