Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 26
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
प्रताप्याग्नौ त्रिधा दर्भमूलमध्याग्रकैः स्पृशेत् कुशस्पृष्टप्रदेशे तु आत्मविद्याशिवात्मकं
pratāpyāgnau tridhā darbhamūlamadhyāgrakaiḥ spṛśet kuśaspṛṣṭapradeśe tu ātmavidyāśivātmakaṃ
Après avoir chauffé dans le feu l’herbe darbha, il doit toucher (le corps) de trois façons : avec la racine, le milieu et la pointe. Dans la région touchée par le kuśa, il doit établir ou contempler l’ātma‑vidyā, la connaissance du Soi, de nature śivaïte.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Teaches a fire-purified kuśa/darbha touch-rite (sparśa) mapped to body-nyāsa, using root–middle–tip contact as a threefold sanctification and as a locus for Śiva-natured self-knowledge contemplation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Trividha Darbha-sparśa (Root–Middle–Tip) and Ātmavidyā-Śiva-bhāvanā","lookup_keywords":["darbha","kuśa sparśa","tridhā","ātmavidyā","śiva bhāvanā"],"quick_summary":"Heat darbha in the fire, then touch the body thrice with root, middle, and tip; at the touched spot, establish contemplation of the Self as Śiva—linking physical purification with inner realization."}
Concept: Ātmavidyā culminates in Śiva-ātmatā (recognition of the Self as Śiva); external rite becomes a support (ālambana) for inner gnosis.
Application: Use tactile ritual cues (sparśa) as triggers for non-dual contemplation during pūjā/homa rather than treating them as mere externals.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Agneya-vidya (Fire-ritual procedure and mantra-nyasa)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A priest heats darbha in the fire, then touches his body in three points/ways with root, middle, and tip, visualizing a Śiva-luminous energy at each touched region.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized priest beside blazing homa-kunda, darbha held delicately, three sequential touch gestures shown in narrative panels, subtle aura at touched spots indicating Śiva-ātma-bhāvanā","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold accents on flames and ritual vessels, priest touching chest/limbs with darbha, radiant halo motifs at contact points, ornate borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, step-by-step instructional composition: darbha heated, then three touches labeled root/middle/tip, clean altar geometry, calm palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate ritual interior, detailed darbha blades, fire glow, three successive touch actions depicted with fine realism and soft illumination"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pratāpyāgnau → pratāpya + agnau; darbhamūlamadhyāgrakaiḥ → darbha-mūla-madhya-agrakaiḥ; kuśaspṛṣṭapradeśe → kuśa-spṛṣṭa-pradeśe; ātmavidyāśivātmakaṃ → ātma-vidyā-śiva-ātmakam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana nyāsa and bhāvanā instructions in the same Puja-vidhi sequence (75.27); Agni Purana sections on kuśa usage and śuddhi-kriyā in ritual preliminaries
FAQs
It teaches a threefold ritual touch (sparśa) using darbha/kuśa heated in fire—applying root, middle, and tip—paired with a contemplative placement (nyāsa/bhāvanā) of ātma-vidyā as Śiva-essence in the touched area.
It blends practical ritual technique (handling and application of sacred grass in fire rites) with a doctrinal contemplative layer (Self-knowledge identified with Śiva), showing the text’s characteristic integration of liturgy, yoga-like interiorization, and sectarian metaphysics.
The heated kuśa-touch functions as ritual purification and consecration, while the instruction to establish Śiva-natured Self-knowledge sacralizes the body/spot, orienting the act toward inner realization rather than mere external performance.