Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 18
Chapter 93 — वास्तुपूजादिविधानम्
Procedure for Vāstu-worship and Related Rites
सोमाय पायसं साज्यं शालूकमूषये दिशेत् लोपीमदितये दित्यै पुरीमित्युत्तराष्टकं
somāya pāyasaṃ sājyaṃ śālūkamūṣaye diśet lopīmaditaye dityai purīmityuttarāṣṭakaṃ
À Soma on offrira du riz au lait (pāyasa) mêlé de ghee ; à Ūṣa, du śālūka (racine de lotus). À Aditi on offrira le lopī, et à Diti une purī (galette frite) : ainsi s’achève l’uttarāṣṭaka, la seconde série de huit offrandes.
Lord Agni (teaching the ritual assignments to the inquirer, traditionally Vasiṣṭha in Agni Purāṇa’s frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Naivedya mapping for Soma, Ūṣa, Aditi, and Diti, concluding an uttarāṣṭaka (latter set of eight) distribution scheme.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Uttarāṣṭaka offerings: Soma, Ūṣa, Aditi, Diti","lookup_keywords":["soma","pāyasa sājya","śālūka","aditi lopī","diti purī"],"quick_summary":"Offer sweet milk-rice with ghee to Soma, lotus-root to Ūṣa, lopī to Aditi, and purī to Diti—completing the latter octet of prescribed offerings."}
Concept: Completeness (pūrṇatā) in worship—finishing the prescribed set (aṣṭaka) is itself a dharmic requirement.
Application: Track offerings as a structured series; avoid omissions by following the aṣṭaka list to its conclusion.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Naivedya offerings and deity-specific oblations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A concluding ritual sequence: milk-rice with ghee offered to Soma, lotus-root presented to Ūṣā, and distinct fried items (lopī, purī) offered to Aditi and Diti, marking the end of the uttarāṣṭaka set.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, four small deity panels around a central altar: Soma with cool lunar aura receiving pāyasa with ghee, Ūṣā with dawn hues receiving lotus-root, Aditi and Diti receiving distinct fried offerings, lamps and floral borders, calm ceremonial mood","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on offering bowls, Soma framed with moon disc, Ūṣā with sunrise gradient, Aditi/Diti in ornate niches, richly textured purī and lopī on plates, symmetrical devotional composition","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional clarity: sequential offering steps shown left-to-right, labeled pāyasa-sājya, śālūka, lopī, purī; priest completing the uttarāṣṭaka, soft pastel background","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined still-life of offerings on a low table, priest presenting to four deity representations in a pavilion, delicate rendering of milk-rice sheen, lotus-root slices, fried breads, concluding gesture of completion"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Sandhi/segmentation: साज्यम् = स-आज्यम्; शालूकमूषये = शालूकम् + ऊषये; पुरीमित्युत्तराष्टकम् = पुरीम् + इति + उत्तर-अष्टकम्. Lopīm-aditaye in IAST parsed as लोपीम् + अदितये (no compound intended).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Puja-vidhi: aṣṭaka/uttarāṣṭaka sequences and naivedya rules (same khanda context)
FAQs
It prescribes deity-specific naivedya/homa items—milk-rice with ghee for Soma, lotus-root for Ūṣas, and particular prepared foods (lopī, purī) for Aditi and Diti—showing precise dravya-viniyoga (assignment of offerings).
By cataloging exact ritual consumables for distinct deities, it functions like a practical ritual manual embedded within the Purana, alongside its other domains (dharma, polity, medicine, arts).
Correctly matching offerings to the intended deity is taught as a means to ensure ritual efficacy (siddhi), devotional propriety, and the accrual of religious merit through disciplined worship.