Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 12
Chapter 154: विवाहः
Vivāha — Marriage
वैवाहिके ऽह्नि कुर्वीत कुम्भकारमृदा शुचीं जलाशये तु तां पूज्य वाद्याद्यैः स्त्रीं गृहत्रयेत्
vaivāhike 'hni kurvīta kumbhakāramṛdā śucīṃ jalāśaye tu tāṃ pūjya vādyādyaiḥ strīṃ gṛhatrayet
婚礼の日には、陶工の土で清浄にして吉祥なる女の像を作るべきである。ついで水辺（貯水の場）において、楽器などをもってそれを供養し礼拝したのち、女（花嫁）を家へ導き入れるべきである。
Lord Agni (teaching the rites in the Agni Purana’s instructional voice to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Wedding-day rite involving a clay-formed auspicious female figure (symbolic/ritual substitute), worship at a water-body with music, and ceremonial leading of the bride into the house.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Vaivahika-dina: Mrinmayi Stri-Puja at Jalashaya and Griha-pravesha","lookup_keywords":["vaivahika-vidhi","kumbhakara-mrit","jalashaya-puja","vadya","griha-pravesha"],"quick_summary":"Prescribes making a pure female form from potter’s clay, worshipping it at a water-reservoir with music, and then leading the bride into the home—an auspicious transition rite."}
Concept: Ritual symbolism (pratika) and shuddhi establish auspiciousness; music and water sanctify the rite of passage into grihastha life.
Application: For a wedding procession: prepare the clay auspicious figure, perform brief puja at a nearby pond/ghat with instruments, then conduct formal griha-pravesha.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Samskara & Grihya-ritual procedure)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: mangala
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A wedding day scene: artisans shaping a small clay female figure from potter’s clay; at a pond/ghat the figure is worshipped with lamps, flowers, and musicians; then the bride is ceremonially led into the house threshold.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural of a ghat-side puja: clay feminine figure on a pedestal, oil lamps, flower offerings, chenda drums and cymbals; bride in traditional attire being led toward a nalukettu house entrance.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: central clay figure worship scene with gold leaf halo-like arch, musicians at sides, bride and groom near a decorated doorway with mango leaves and kalasha; rich ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional composition: three-step panel (making clay figure → jalashaya puja with vadya → griha-pravesha), clear linework, labeled ritual items (deepa, pushpa, kalasha).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: refined courtyard and riverside ghat, detailed musicians, attendants carrying puja trays; bride led under a canopy toward an ornate doorway, soft pastel palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: 'hni = ahni (loc. of ahan) after elision: vaivāhike 'hni = vaivāhike + ahni; kumbhakāramṛdā = kumbhakāra-mṛdā; vādyādyaiḥ = vādya-ādyaiḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 154 (Puja-vidhi and samskara procedures around marriage)
FAQs
It prescribes a vivāha-day procedure: create a ritually pure female representation using potter’s clay, worship it at a water body with festive accompaniments (music, etc.), and then ceremonially lead the bride into the home.
Alongside theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical grihya-samskāra protocol—minute domestic-ritual steps (materials, location like a jalāśaya, and celebratory elements like vādya)—showing its coverage of lived religious practice.
The act frames the bride’s entry as a consecrated transition: purity (śuci), worship (pūjā), and water-site auspiciousness function to invoke well-being, remove ritual impurity, and establish auspicious household dharma at the start of married life.