Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 61
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
ॐ हां रुद्रेभ्यः स्वाहा पूर्वे मातृभ्यो दक्षिणे तथा वारुणे हां गणेभ्यश् च स्वाहा तेभ्यस्त्वयं बलिः
oṃ hāṃ rudrebhyaḥ svāhā pūrve mātṛbhyo dakṣiṇe tathā vāruṇe hāṃ gaṇebhyaś ca svāhā tebhyastvayaṃ baliḥ
« Oṃ. “Hāṃ”—aux Rudra, svāhā. Aux Mères à l’est, et de même (aux Mères) au sud. Dans la direction de Varuṇa, “Hāṃ”—aux Gaṇa, svāhā. Pour eux, ceci est l’offrande bali. »
Lord Agni (narrating ritual procedure to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purāṇa’s common dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","practical_application":"Provides a bali-mantra mapping offerings to Rudras, Mātṛs, and Gaṇas with directional cues and bīja/seed-syllable usage for ritual authorization.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Bali-mantra for Rudras, Mātṛs, and Gaṇas (with Hāṃ)","lookup_keywords":["hāṃ","rudra-bali","mātṛ-bali","gaṇa-bali","svāhā"],"quick_summary":"Recite the specified mantra using ‘hāṃ’ and ‘svāhā’ while offering bali to Rudras, the Mothers (directionally placed), and Gaṇas in the Varuṇa quarter."}
Concept: Mantra + direction + offering constitutes a complete ritual address (saṃbodhana) to devatā-gaṇas for pacification and protection.
Application: Use the mantra as a fixed verbal ‘address label’ so offerings are not anonymous; prevents ritual ambiguity and is used in bhūta/gaṇa-śānti contexts.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Bali-mantra and Deva-gana-tarpana offerings)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhaya
Type: Sacred-direction (dik)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Priest reciting a bali-mantra with ‘hāṃ’ and ‘svāhā’, placing offerings to Rudras, then to Mātṛs in specified quarters, and to Gaṇas in the Varuṇa direction.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: priest with palm-leaf manuscript, speech-scroll showing ‘hāṃ…svāhā’, stylized Rudra-gaṇas and Mātṛs indicated at edges of the mandala, offerings in small leaf-bowls, strong reds and greens.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central priest before kuṇḍa, gold-embossed mantra band ‘hāṃ…svāhā’, small framed vignettes of Rudras and Mātṛs at margins, ornate vessels with gold work.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: diagrammatic directional layout—east and south marked for Mātṛs, west for Gaṇas; priest offering bali while chanting; fine lines, instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: ritual courtyard with attendants holding offerings; subtle depiction of Rudra and Mātṛ groups as symbolic figures at compass points; calligraphic mantra cartouche."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गणेभ्यश् च → गणेभ्यः + च (विसर्गसन्धि); तेभ्यस्त्वयं → तेभ्यः + तु + अयम् (विसर्गसन्धि + तु-समासवत् संयोगः).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 75.60–64 (directional bali series)
FAQs
It teaches a bali-pradāna mantra and the directional placement of offerings—invoking Rudras, the Mātṛkās, and the Gaṇas with svāhā and the bīja “hāṃ,” and assigning offerings to specific quarters (east, south, and the Varuṇa/west direction).
It preserves practical liturgical micro-details—seed-syllables, deity-host classifications (Rudras/Mothers/Gaṇas), and direction-based ritual logistics—showing the Agni Purāṇa as a compendium of applied temple/household worship methods alongside its many other disciplines.
Offering bali to these protective and sometimes fierce deity-hosts is intended to secure ritual completeness, avert obstacles, and harmonize the quarters—supporting purification, protection, and the unobstructed fruition of the main rite.