Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 42
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
वक्त्राणामेकतां कुर्यात् स्रुवेण घृतघारया ॐ हां सद्योजातवामदेवाघोरतत्पुरुषेशानेभ्यः स्वाहा इतीष्टवक्त्रे वक्त्राणामन्तर्भावस्तदाकृतिः
vaktrāṇāmekatāṃ kuryāt sruveṇa ghṛtaghārayā oṃ hāṃ sadyojātavāmadevāghoratatpuruṣeśānebhyaḥ svāhā itīṣṭavaktre vaktrāṇāmantarbhāvastadākṛtiḥ
Par un filet de ghee versé au moyen de la louche rituelle (sruva), on doit opérer l’unification des (cinq) Visages, en disant : « Oṃ hāṃ, à Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva, Aghora, Tatpuruṣa et Īśāna—svāhā. » Ainsi, dans le Visage souhaité (principal), les autres Visages sont résorbés, prenant précisément cette forme.
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue style)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Single-stream ghee offering to unify all five faces into the iṣṭa/principal face using a collective Pañcabrahma svāhā mantra.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pañcavaktra-ekatā (collective Pañcabrahma ghṛta-dhārā)","lookup_keywords":["vaktrāṇām ekatā","ghṛta-dhārā","sruc","Pañcabrahma svāhā","iṣṭa-vaktra"],"quick_summary":"Pour a continuous ghee stream with the ladle while reciting a single mantra addressed to all five faces; ritually ‘absorb’ the other faces into the chosen principal face."}
Concept: Many aspects culminate in one chosen form—bheda leading to abheda through focused sādhanā.
Application: After distinguishing aspects in earlier steps, consolidate into a single meditative form to complete the rite and stabilize the deity-presence.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Agni-hotra / Homa and Mantra-nyasa)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A single continuous ghee stream arcs from the ladle into the fire; above the flame, five Śiva faces dissolve into one radiant principal face.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dramatic ghee stream rendered as a bright ribbon, five mukha silhouettes in the smoke merging into one large serene Śiva face, warm firelight, temple mural ornamentation.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf on the ghee stream and halo, central unified Śiva mukha above Agni, faint fivefold motifs around, rich reds and blues, embossed jewelry-like detailing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean didactic layout: ladle, ghee stream, mantra panel, and a visual sequence of five faces merging into one, soft gradients and precise outlines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, close-up of ritualist’s hands pouring ghee, delicate flame and smoke forming five-to-one transformation, fine calligraphy of the collective mantra in a margin cartouche."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वक्त्राणामेकताम् = वक्त्राणाम् एकताम्; सद्योजात...ईशानेभ्यः treated as multi-member dvandva in dative plural; इतीष्टवक्त्रे = इति इष्ट-वक्त्रे; वक्त्राणामन्तर्भावः = वक्त्राणाम् अन्तर्भावः; तदाकृतिः = तत्-आकृतिः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 75.40-75.41 (preceding linking steps); Agni Purana 75.43 (īśāna-kalpa continuation)
FAQs
It teaches a homa-prayoga: while pouring ghee with the sruva, the practitioner recites a Pañcabrahma invocation and ritually ‘unifies’ the five faces by absorbing them into the chosen principal face/form for worship.
It exemplifies the Agni Purana’s practical ritual manual aspect—preserving precise mantra-forms, offering protocol (ghṛta with sruva), and visualization/nyāsa logic (absorption of forms), alongside its many other domains.
The act symbolizes integration of Śiva’s fivefold powers into a single focused form, aiding concentration and sanctifying the offering; performed correctly, it is understood to purify worship and strengthen the efficacy (siddhi) of the rite.