Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 62

Chapter 81 — समयदीक्षाविधानम्

Procedure for Samaya Initiation

Devanagari script

स्थालीमारोपयेदस्त्रजप्तां गव्याम्बुमार्जितां गव्यं पयो ऽस्त्रसंशुद्धं प्रासादशतमन्त्रितं

Transliteration

sthālīmāropayedastrajaptāṃ gavyāmbumārjitāṃ gavyaṃ payo 'strasaṃśuddhaṃ prāsādaśatamantritaṃ

Translation

On doit placer un plat/récipient (sthālī) sur lequel a été récité le mantra de l’Arme (Astra), et le purifier avec l’eau de vache (gomūtra). Ensuite, le lait de vache, purifié par le mantra Astra et consacré par la récitation cent fois du mantra « Prāsāda », doit être utilisé pour l’opération rituelle.

Word by Word

• स्थालीम्: the sthālī (cooking pot/pan)
• स्थालीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आरोपयेत्: should place/set (up)
• आरोपयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+रुह्/रूप्? (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense ‘to place/raise/set’ (आरोपयति)

• अस्त्र-जप्ताम्: consecrated by the astra-mantra japa
• अस्त्र-जप्ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + जप्त (कृदन्त; जप् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः ‘अस्त्रजप्त’ = अस्त्रेण जप्तम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• गव्य-अम्बु-मार्जिताम्: cleansed with cow-water (gomūtra)
• गव्य-अम्बु-मार्जिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्जित (कृदन्त; मृज् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः ‘गव्याम्बु’ = गव्यं अम्बु (कर्मधारय) ‘cow-water/cow-urine’; ‘...मार्जित’ = तेन मार्जिता (instrumental relation)

• गव्यम्: cow-product (here: cow’s milk)
• गव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (contextually object/apposition)

• पयः: milk
• पयः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्त्र-संशुद्धम्: purified by the astra (mantra)
• अस्त्र-संशुद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संशुद्ध (कृदन्त; सम्+शुध् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः ‘अस्त्रसंशुद्ध’ = अस्त्रेण संशुद्धम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रासाद-शत-मन्त्रितम्: consecrated by (reciting) the prāsāda (mantra) a hundred times
• प्रासाद-शत-मन्त्रितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्रित (कृदन्त; मन्त्र् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः ‘शतमन्त्रित’ = शतवारं मन्त्रितम् (अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः); ‘प्रासादशत’ = प्रासाद-शत (Dvigu-like numeral compound)

Speaker

Lord Agni (teaching to the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional narration)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Mantra-based purification (astra-japa) of vessels and dairy substances, using gomūtra cleansing and repeated Prāsāda-mantra consecration for ritual readiness.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Astra-japta Śuddhi of Sthālī and Milk; Prāsāda-mantra (100x) Consecration","lookup_keywords":["astra-japta","gomūtra mārjana","gavyam payaḥ","prāsāda mantra","śuddhi"],"quick_summary":"Purify the dish and cow’s milk by astra-mantra recitation, cleanse with gomūtra, and further consecrate the milk by repeating the Prāsāda mantra one hundred times for ritual use."}

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Impurity is treated as removable through mantra-śakti and prescribed purificatory media; repetition-count (100x) formalizes intention and steadies mind.

Application: In ritual contexts, standardize purification: cleanse implements, then consecrate offerings with fixed-count japa to ensure consistency and focus.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Agneya-vidya (Mantra-Astra Prayoga / Ritualized weapon-mantra procedures)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritualist sprinkles gomūtra to cleanse a dish, then holds it while reciting astra-mantra; a vessel of cow’s milk is similarly purified and consecrated with a counted hundred recitations of the Prāsāda mantra.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, priest with ritual spoon sprinkling purification drops on a dish, mantra aura as stylized flames, milk vessel glowing, counting beads visible, earthy palette and sacred geometry accents","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-highlighted vessels (dish and milk pot), priest reciting with mala, luminous mantra script motifs, rich reds/greens, ornate frame emphasizing consecration and purity","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, step-by-step instructional scene: (1) gomūtra cleansing, (2) astra-japa over dish, (3) astra-japa over milk, (4) Prāsāda mantra 100-count with mala, clear sequencing and labels","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed ritual table with vessels, practitioner counting japa on mala, subtle depiction of purification sprinkling, fine textiles and borders, naturalistic rendering of liquids and metalware"}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"protective","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्थालीमारोपयेत् = स्थालीम् आरोपयेत्; आरोपयेदस्त्रजप्ताम् = आरोपयेत् अस्त्रजप्ताम्; गव्याम्बुमार्जितां = गव्य-अम्बु-मार्जिताम्; पयोऽस्त्रसंशुद्धं = पयः अस्त्र-संशुद्धम्; प्रासादशतमन्त्रितं = प्रासाद-शत-मन्त्रितम्

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 81 (Agneya-vidyā: astra-prayoga, śuddhi, dravya-saṃskāra)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Astra-mantra
• Gavya (cow-derived purificants)
• Prāsāda-mantra

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It teaches a mantra-based purification protocol: a ritual vessel is empowered by Astra-mantra japa, cleansed with cow-water (gavyāmbu), and milk is further purified by Astra-mantra and consecrated with 100 recitations of the Prāsāda formula.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana preserves highly procedural ritual technology—standardizing materials (cow-derived purifiers), counts (100 recitations), and mantra-functions (astra-śuddhi, prāsāda-consecration) like a practical manual.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

The instruction frames purity as both material and mantra-based: cow-derived cleansers and repeated japa are used to remove ritual impurity and invoke prāsāda (grace), aiming to make the act spiritually efficacious and fault-free.