Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 15
Chapter 93 — वास्तुपूजादिविधानम्
Procedure for Vāstu-worship and Related Rites
सुग्रीवाय दिशेत् पूपान् पुष्पदन्ताय दर्भकं रक्तं प्रचेतसे पद्ममसुराय सुरासवं
sugrīvāya diśet pūpān puṣpadantāya darbhakaṃ raktaṃ pracetase padmamasurāya surāsavaṃ
On offrira des gâteaux sucrés (pūpa) à Sugrīva ; de l’herbe darbha à Puṣpadanta ; un lotus rouge à Pracetā ; et une libation de liqueur fermentée (surāsava) à l’Asura.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s ritual-vidhi discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Bali/naivedya allocation: mapping specific offerings to named beings (including semi-divine/otherworldly figures) to secure ritual completeness and appeasement.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Bali offerings for Sugrīva, Puṣpadanta, Pracetā, and Asura","lookup_keywords":["bali-vidhāna","pūpa","darbha","rakta-padma","surāsava"],"quick_summary":"Assign offerings by recipient: cakes to Sugrīva, darbha to Puṣpadanta, red lotus to Pracetā, and fermented liquor to an Asura—reflecting recipient-specific propitiation logic."}
Concept: Ritual harmony is maintained by giving each class of being its appropriate share (bali), preventing obstruction (vighna) and imbalance.
Application: During pūjā, prepare distinct items and place them in designated spots with the correct intention toward each named recipient.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Bali-vidhana (Ritual offerings and propitiatory oblations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual tray with sweet cakes, darbha grass, a red lotus, and a small vessel of fermented liquor is arranged; the officiant offers each item to its named recipient in sequence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, ritualist before a bali-stone, offerings clearly separated: pūpa cakes, darbha bundle, red lotus, small pot of surā, stylized attendants representing Sugrīva, Puṣpadanta, Pracetā, and an Asura in symbolic form","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold accents, ornate offering plates, vivid red lotus, gleaming liquor vessel, four recipient figures in small framed medallions, temple lamps and arch motifs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic layout: four quadrants showing each offering and recipient name, clean lines, soft colors, priest pointing to each item in order","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly precision: detailed still-life of offerings on carpet, priest in profile making offerings, subtle supernatural figures at margins receiving their shares"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Compounds resolved: पुष्पदन्ताय = पुष्प-दन्ताय, सुरासवम् = सुरा-असवम्. पद्ममसुराय in IAST appears as padmamasurāya; parsed as पद्मम् + असुराय (no compound intended).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Puja-vidhi: bali placement and bhūta-yajña style distributions (same khanda context)
FAQs
It prescribes specific bali/naivedya items for particular beings—cakes for Sugrīva, darbha for Puṣpadanta, a red lotus for Praceta, and surā/āsava for an Asura—showing item-to-entity mapping used in ritual propitiation.
By cataloging precise, operational details of worship—who receives what offering—it functions like a ritual manual embedded within the Purana, alongside its many other practical disciplines.
Correctly directed offerings are intended to pacify and harmonize surrounding forces (bhūta/gaṇa-type attendants), removing obstacles and supporting auspiciousness for the main rite and its merit.