Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 1
Chapter 264 — Dikpālādi-snāna
Bathing rites for the Dikpālas and associated deities
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे देवपूजावैश्वदेवबलिर्नाम त्रिषष्ट्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ चतुःषष्ठ्यधिअकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः दिक्पालादिस्नानं अग्निर् उवाच सर्वार्थसाधनं स्नानं वक्ष्ये शान्तिकरं शृणु स्नापयेच्च सरित्तीरे ग्रहान् विष्णुं विचक्षणः
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe devapūjāvaiśvadevabalirnāma triṣaṣṭyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha catuḥṣaṣṭhyadhiakadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ dikpālādisnānaṃ agnir uvāca sarvārthasādhanaṃ snānaṃ vakṣye śāntikaraṃ śṛṇu snāpayecca sarittīre grahān viṣṇuṃ vicakṣaṇaḥ
Ainsi, dans l’Agni Mahāpurāṇa, s’achève le chapitre deux cent soixante-trois, intitulé « Culte des dieux, Vaiśvadeva et Bali (offrandes) ». Commence maintenant le chapitre deux cent soixante-quatre : « Rites de bain pour les Dikpālas et autres ». Agni dit : « Je décrirai le bain qui accomplit tous les buts et apporte l’apaisement ; écoute. L’homme avisé doit se baigner sur la rive d’un fleuve, en invoquant Viṣṇu et les Grahas (divinités planétaires). »
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","practical_application":"Daily snāna-vidhi on a riverbank with invocations to Viṣṇu and the Grahas for śānti and sarvārtha-siddhi (general well-being and goal-fulfillment).","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Snāna-vidhi for śānti: riverbank bath invoking Viṣṇu and Grahas","lookup_keywords":["snāna-vidhi","sarvārtha-sādhana","śānti","Viṣṇu","Graha"],"quick_summary":"A prescribed bathing observance—ideally at a riverbank—combined with Viṣṇu and planetary invocations is taught as a pacifying, all-purpose daily rite."}
Concept: Outer cleansing (snāna) paired with inner alignment (smaraṇa of Viṣṇu and cosmic regulators—Grahas) for pacification.
Application: Integrate a consistent morning cleansing routine with brief Viṣṇu and graha remembrance to stabilize mind and conduct.
Khanda Section: Pūjā-vidhi / Snāna-vidhi (Ritual Purification and Daily Observances)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: River
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Agni as teacher introduces a bathing rite; a devotee stands at a riverbank performing ritual bath while mentally invoking Viṣṇu and the planetary deities.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, riverbank with flowing water, devotee performing snāna with añjali, subtle circular graha symbols in the sky, Viṣṇu’s presence suggested by conch-disc motifs, serene dawn palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Viṣṇu icon in upper register with gold halo, below a riverbank bath scene with ornate vessels, gold foil on Viṣṇu emblems and water highlights","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional snāna scene: devotee at sarit-tīra, small labeled graha icons arranged in a row, clean composition emphasizing procedure","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, dawn riverside with delicate landscape, bather at the edge, astrologically styled graha medallions in the margin, refined naturalism"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ity āgneye → iti āgneye; devapūjāvaiśvadevabalirnāma → deva-pūjā-vaiśvadeva-baliḥ nāma; triṣaṣṭyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ → tri-ṣaṣṭi-adhika-dvi-śata-tamaḥ adhyāyaḥ; snāpayecca → snāpayet ca; sarittīre → sarit-tīre.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 264 (Dikpāla-ādi snāna chapter opening); Agni Purana 263 (preceding domestic worship/bali context)
FAQs
It introduces a śānti-oriented snāna-vidhi: a prescribed ritual bath (preferably at a riverbank) combined with invocation/propitiation of Viṣṇu and the Grahas, framed as a means to accomplish desired aims and pacify afflictions.
It shifts from offerings (vaiśvadeva, bali) to a specialized purification protocol (dikpāla/graha-related snāna), showing how the Agni Purana catalogs practical, domain-specific procedures across domestic ritual, cosmological deity-systems (dikpālas, grahas), and remedial rites (śānti-karmas).
Ritual bathing paired with Viṣṇu and Graha invocation is presented as both purificatory and appeasing (śānti-kara), implying reduction of karmic/astrological disturbances and the cultivation of auspiciousness, clarity, and merit through disciplined observance.