Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 21
Pavitrāropaṇa-vidhāna
The Procedure for Installing the Pavitra
पवित्राणि समभ्यर्च्य ब्राह्मणाय समर्पयेत् यावन्तस्तन्तवस्तस्मिन् पवित्रे परिकल्पिताः
pavitrāṇi samabhyarcya brāhmaṇāya samarpayet yāvantastantavastasmin pavitre parikalpitāḥ
पवित्र-तंतुओं की विधिवत् अर्चना करके उन्हें ब्राह्मण को समर्पित करे। उस पवित्र में जितने तंतु नियोजित हों, फल भी उतना ही (अनुपात से) होता है।
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"After worship, donate the pavitra-threads to a Brāhmaṇa; merit scales with the number of strands—guiding how to prepare and offer pavitra for intended phala.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Pavitra-dāna to Brāhmaṇa and Merit by Strand-count","lookup_keywords":["pavitra","brāhmaṇa-dāna","tantu","puṇya-phala","saṅkhyā"],"quick_summary":"Worship the pavitra-threads and gift them to a Brāhmaṇa; the resulting merit is proportionate to the number of strands arranged—linking ritual construction to ethical giving."}
Concept: Merit is tied to intentionality and measurable offering (saṅkhyā/saṃskāra), but is ethically routed through dāna to qualified recipients.
Application: If performing pavitra rites, conclude with a tangible donation (the pavitra itself or its equivalent) to a learned/ritually qualified Brāhmaṇa, matching capacity and vow.
Khanda Section: Pūjā-vidhi (Ritual Procedure and Purificatory Rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee worships a bundle of pavitra-threads and then respectfully hands them to a seated Brāhmaṇa; strands are visibly counted/arranged to indicate proportional merit.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, interior of a traditional home/temple mandapa, devotee offering pavitra-threads to a brāhmaṇa, strands clearly depicted, calm ethical-giving atmosphere","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold accents, brāhmaṇa seated on a mat receiving pavitra-threads on a golden tray, devotee in añjali, ornate ritual items and auspicious motifs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic focus on the pavitra construction: close depiction of multiple strands (tantu) and the act of donation; clean composition and gentle colors","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed gifting scene with textiles and vessels, brāhmaṇa receiving the threads, an assistant counting strands, refined linework and balanced courtly setting"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यावन्तस्तन्तवस्तस्मिन् = यावन्तः + तन्तवः + तस्मिन् (सन्धि: विसर्ग/व्यञ्जन-सन्धि).
Related Themes: Agni Purana dāna sections and pūjā completion rules (samāpana with dāna)
FAQs
It prescribes a pūjā practice: worship the pavitra (a sanctifying thread arrangement used in rites) and then donate it to a Brāhmaṇa, with merit linked to the number of strands.
It records a precise, procedural detail of ritual technology (materials, offering protocol, and merit-calculus), illustrating how the Agni Purana functions as a handbook of rites alongside many other disciplines.
The act combines purification (pavitra) with dāna (gift), generating puṇya; the text emphasizes that greater ritual completeness (more strands) corresponds to increased merit.