Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 10
Chapter 246 — वास्तुलक्षणम्
Characteristics of Building-sites / Vāstu
पर्जन्यः प्रथमो देवो द्वितीयश् च करग्रहः महेन्द्ररविसत्याश् च भृशो ऽथ गगनन्तथा
parjanyaḥ prathamo devo dvitīyaś ca karagrahaḥ mahendraravisatyāś ca bhṛśo 'tha gaganantathā
पर्जन्य प्रथम देवता है और दूसरा करग्रह है। इसी प्रकार महेन्द्र, रवि (सूर्य), सत्य, फिर भृश, और गगन (आकाश) भी (आह्वान/स्थापित किए जाएँ)।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Pūjā-vidhi invocation sequence for vāstu-nyāsa/śānti: calling Parjanya, Karagraha, and a set of directional/cosmic powers before commencing rites.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pūjā-krama: Parjanya–Karagraha and allied invocations","lookup_keywords":["Parjanya","Karagraha","Mahendra","Ravi","Gagana"],"quick_summary":"Gives an invocation order beginning with Parjanya and Karagraha, followed by Mahendra, Ravi, Satya, Bhṛśa, and Gagana—usable as a concise pūjā-nyāsa checklist."}
Concept: Ritual ordering (krama) as a means to align human action with cosmic forces.
Application: Use the sequence as a practical pūjā checklist during vāstu-śānti, foundation rites, or house-entry ceremonies.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devata-nama (Invocation of deities and cosmic powers used in rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pūjā scene: a priest before a vāstu-maṇḍala, offering water/flowers; Parjanya shown as cloud-bearing deity, Indra and Sūrya as directional powers, and Gagana as a vast sky canopy above the ritual space.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural of a vāstu-śānti, Parjanya as dark cloud form with rain streaks, Indra and Sūrya flanking, the sky (Gagana) as a stylized blue canopy, ritual vessels prominent.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold-leaf aura for Sūrya and Indra, Parjanya with cloud motifs, priest and kalasha in foreground, ornate arch framing the invocation set.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style ritual-instruction scene, clear depiction of offerings and sequence, labeled deities in small medallions (Parjanya, Karagraha, Mahendra, Ravi, Satya, Bhṛśa, Gagana).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a domestic rite in a courtyard, priest reciting names, attendants holding offerings, sky rendered delicately, subtle personifications of Parjanya and Sūrya in the margins."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Megh","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved: dvitīyaś→dvitīyaḥ; mahendraravisatyāś→mahendra-ravi-satyāḥ (dvandva plural); bhṛśo 'tha→bhṛśaḥ + atha; gaganantathā→gaganam + tathā.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 246 (pūjā-vidhi and devatā-nāma sequences)
FAQs
It provides a sequential list of deities/powers to be remembered or invoked in a ritual context (devatā-smaraṇa), functioning as a practical checklist for worship/nyāsa-style recitation.
By cataloguing specific divine names (from rain and sky to solar and Indraic powers), it preserves ritual taxonomies used across puja traditions—one of the Agni Purana’s hallmark “manual-like” compilations.
Correct remembrance and invocation of the intended deities is taught as a means to align the rite with cosmic order (ṛta/satya), supporting purification and the intended efficacy (siddhi) of worship.