Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 42
Chapter 291 — Śāntyāyurveda
Ayurveda for Pacificatory Rites): Go-śānti, Penance-Regimens, and Therapeutics (incl. Veterinary Care
दिक्पालाः पद्मपत्रेषु कुम्भेष्वग्नौ च होमयेत् क्षीरवृक्षस्य समिधः सर्षपाक्षततण्डुलान्
dikpālāḥ padmapatreṣu kumbheṣvagnau ca homayet kṣīravṛkṣasya samidhaḥ sarṣapākṣatataṇḍulān
दिक्पालों की तृप्ति हेतु पद्मपत्रों से, कलशों में तथा अग्नि में भी हवन करे। क्षीरवृक्षों की समिधा, सरसों, अक्षत और तण्डुल अर्पित करे।
Lord Agni (narrating to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Dikpāla-upacāra within homa: selecting proper dravyas (samidh, tila/sarṣapa, akṣata, taṇḍula) and offering media (padmapatra, kumbha, agni) for directional guardians to secure ritual completeness and protection.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Dikpāla-homa dravya and upacāra materials","lookup_keywords":["Dikpāla","homa","padmapatra","kumbha","kṣīravṛkṣa-samidha"],"quick_summary":"For Dikpālas, oblations are performed using lotus-leaves and ritual pots, offering into fire with milky-tree kindling plus mustard seeds and rice (akṣata/taṇḍula) as standard pacificatory and protective dravyas."}
Concept: Ritual efficacy depends on correct dravya, adhikara (recipient-deity), and offering-medium (patra/kumbha/agni).
Application: Use prescribed materials and sequence in homa to align the rite with dik (directional) deities and obtain śānti/rakṣā.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Homa and Dikpala-upachara)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A homa-kuṇḍa blazing; a priest offers samidh from milky trees with sarṣapa and akṣata, lotus-leaves arranged as offering-plates, kumbhas placed for Dikpālas around the altar marking the directions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat bold colors, homa altar with eight directional guardians implied by directional emblems, priest offering milky-tree sticks, lotus-leaf plates and kumbhas arranged symmetrically, sacred fire glowing, ornate borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, rich reds and greens, gold foil highlights on kumbhas and lotus leaves, central homa fire with priest, directional layout suggested by eight small dikpāla symbols around, heavy ornamentation and halo-like glow.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, delicate linework, instructional clarity: labeled lotus-leaf patras, kumbhas, and fire-pit; priest placing sarṣapa and akṣata into flame; soft shading and balanced composition.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, fine detail: ritual courtyard, homa pit, priest with ladle, bowls of mustard and rice, milky-wood sticks, lotus leaves; geometric directional arrangement; subtle architectural backdrop."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shree","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कुम्भेष्वग्नौ = कुम्भेषु + अग्नौ (उ + अ → व); समिधः taken as acc. pl. of समिध्; सर्षपाक्षततण्डुलान् treated as itaretara-dvandva compound.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 291 (Pūjā-vidhi; homa/śānti context); Agni Purana 292 (Mantra-paribhāṣā; mantra-usage alongside homa)
FAQs
It prescribes the specific homa-materials and offering mediums for Dikpāla worship—lotus leaves, kumbhas (ritual pots), and the fire—using samidh from latex-bearing trees plus mustard, akṣata, and rice.
It functions like a compact ritual manual, cataloging precise materials and procedures for a specialized rite (Dikpāla-homa), illustrating the text’s practical coverage of temple/household worship protocols alongside its other disciplines.
Correctly offering to the Dikpālas is traditionally held to harmonize the quarters, remove directional obstacles, and confer ritual purity and protection by aligning the rite with prescribed substances and methods.