Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 53
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
स्रुगग्रे पुष्पमारोप्य पश्चाद्वामेन पाणिना पुनः सव्येन तौ धृत्वा शङ्खसन्निभमुद्रया
srugagre puṣpamāropya paścādvāmena pāṇinā punaḥ savyena tau dhṛtvā śaṅkhasannibhamudrayā
Après avoir placé une fleur à l’extrémité du sruva, puis l’avoir pris de la main gauche et, de nouveau, en tenant les deux instruments de la main droite, on doit procéder au moyen d’une mudrā semblable à une conque (śaṅkha).
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure, as typical for Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Apply mudrā and hand-sequence with sruva and flower placement to seal intention (saṅkalpa) and regulate the flow of offerings in homa.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śaṅkha-sannibha mudrā in homa: sruvāgre puṣpa-nyāsa and hand-transfer","lookup_keywords":["śaṅkha mudrā","sruvāgra puṣpa","mudrā-nyāsa","left hand right hand","homa upacāra"],"quick_summary":"Place a flower on the tip of the sruva, handle the implements in a prescribed left-right sequence, and proceed using a conch-like mudrā to complete the ritual action correctly."}
Concept: Mudrā as a bodily mantra: the body participates in meaning and seals the rite (kriyā-siddhi).
Application: Use consistent hand-gestures to stabilize attention and maintain procedural correctness in complex rites.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Tantric ritual procedure and mudrā-nyāsa)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A priest places a flower on the sruva tip, shifts grip from left to right hand, and forms a conch-like mudrā while facing the homa fire.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, close-up of hands forming śaṅkha-sannibha mudrā, flower at sruva tip, stylized conch motif in background, warm ochres and reds","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-highlighted conch motif, priest’s hands prominently posed in mudrā, flower bright against metal ladle, ornate jewelry-like detailing on implements","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional emphasis on hand positions: left-hand hold then right-hand hold, final śaṅkha-mudrā diagrammatic clarity, soft pastel palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined depiction of fingers and implements, flower delicately rendered, conch-shaped gesture echoed by a conch placed nearby, intricate textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: srugagre resolved as sruk-agre; puṣpamāropya split as puṣpam + āropya; paścādvāmena split as paścāt + vāmena; śaṅkhasannibhamudrayā resolved as śaṅkha-sannibha-mudrayā.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 75 (mudrā-nyāsa and homa upacāra); Agni Purana mantra-mudrā discussions in ritual chapters
FAQs
It teaches a precise pūjā-handling sequence: placing a flower on the sruva’s tip, shifting grip between left and right hands, and applying a specific conch-shaped (śaṅkha-sannibha) mudrā during the ritual act.
Beyond theology, it preserves operational liturgical detail—how implements are held and which mudrās accompany actions—showing the Agni Purāṇa’s practical manual-like coverage of temple and domestic worship techniques.
Correct sequence and mudrā in pūjā are traditionally held to ensure mantra-kriyā is ‘properly sealed’ (saṃskṛta), minimizing ritual fault (doṣa) and supporting purity, focus, and intended merit (puṇya) of the offering.