Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 17
Chapter 23 — पूजाविधिकथनम्
The Account of the Rules of Worship
वनमालाञ्च श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभौ दिक्पतीन्वहिः स्वमन्त्रैः पूजयेत् सर्वान् विष्णुरर्घोवसानतः
vanamālāñca śrīvatsakaustubhau dikpatīnvahiḥ svamantraiḥ pūjayet sarvān viṣṇurarghovasānataḥ
પોતપોતાના મંત્રોથી વનમાળા, શ્રીવત્સ અને કૌસ્તુભનું, તેમજ બહાર દિક્પતિઓનું પણ પૂજન કરવું—વિષ્ણુને અર્ઘ્ય અર્પણ પૂર્ણ થાય ત્યાં સુધી સર્વનું અર્ચન કરવું.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Avaraṇa-devatā worship: honoring Viṣṇu’s emblems (Vanamālā, Śrīvatsa, Kaustubha) and the Dikpālas with their own mantras during arghya sequence.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Worship of Viṣṇu’s insignia and Dikpālas up to arghya completion","lookup_keywords":["Vanamālā","Śrīvatsa","Kaustubha","Dikpāla worship","Viṣṇu arghya"],"quick_summary":"During Viṣṇu-pūjā, worship his identifying marks and ornaments and then the directional guardians externally, each with their own mantra, continuing until the arghya offering is completed."}
Concept: The deity is approached through a complete mandala: first the deity’s own signs (liṅga/cihna) and then the cosmic guardians of space (dikpālas), integrating microcosm and macrocosm in worship.
Application: In daily pūjā, include āvaraṇa worship to stabilize attention and invoke spatial protection before/through arghya.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Vishnu-puja / Arghya and Avaraṇa-devatā worship)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A worshipper offers arghya to Viṣṇu while separately honoring Vanamālā, Śrīvatsa, Kaustubha, and the eight directional guardians arranged around the outer perimeter.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Viṣṇu central with prominent Śrīvatsa and Kaustubha, lush Vanamālā, dikpālas in eight directions on the border ring, priest offering arghya with conch and vessel, bright flat colors and ornamental frame","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, Viṣṇu with gold halo and heavy gold work, chest jewel Kaustubha sparkling, Śrīvatsa mark visible, garland emphasized, dikpālas as small framed figures around, arghya vessel in foreground with lamps","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear didactic mandala layout: central Viṣṇu, labeled emblems (Vanamālā/Śrīvatsa/Kaustubha), outer ring of dikpālas, priest holding arghya-pātra, soft pastel background","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined shrine scene with patterned floor, central Viṣṇu image, attendants presenting garland and jewel, dikpālas as marginal vignettes in corners/directions, arghya offering moment captured with delicate detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वनमालाञ्च → वनमालाम् + च; दिक्पतीन्वहिः → दिक्पतीन् + वहिः; विष्णुरर्घोवसानतः → विष्णुः + अर्घ + उवसानतः (विसर्ग-लोप/रकारादेश).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 23 (Viṣṇu-pūjā: arghya, āvaraṇa-devatā, dikpāla sections)
FAQs
It prescribes an āvaraṇa-style sequence in Vishnu-pūjā: worship Vishnu’s insignia/attributes (Vanamālā, Śrīvatsa, Kaustubha) and then the Dikpatis externally, each with their own mantras, continuing through the completion of the arghya-offering.
It functions like a compact ritual manual, detailing not only the principal deity (Vishnu) but also associated emblems and directional guardians—showing the Agni Purana’s practical coverage of temple/household worship protocols alongside its many other disciplines.
By honoring Vishnu together with his auspicious marks and the guardians of space, the worship is made complete and orderly (dik-samāropaṇa), supporting purity, protection, and the full merit (puṇya) of the arghya and the overall pūjā.