Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 3
Chapter 91 — विविधमन्त्रादिकथनम्
Teaching of Various Mantras and Related Matters
घृताभ्यङ्गेन देवानां भस्मीभवति पावके आढकेन घृताद्यैश् च देवान् स्नाप्य सुरो भवेत्
ghṛtābhyaṅgena devānāṃ bhasmībhavati pāvake āḍhakena ghṛtādyaiś ca devān snāpya suro bhavet
En oignant les divinités de ghee, l’offrande devient cendre dans le feu sacré. Et en baignant les divinités avec une mesure d’āḍhaka de ghee et d’autres substances semblables, on devient un deva (on atteint l’état divin).
Lord Agni (traditionally narrating the Agni Purana’s ritual instructions)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Ritual handling of ghee in deva-snāna and homa contexts: anointing/bathing the deity with specified measure (āḍhaka) to gain merit and divine status.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Ghee Anointment and Deva-snāna Measure (Āḍhaka)","lookup_keywords":["ghṛta-abhyaṅga","deva-snāna","āḍhaka","homa","puṇya-phala"],"quick_summary":"The verse links ghṛta-abhyaṅga and bathing the deity with an āḍhaka of ghee (and similar substances) to powerful ritual fruit, integrating snāna with fire-offering logic."}
Dosha: Vata
Concept: Dravya (substance) + niyama (measure) + agni (transformative principle) yields ritual fruit; offering becomes ‘bhasmībhūta’—symbol of transmutation.
Application: In prescribed pūjā/homa, use ghṛta with correct measure (āḍhaka) and proper sequence; treat substances as carriers of intention and purity.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Deva-snāna, Abhiṣeka and Homa-related ritual procedure)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Priests anoint a deity image with ghee; nearby a sacred fire blazes where offerings turn to ash; a measured vessel labeled āḍhaka is poured in a controlled stream over the deity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, deity on pedestal in snāna-maṇḍapa, priests pouring golden ghee from a measured pot, sacred fire (pāvaka) to the side with ash motif, stylized ritual vessels, traditional flat composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-toned ghee stream, ornate kalasha marked 'āḍhaka', deity richly adorned, fire altar with glowing embers, gold leaf accents on vessels and ornaments","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic clarity: measurement vessel, sequence of anointing then bathing, fire altar depiction, fine linework and soft colors, labels implied through composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed ritual interior, priests with ladles and ghee pots, deity bathing scene, fire altar with ash, precise rendering of metal vessels and textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: घृताभ्यङ्गेन → घृत-अभ्यङ्गेन. भस्मीभवति treated as नामधातु-प्रयोग (भस्मीभू). घृताद्यैः → घृत-आद्यैः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 91 (pūjā-vidhi and mantra sections)
FAQs
It prescribes ghṛta-abhyanga (anointing with ghee) and deva-snāna/abhiṣeka using a specified measure (āḍhaka) of ghee or similar substances as a formal worship procedure connected with fire-ritual logic and merit.
It records precise, practice-oriented details of pūjā-vidhi—materials (ghṛta), actions (abhyanga, snāna), and even measurement (āḍhaka)—showing the text’s compendium style that preserves ritual technology alongside theology.
The verse links correct devotional ritual (ghee anointing and bathing of deities) with purification through Agni and the accrual of extraordinary merit, expressed as “becoming a deva” (suro bhavet).