Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 3
Chapter 98 — गौरीप्रतिष्ठाकथनम्
Gaurī-Pratiṣṭhā: Installation and Worship of Gaurī; Īśāna-kalpa Elements
शक्तिं परां ततो न्यस्य हुत्वा जप्त्वा च पूर्ववत् सन्धाय च तथा पिण्डीं क्रियाशक्तिस्वरूपिणीं
śaktiṃ parāṃ tato nyasya hutvā japtvā ca pūrvavat sandhāya ca tathā piṇḍīṃ kriyāśaktisvarūpiṇīṃ
Ensuite, après avoir accompli le nyāsa de la Puissance suprême (Parā-Śakti), et après avoir offert les oblations et récité le mantra comme auparavant, on doit de même unir (les forces invoquées) et former la piṇḍī, incarnation de la kriyā-śakti, la puissance de l’acte rituel.
Lord Agni (teaching the ritual procedure to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Operational sequence for Śākta-Śaiva ritual: nyāsa of Parā-Śakti, homa and japa repetition, then saṃdhāna (uniting invoked principles) and formation of a piṇḍī as a kriyā-śakti embodiment for installation/worship efficacy.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Parā-Śakti-nyāsa, homa-japa, saṃdhāna, and piṇḍī formation (kriyā-śakti)","lookup_keywords":["parā-śakti-nyāsa","homa","japa","saṃdhāna","piṇḍī"],"quick_summary":"After installing Parā-Śakti through nyāsa and reinforcing with homa and japa, unite the invoked forces and form the piṇḍī—an operative condensation of ritual power enabling the rite’s intended effect."}
Concept: Kriyā-śakti is made operative through layered acts—nyāsa (installation), homa (offering/energizing), japa (stabilizing), and saṃdhāna (integration)—culminating in a tangible condensate (piṇḍī) as ritual embodiment.
Application: Guides practitioners to treat ritual power as something progressively invoked, intensified, integrated, and then ‘sealed’ into a workable form for consecration or worship outcomes.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Tantric/Mantric Ritual Procedure)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritualist performs Parā-Śakti nyāsa, then offers ghee into a homa fire while chanting; afterward, he forms a piṇḍī (a compact lump/embodiment) on a ritual plate, symbolizing condensed kriyā-śakti.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; glowing homa fire, priest with nyāsa mudrās, a red-gold aura suggesting Parā-Śakti, then a close depiction of forming a piṇḍī on a leaf/plate, temple lamps and yantra motifs in background.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore; dramatic homa scene with gold highlights on flames and vessels, priest chanting with mala, stylized Śakti aura behind, foreground shows a ritual plate with a carefully shaped piṇḍī, ornate borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore; clear stepwise composition: (1) nyāsa gesture, (2) homa offering, (3) japa posture, (4) forming piṇḍī; fine linework and readable ritual implements.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; detailed fire altar with attendants, priest chanting, subtle depiction of ‘saṃdhāna’ as converging streams of light into a small piṇḍī on a dish, intricate textiles and architectural niche."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"intense","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: क्रियाशक्तिस्वरूपिणीम् → क्रिया + शक्ति + स्वरूपिणीम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Puja-vidhi sequences on homa, japa, nyāsa, and śakti-sādhana in adhyāya 98 (and related prior pūjā-vidhi chapters)
FAQs
It gives a sequence for mantra-sādhana: perform Parā-Śakti nyāsa, then homa and japa as prescribed earlier, then “sandhāna” (ritual joining/consolidation) culminating in forming a piṇḍī that embodies kriyā-śakti (effective ritual power).
It preserves precise operational ritual technology—nyāsa, homa, japa, and energetic consolidation—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage beyond mythology into applied liturgy and mantra-practice methods.
By installing Śakti through nyāsa and reinforcing it via homa and japa, the practitioner is taught to make ritual intention efficacious—turning worship into a concentrated, result-bearing act (kriyā-śakti), traditionally associated with purification and siddhi-oriented merit.