Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 27
Devapūjā, Vaiśvadeva Offering, and Bali (देवपूजावैश्वदेवबलिः)
श्यामशबलाविति ज , ञ , ट च सौरभेय्यः सर्वहिताः पवित्राः पापनाशनाः प्रतिगृह्णन्तु मे ग्रासं गावस्त्रैलोक्यमातरः
śyāmaśabalāviti ja , ña , ṭa ca saurabheyyaḥ sarvahitāḥ pavitrāḥ pāpanāśanāḥ pratigṛhṇantu me grāsaṃ gāvastrailokyamātaraḥ
« Śyāma » et « Śabalā », ainsi que (les syllabes-semences) ja, ña et ṭa—en invoquant ainsi les vaches Saurabheya : puissent ces vaches, bienfaisantes pour tous, purifiantes et destructrices du péché, mères des trois mondes, accepter ma bouchée (offrande).
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana instruction, traditionally to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","practical_application":"Go-sevā/naivedya time protective invocation so the first morsel is ritually offered to the sacred cows as purifiers and sin-destroyers.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Saurabheya-go-mantra for accepting the first morsel (grāsa)","lookup_keywords":["Śyāma","Śabalā","Saurabheya","grāsa","pāpanāśana"],"quick_summary":"Invoke the sacred cows (as trilokya-mātṛ) with name-epithets and bīja-syllables so they accept the offered morsel and confer purification and sin-removal."}
Concept: Go-sevā and offering the first share as a purifier that transforms eating into yajña-like conduct.
Application: Before eating, mentally/verbally dedicate the first morsel to sacred recipients to cultivate restraint, gratitude, and ritual purity.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Go-seva, Bali/Naivedya and Protective Mantras)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder offers the first morsel with water/flowers before eating, while sacred cows (Śyāma and Śabalā) are envisioned as radiant, purifying mothers of the worlds.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, warm earthy palette, householder in simple white cloth offering first morsel on a leaf plate, luminous sacred cows behind with halo-like aura, palm trees and lamp, devotional domestic ritual mood","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central sacred cow pair with ornate jewelry and gold foil halos, householder offering a morsel at their feet, rich red/green background, embossed gold detailing emphasizing ‘trilokya-mātṛ’ sanctity","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, fine linework, instructional domestic ritual scene: first morsel offering gesture, small Sanskrit bīja letters (ja ña ṭa) subtly inscribed near the offering, calm interior with brass vessels","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed courtyard with cows and attendants, householder presenting a morsel on a small dish, delicate floral borders, naturalistic cows with subtle divine glow"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śyāmaśabalau → śyāma-śabalau (dvandva); gāvastrailokyamātaraḥ → gāvaḥ trailokya-mātaraḥ; pratigṛhṇantu kept as prati- + gṛhṇantu.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 263 (Deva-pūjā, Vaiśvadeva, Bali context); Agni Purana 264 (snāna/śānti continuation of daily observances)
FAQs
It gives a short invocation/mantra for offering a morsel (grāsa) to sacred cows—calling them purifying and sin-destroying, and using specific ritual syllables (ja, ña, ṭa) as part of the recitation.
Alongside theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical pūjā-vidhi details—how to sanctify and present offerings (naivedya/bali) through precise epithets and mantra-components, showing its coverage of lived ritual practice.
By honoring cows as ‘mothers of the three worlds’ and as ‘pāpanāśanāḥ,’ the act of offering becomes a purificatory rite intended to reduce sin (pāpa) and generate merit through reverent giving and sanctified consumption/feeding.