Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 21
Utpāta-śānti
Pacification of Portents
नद्यो ह्रदप्रश्रवणा विरसाश् च भवन्ति च शलिलाशयवैकृत्ये जप्तव्यो वारुणो मनुः
nadyo hradapraśravaṇā virasāś ca bhavanti ca śalilāśayavaikṛtye japtavyo vāruṇo manuḥ
Les rivières, les lacs et les sources deviennent fades, privées de leur qualité propre. Lorsqu’il y a altération ou anomalie dans les réservoirs d’eau, il faut réciter le mantra de Varuṇa.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, the standard Agni Purāṇa narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Water-body purification/appeasement rite: when rivers and reservoirs show abnormal qualities, recite Varuṇa-mantra as śānti for restoring water’s proper taste and purity.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Varuṇa-mantra-japa for Śalilāśaya-vaikṛtya","lookup_keywords":["Varuṇa-mantra","śalilāśaya-vaikṛtya","nadyāḥ hradāḥ","jala-doṣa","śānti"],"quick_summary":"If rivers, lakes, or springs become ‘virasa’ (lose proper quality), the remedy given is japa of the Varuṇa-mantra. The rite is framed as a śānti to correct water-reservoir abnormalities."}
Concept: Natural-resource disorder is addressed through devatā-sambandha (Varuṇa as adhiṣṭhātṛ of waters) and corrective ritual speech (mantra-japa).
Application: Community response to water contamination: ritual appeasement plus practical caution in water use.
Khanda Section: Mantra-prayoga & Shanti-kalpa (Varuna-related rites; water/river appeasement and purification)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Type: River
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A river and lake appear dull and ‘tasteless’; priests stand at the bank performing Varuṇa-mantra-japa with water-offerings, while the water regains clarity and vitality.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Varuṇa suggested in the sky/upper register with aquatic motifs, priests at riverbank chanting with japamālā, stylized waves and lotus clusters, transformation from murky to clear water, temple-ritual aesthetic.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, Varuṇa enthroned with gold halo and sea-creature motifs, foreground priests offering arghya into a lake, heavy gold highlights on ripples and vessels, auspicious clarity returning to water.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional riverbank scene: priest seated in japa posture, water-pot and kuśa, labeled reservoirs (nadī/hrada/prasravaṇa) as a didactic tableau, subtle color gradations showing purification.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed landscape with river, spring, and lake, a small ritual group chanting, fine depiction of water texture shifting from dull to sparkling, naturalistic flora and birds returning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Varuṇa-priya (or a sober morning raga such as Bhairav)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शलिलाशयवैकृत्ये = शलिल + आशय + वैकृत्ये; विरसाः + च → विरसाश् च (विसर्ग-सन्धि)
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Mantra-prayoga and śānti-kalpa passages on Varuṇa and jala-śuddhi (within ch. 262 sequence)
FAQs
It prescribes a practical śānti-mantra application: when water bodies (rivers/lakes/springs/reservoirs) become abnormal or degraded in quality, one should perform japa of the Vāruṇa (Varuṇa-related) mantra to restore and pacify the water element.
Beyond theology, it records applied ritual technology for real-world issues—here, environmental/water-quality disturbance—showing the Agni Purāṇa’s catalog-like coverage of remedial rites (prayoga) alongside other domains such as polity, medicine, and arts.
Reciting Varuṇa’s mantra functions as a propitiation and purification act toward the deity presiding over waters, aiming to remove doṣa (impurity/imbalance) in the water element and generate merit through protection and restoration of life-sustaining resources.