Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 1
Māheśvara-snāna: Lakṣa/Koṭi-homa, Protective Baths, Unguents, and Graha-Śānti
ये महापुराणे विनायकस्नानं नाम पञ्चषष्ट्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः वषट्कारसमन्वितैर् इति घ , ज , ञ , ट च अथ षट्षष्ठ्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः माहेश्वरस्नानलक्षकोटिहोमादयः पुष्कर उवाच स्नानं माहेश्वरं वक्ष्ये राजादेर्जयवर्धनम् दानवेन्द्राय बलये यज्जगादोशनाः पुरा
ye mahāpurāṇe vināyakasnānaṃ nāma pañcaṣaṣṭyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ vaṣaṭkārasamanvitair iti gha , ja , ña , ṭa ca atha ṣaṭṣaṣṭhyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ māheśvarasnānalakṣakoṭihomādayaḥ puṣkara uvāca snānaṃ māheśvaraṃ vakṣye rājāderjayavardhanam dānavendrāya balaye yajjagādośanāḥ purā
इस महापुराण में ‘विनायक-स्नान’ नामक दो सौ पैंसठवाँ अध्याय समाप्त हुआ; घ, ज, ञ और ट पाठों में इसका समापन-वाक्य ‘वषट्कारसमन्वितैः’ है। अब दो सौ छियासठवाँ अध्याय आरम्भ होता है—‘माहेश्वर-स्नान, लक्ष-कोटि (पुण्य), होम आदि’। पुष्कर बोले—मैं माहेश्वर (शिव-सम्बन्धी) स्नान का वर्णन करूँगा, जो राजाओं आदि की विजय बढ़ाता है; जिसे उशना (शुक्राचार्य) ने पूर्वकाल में दानव-इन्द्र बलि को बताया था।
Puṣkara
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Textual framing for tirtha/snana rites: identifies chapter transition and establishes authority (Puṣkara narrating; Uśanā teaching Bali) and promised royal victory merit.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Māheśvara-snāna: chapter transition, phala (victory), and lineage (Uśanā → Bali)","lookup_keywords":["māheśvara-snāna","puṣkara uvāca","uśanā śukra","bali dānava","snāna-phala"],"quick_summary":"Introduces the Māheśvara bath and its victory-bestowing merit for rulers, grounding the rite in an authoritative transmission from Uśanā to Bali and marking the close of the Vināyaka-snāna chapter."}
Concept: Ritual efficacy is strengthened by śāstra-pramāṇa and guru-paramparā (authoritative transmission).
Application: When adopting expiatory/merit rites, preserve correct chapter/rite identity, phala-śruti, and transmission context to maintain orthodox performance.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Snana-vidhi / Tirtha-rituals and expiatory bathing rites)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A narrator-sage Puṣkara begins teaching a Śiva-related bath rite; in a side vignette, Uśanā (Śukra) instructs Bali, king of Dānavas, indicating lineage of the practice; manuscript-like chapter colophon feel.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, Puṣkara seated with palm-leaf manuscript, gesturing as he teaches Māheśvara-snāna; inset scene of Uśanā teaching Bali in royal attire; bold outlines, temple mural palette, sacred instructional mood","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold accents, Puṣkara as luminous sage with halo, ornate borders like a colophon panel; inset Uśanā and Bali with regal ornaments; emphasis on auspicious authority and ritual merit","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, manuscript-illustration aesthetic, clear didactic composition: Puṣkara speaking, title panel ‘Māheśvara-snāna’; secondary panel showing Uśanā instructing Bali; soft colors and fine detailing","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly teaching scene: scholar-sage presenting a rite to a ruler; separate vignette of Uśanā advising Bali; delicate calligraphic cartouches suggesting chapter headings"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: द्विशततमो 'ध्यायः→द्विशततमः अध्यायः (अः + अ); षट्षष्ठ्यधिक... 'ध्यायः similarly; यज्जगाद→यत् + जगाद (त् + ज → ज्ज)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 265 (Vināyaka-snāna); Agni Purana Puja-vidhi snāna sections continuing in 266
FAQs
It introduces the Māheśvara-snāna—an ablution rite connected with Śiva—framed together with homa (fire-offerings) and other allied observances, and notes its intended practical outcome: victory-enhancement for rulers.
It shows the text functioning as a ritual handbook: it preserves chapter colophons, variant-recension notes, Vedic liturgical markers like ‘vaṣaṭ’, and links rites to political aims (royal success), integrating mantra-ritual, purification, and statecraft outcomes.
By presenting a Śiva-oriented bath as a purifier that also yields success (jaya-vardhana), the verse signals that bodily/ritual purification and devotional alignment (with Māheśvara) are treated as merit-producing acts with both spiritual and worldly fruits.