Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 38
अध्याय १ — यजुर्विधानम्
Agni Purana, Chapter 259: Yajur-vidhāna
चत्वारि भङ्गेत्येतत्तु सर्वपापहरं जले देवा यज्ञेति जप्त्वा तु ब्रह्मलोके महीयते
catvāri bhaṅgetyetattu sarvapāpaharaṃ jale devā yajñeti japtvā tu brahmaloke mahīyate
មន្តដែលចាប់ផ្តើមដោយ «ចត្វារិ ភង្គេ…» នោះ បើសូត្រនៅក្នុងទឹក នឹងដកហូតបាបទាំងអស់។ ហើយបើសូត្រ «ទេវា យជ្ញេ…» នោះគេត្រូវបានគោរព និងលើកតម្កើងនៅក្នុងព្រះលោកព្រហ្មា។
Lord Agni (in the Agni Purana’s primary narration to a sage, commonly transmitted as Agni’s instruction)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Water-recitation (japa in/over water) for sin-removal using ‘catvāri bhaṅge…’; separate japa ‘devā yajñe…’ for attaining honor in Brahmaloka (posthumous/merit fruition).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Jala-japa ‘catvāri bhaṅge…’ for sarva-pāpa-hara; ‘devā yajñe…’ for Brahmaloka-prāpti","lookup_keywords":["catvāri bhaṅge","jala-japa","sarva-pāpa-hara","devā yajñe","Brahmaloka"],"quick_summary":"Reciting the ‘catvāri bhaṅge…’ mantra in water is prescribed as a universal sin-remover; reciting ‘devā yajñe…’ is said to yield exaltation in Brahmaloka."}
Concept: Prāyaścitta through mantra and water as purifier; karmic fruition culminating in higher-loka honor through yajña-linked recitation.
Application: Employ water-japa as an accessible expiation practice; orient conduct toward yajña-spirit (offering, discipline) to support the promised merit.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Mantra-japa, Snana-prayoga, Prayaschitta)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A bather stands waist-deep in a river or tank, reciting ‘catvāri bhaṅge…’ as the water glows; a second vignette shows a radiant ascent toward Brahmaloka after ‘devā yajñe…’ recitation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, sacred waterbody with stylized waves, devotee in snāna posture, mantra syllables as white glyphs over water, upper register showing Brahmaloka with lotus motifs and Brahmā’s presence.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-work on the water vessel and haloed Brahmaloka scene, devotee reciting with folded hands, ornate celestial architecture, rich reds and blues.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear two-panel instructional art: jala-japa method and merit-fruit depiction, delicate lines, soft palette, readable mantra cartouches.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed riverside bathing ghat, attendants and trees, subtle supernatural glow in water, upper sky band with Brahmaloka palace rendered in fine architectural detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhaṅge + iti → bhaṅgeti; iti + etat → ityetat; etat + tu → etattu; yajñe + iti → yajñeti.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 259 (snāna-prayoga and prāyaścitta mantras); Agni Purana discussions of lokas and merit-fruits in cosmological passages
FAQs
It prescribes a prayashchitta-style practice: reciting a specific mantra while in water (snana context) as a sin-removing japa, and reciting another mantra-formula (“devā yajñe…”) for elevated posthumous merit.
It functions like a compact ritual manual entry—linking mantra incipits, the correct ritual setting (water/snana), and the stated results (papa-kshaya and Brahmaloka merit), exemplifying the Agni Purana’s catalog-style coverage of practical dharma and rites.
The verse assigns karmic efficacy to mantra-japa performed in a purificatory medium (water), promising comprehensive sin-removal and honor in Brahmaloka as the stated spiritual fruit.