Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 11
Chapter 76 — चण्डपूजाकथनम्
Narration of the Worship of Caṇḍa/Caṇḍeśa
लेह्यचोष्याद्यनुवरं ताम्बूलं स्रग्विलेपनं निर्माल्यं भोजनं तुभ्यं प्रदत्तन्तु शिवाज्ञया
lehyacoṣyādyanuvaraṃ tāmbūlaṃ sragvilepanaṃ nirmālyaṃ bhojanaṃ tubhyaṃ pradattantu śivājñayā
Les aliments à lécher et à sucer, et les autres (mets), avec l’offrande subséquente (anuvara), le tāmbūla (bétel), les guirlandes et les onguents, le nirmālya (reste consacré) et la nourriture — tout cela t’est donné sur l’ordre de Śiva.
Lord Agni (narrating the ritual procedure to sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purāṇa’s dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Formal declaration while offering naivedya/upacāras and nirmālya to Caṇḍeśa as Śiva-ājñā (Śiva’s command), ensuring ritual authorization and correct recipient.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Śiva-ājñā Offering Formula to Caṇḍeśa (Naivedya–Tāmbūla–Nirmālya)","lookup_keywords":["lehya coṣya","tāmbūla","srag vilepana","nirmālya","Śiva-ājñā"],"quick_summary":"A dedicatory formula listing food categories and upacāras, explicitly stating they are given to Caṇḍeśa by Śiva’s command—used to legitimize the transfer of consecrated remnants."}
Concept: Consecrated items are transferred through proper saṅkalpa/ājñā; ritual speech establishes rightful ownership and prevents doṣa (fault).
Application: When distributing naivedya/nirmālya, recite an explicit dedicatory statement naming items and authority (Śiva-ājñā) to avoid ritual impropriety.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Naivedya–Nirmalya–Upachara offerings and ritual protocol)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual tray holds lickables, suckables, betel, garlands, unguents, and consecrated remnants; the priest recites a dedicatory formula offering them to Caṇḍeśa under Śiva’s command.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, close-up of offering trays with stylized foods and garlands, priest in profile chanting, temple lamps, austere sacred palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate offering platter with gold accents, priest presenting tāmbūla and garlands, inscriptions of the dedicatory line, devotional ambience.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional still-life of categorized foods (lehya/coṣya), labeled arrangement, priest’s hand gesture of offering, clean composition.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed food textures and betel arrangement, priest and attendants, small shrine of Caṇḍeśa receiving offerings, fine borders and calligraphic cartouche."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: lehyacoṣyādyanuvaram = lehya-coṣya-ādi-anuvaram; śivājñayā = śiva-ājñayā.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 76 (naivedya, upacāra, nirmālya handling)
FAQs
It specifies the category-wise items (foods, tāmbūla, garlands, unguents, and nirmālya) that are to be given/received as consecrated offerings in Śiva-pūjā, indicating proper handling of post-offering ritual remnants (prasāda/nirmālya).
By cataloging precise worship articles and their ritual status (including nirmālya and adjunct offerings like tāmbūla and vilepana), it preserves procedural liturgy alongside theology—one of the Agni Purāṇa’s hallmark compendious features.
Receiving and distributing these items as Śiva’s sanctioned remnants treats them as prasāda, reinforcing purity, devotion, and the merit (puṇya) associated with honoring consecrated offerings rather than viewing them as ordinary leftovers.