Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 84
Chapter 81 — समयदीक्षाविधानम्
Procedure for Samaya Initiation
सवस्त्रमासनं दद्यात् यथावर्णं निवेदयेत् संहारमुद्रयात्मानं मूर्त्या तस्य हृदम्बुजे
savastramāsanaṃ dadyāt yathāvarṇaṃ nivedayet saṃhāramudrayātmānaṃ mūrtyā tasya hṛdambuje
On doit offrir un siège avec un tissu, et présenter les offrandes selon l’ordre prescrit des couleurs/varṇa. Ensuite, au moyen de la Saṁhāra-mudrā, on doit déposer (fondre) soi-même—avec sa forme incarnée—dans le lotus du cœur de Lui.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as the usual Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Pūjā procedure: offering āsana with cloth, presenting upacāras in prescribed color/order, and performing saṃhāra-mudrā for internalization/mergence of the worshipper into the deity’s heart-lotus (hṛd-ambuja).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Āsana-dāna, varṇa-krama upacāra, and Saṃhāra-mudrā (hṛdaya-laya) in Śaiva pūjā","lookup_keywords":["āsana-dāna","saṃhāra-mudrā","hṛd-ambuja","varṇa-krama","upacāra"],"quick_summary":"Offer the seat with cloth and present offerings in the prescribed order; then use Saṃhāra-mudrā to internalize oneself into the deity’s heart-lotus as a contemplative culmination of worship."}
Concept: External upacāra culminates in internal laya: the worshipper’s identity is gathered (saṃhāra) into the deity’s heart-center, emphasizing non-separation in contemplative worship.
Application: After completing offerings, perform a closing mudrā/meditation that draws attention inward to the heart-lotus, stabilizing devotion as concentration (dhāraṇā).
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Tantric/Mantra ritual procedure and mudrā practice)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritualist offers a cloth-covered seat before Śiva, arranges offerings by prescribed colors, then forms Saṃhāra-mudrā while visualizing Śiva seated in a radiant lotus within the heart.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, priest before Śiva shrine offering āsana with white cloth, rows of color-coded offerings, then a second vignette showing glowing heart-lotus with Śiva inside, deep reds and ochres, lamp-lit sanctum","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, ornate Śiva on pedestal, gold-leaf halo, priest presenting cloth and āsana, offerings in distinct colors, inset medallion showing heart-lotus with miniature Śiva, rich embossing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional composition: stepwise panels—āsana with cloth, offerings by varṇa order, hand gesture diagram of Saṃhāra-mudrā, subtle depiction of heart-lotus visualization","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed ritual chamber with textiles and vessels, priest forming mudrā, translucent overlay showing heart-lotus with seated Śiva, fine floral borders and precise objects"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: sa-vastram + āsanam → savastramāsanam; saṃhāra-mudrayā + ātmānam → saṃhāramudrayātmānam; hṛd + ambuje → hṛdambuje.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 81 (mudrā and nyāsa-related pūjā steps); Agni Purana mantra/mudrā descriptions in pūjā-vidhi sections
FAQs
It prescribes a concrete pūjā sequence: offering a cloth-covered seat (āsana) and making offerings in the ritually specified order, followed by using Saṁhāra-mudrā to internalize/merge the practitioner’s self into the deity’s heart-lotus visualization.
It shows the Agni Purāṇa’s practical ritual manual dimension—detailing upacāras, color/varṇa-based ritual protocol, and mudrā-based internalization—alongside its broader coverage of many sciences and arts.
The instruction culminates in self-withdrawal and inner union with the deity (hṛd-ambuja), aiming at purification of identity, concentration, and the devotional/meditative completion (saṁhāra) of the worship act.