Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 44
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
हृदार्चितौ विसृष्टाग्नौ पितरौ विधिपूरणीं मूलेन वौषडन्तेन दद्यात् पूर्णां यथाविधि
hṛdārcitau visṛṣṭāgnau pitarau vidhipūraṇīṃ mūlena vauṣaḍantena dadyāt pūrṇāṃ yathāvidhi
Après avoir honoré avec ferveur du cœur les deux Pitṛs et avoir dûment congédié le feu sacré, on doit, selon la règle, présenter l’« offrande complète » (pūrṇā) qui accomplit le rite, en employant le mūla-mantra et en concluant par l’exclamation « vauṣaṭ ».
Lord Agni (in the Agni Purana’s primary narration to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Śrāddha completion: after honoring Pitṛs and dismissing the fire, offer the pūrṇā (complete oblation) with the mūla-mantra ending in vauṣaṭ to fulfill the rite.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śrāddha-pūrṇāhuti with Mūla-mantra (vauṣaṭ-anta)","lookup_keywords":["śrāddha","pitṛ-tarpaṇa","pūrṇāhuti","mūla-mantra","vauṣaṭ"],"quick_summary":"Conclude the ancestral rite by offering the prescribed ‘complete’ oblation using the root-mantra terminated by ‘vauṣaṭ’, after proper worship of the Pitṛs and formal dismissal of Agni."}
Concept: Pitṛ-yajña as a dharmic obligation; completion (pūrṇā) and proper dismissal (visṛṣṭāgni) ensure ritual integrity and continuity of lineage gratitude.
Application: Treat the concluding pūrṇāhuti as non-optional: it seals the rite, expresses fulfillment, and prevents incompleteness (apūrṇatā) in śrāddha performance.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Śrāddha-vidhi (Pitṛ-tarpaṇa and offerings to ancestors)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: karuṇa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A quiet śrāddha scene: offerings arranged, the fire formally dismissed, the performer offers the final pūrṇāhuti while invoking the Pitṛs with a root-mantra ending in vauṣaṭ.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, subdued sacred palette, performer with añjali before a low altar, pitṛ symbols (tarpana vessel, darbha) nearby, gentle smoke indicating dismissed fire, solemn reverence.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, śrāddha setting with brass vessels and offerings, final oblation highlighted with gold, ancestral presence suggested as faint halos above, devotional domestic sanctity.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear depiction of śrāddha implements (darbha, piṇḍa, water vessel), sequence showing ‘visṛṣṭāgni’ then ‘pūrṇā’ offering, mantra caption with ‘vauṣaṭ’, instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate household courtyard, detailed utensils and offerings, elder performing final oblation, soft atmospheric perspective, calligraphic ‘vauṣaṭ’ in a margin cartouche."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हृदार्चितौ = हृदा अर्चितौ; विसृष्टाग्नौ = विसृष्ट-अग्नौ; विधिपूरणीम् = विधि-पूरणीम्; वौषडन्तेन = वौषट्-अन्तेन; यथाविधि = यथा-विधि.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 75 (transition from homa to ancillary rites)
FAQs
It gives a procedural rule for Pitṛ-rites: after honoring the Pitṛs and formally concluding the fire-rite, one performs the completing ‘pūrṇā’ (final/complete offering) with the principal (mūla) mantra, ending with the vaṣaṭ-call (‘vauṣaṭ’).
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana preserves applied liturgical instructions—mantra usage, sequencing (worship → dismissal of fire → completing oblation), and technical ritual terms—functioning as a compact ritual handbook within its broad encyclopedic scope.
By correctly completing the rite (vidhi-pūraṇa) and offering the final oblation to the Pitṛs, the performer is understood to secure ancestral satisfaction (pitṛ-prīti) and accrue purificatory merit through proper ritual completion.