Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 43
Chapter 78 — पवित्रारोहणकथनं
Pavitrārohaṇa: Installing the Sanctifying Thread/Garland
दण्डाक्षसूत्रकौपीनभिक्षापात्राणि रूपिणे कज्जलं कुङ्कुमन्तैलं शलाकां केशशोधनीं
daṇḍākṣasūtrakaupīnabhikṣāpātrāṇi rūpiṇe kajjalaṃ kuṅkumantailaṃ śalākāṃ keśaśodhanīṃ
Pour la forme incarnée (ascétique), on doit fournir/représenter un bâton, un rosaire, un pagne (kaupīna) et un bol d’aumône ; ainsi que kajjala (collyre), kuṅkuma (safran/vermillon), de l’huile, une petite baguette applicatrice (śalākā) et un instrument de nettoyage des cheveux.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Iconographic/ritual requisites (upacāra and parikara) for an ascetic embodied form—useful for murti depiction, altar arrangement, and pūjā inventory.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Parikara for the ascetic embodied form: daṇḍa, akṣa-sūtra, kaupīna, bhikṣā-pātra and toiletries","lookup_keywords":["daṇḍa","akṣasūtra","kaupīna","bhikṣāpātra","kajjala"],"quick_summary":"Specify the ascetic’s emblems (staff, rosary, loincloth, begging bowl) and personal ritual/toiletry items (collyrium, saffron, oil, applicator stick, hair-cleaning tool) for depiction or offering in worship."}
Concept: Ascetic markers (liṅga) and disciplined simplicity: minimal possessions aligned with renunciation, purity, and steady practice.
Application: When worshipping/depicting an ascetic deity or guru-form, include correct emblems and simple necessities to preserve iconographic and ritual propriety.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Iconography and ritual requisites for worship)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An ascetic figure seated calmly with staff and rosary; loincloth and begging bowl present; nearby are small containers of collyrium, saffron, oil, a thin applicator stick, and a comb-like hair-cleaning tool arranged as offerings.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, serene yogin/ascetic with bold eyes, daṇḍa and akṣa-sūtra prominent, minimal garments, bhikṣā-pātra at side, small ritual toiletry items neatly arrayed, flat iconic shading, temple-wall composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, ascetic seated on simple mat with gold halo, staff and rosary rendered with gold detailing, begging bowl in foreground, tiny containers of kajjala/kuṅkuma/taila with ornate rims, rich jewel tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, refined linework emphasizing objects as labeled parikara, calm instructional still-life around the ascetic, soft gradients, focus on accurate depiction of applicator stick and hair-cleaning implement","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, ascetic in a quiet garden pavilion, attendants presenting small boxes of collyrium and saffron, oil flask and slender stick shown in detail, delicate textiles, naturalistic shading"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: daṇḍākṣasūtrakaupīnabhikṣāpātrāṇi treated as a dvandva-style list-compound; internal sandhi resolved into members.
Related Themes: Agni Purana iconography and pūjā-upacāra lists in adjacent chapters (Pūjā-vidhi corpus); Agni Purana sections on mūrti-parikara and āvaraṇa-dravya (within Shilpa/Pūjā materials)
FAQs
It specifies the upacāra-dravya and identifying attributes for an ascetic/vratin form in worship or icon depiction—staff, rosary, loincloth, begging-bowl, and grooming/anointing items like collyrium, saffron, oil, and applicators.
By cataloging precise, practical worship materials and iconographic markers, it functions like a ritual-manual index—preserving standardized details used in temple practice, image-making, and devotional procedure.
Providing or correctly depicting these attributes supports accurate devotion (yathā-vidhi pūjā), reinforcing purity, discipline, and reverence toward renunciant ideals—thereby enhancing ritual merit (puṇya) through proper observance.