Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 12
Chapter 76 — चण्डपूजाकथनम्
Narration of the Worship of Caṇḍa/Caṇḍeśa
सर्वमेतत् क्रियाकाण्डं मया चण्ड तवाज्ञया न्यूनाधिकं कृतं मोहात् परिपूर्णं सदास्तु मे
sarvametat kriyākāṇḍaṃ mayā caṇḍa tavājñayā nyūnādhikaṃ kṛtaṃ mohāt paripūrṇaṃ sadāstu me
Ô Caṇḍa, sur ton ordre j’ai accompli tout cet ensemble de rites ; si, par égarement, il y a eu quelque manque ou quelque excès, qu’il devienne pour moi toujours pleinement accompli.
Ritual performer (the devotee/adhikārin) uttering a completion-prayer (pūrṇāhuti-style sentiment) addressed to Caṇḍa
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Ritual atonement/completion prayer (kṣamāpanā) to neutralize deficiencies/excesses in performance and seal the rite as complete.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Kṣamāpanā for Nyūna–Adhika in Kriyā-kāṇḍa","lookup_keywords":["kṣamāpanā","nyūna adhika","kriyā-kāṇḍa","mohāt","paripūrṇa"],"quick_summary":"A concluding apology/rectification statement: whatever was done deficiently or excessively through delusion is prayed to be made complete—used to close pūjā safely."}
Concept: Human action is prone to error; surrender and corrective prayer restore ritual integrity.
Application: End rites with explicit kṣamāpanā to address omissions/oversteps and to ‘seal’ the practice as spiritually effective.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Kriyā-kāṇḍa / Ritual Procedure and Atonement)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The priest folds hands before Caṇḍeśa, reciting a completion/forgiveness formula, with ritual items arranged and the worship space settling into quiet closure.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, priest in añjali-mudrā before fierce attendant-deity, softened colors indicating pacification, lamps dimming, sense of ritual completion.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, devotee/priest in prayer posture, gold haloed deity, inscription band with the kṣamāpanā line, serene closure mood.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, minimalistic instructional scene: priest concluding pūjā, hands folded, ritual implements neatly placed, emphasis on calm completion.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate interior with prayer posture, careful depiction of ritual vessels, subdued palette conveying humility and closure."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: sarvametat = sarvam etat; tavājñayā = tava ājñayā; sadāstu = sadā astu.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 76 (concluding formulas; saṃhāra/visarjana context follows)
FAQs
It gives the standard ritual principle of nyūnādhika-doṣa—acknowledging deficiency/excess in a rite—and the completion-prayer asking the deity to render the performance spiritually complete.
Alongside describing procedures, the text also preserves pragmatic liturgical safeguards—mantras and closing formulas used to correct human error—showing the Purana as a manual of applied ritual technology (kriyā-kāṇḍa).
It frames ritual faults as arising from moha (human limitation) and converts the act into a valid offering by surrendering its imperfections to the deity, supporting purification and the intended merit (puṇya) of the rite.