Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 21
Māheśvara-snāna: Lakṣa/Koṭi-homa, Protective Baths, Unguents, and Graha-Śānti
कृष्णानि चैव रक्तानि पञ्चवर्णानि निर्दिशेत् उत्पलं पद्मजाती च त्रिशीतं हरिपूजने
kṛṣṇāni caiva raktāni pañcavarṇāni nirdiśet utpalaṃ padmajātī ca triśītaṃ haripūjane
សម្រាប់ការបូជាហរិ (វិષ્ણុ) គួរជ្រើសផ្កាប្រាំពណ៌ រួមទាំងពណ៌ងងឹត (ខ្មៅ/ខៀវ) និងពណ៌ក្រហម ដូចជា ឧត្បល (ផ្កាឈូកខៀវ), បទ្មជាតិ (ប្រភេទផ្កាឈូក), និងផ្កាត្រីសីត ក្នុងពិធីបូជាហរិ។
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, in the typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Selection of flower-offerings by color for Vaiṣṇava pūjā, ensuring prescribed varieties (utpala, padma-jātī, triśīta) and a five-color set.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Hari-pūjā: Pañcavarṇa-puṣpa (five-colored flowers) including Utpala and Padma-jātī","lookup_keywords":["hari-pūjā","pañcavarṇa","utpala","padma-jātī","triśīta-puṣpa"],"quick_summary":"For Viṣṇu worship, offer flowers in five colors, explicitly including dark/blue-hued and red flowers such as blue lotus and lotus varieties, along with triśīta flower."}
Concept: Upacāra-niyama: devotion expressed through disciplined selection of offerings (dravya/puṣpa) aligned to deity and rite.
Application: In daily/occasional Viṣṇu pūjā, prepare a balanced set of flowers by color and type to maintain ritual completeness and aesthetic sanctity.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Vaishnava worship materials and flower-offerings)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A Vaiṣṇava altar with Viṣṇu image, surrounded by five-colored flower offerings—blue utpala, red lotuses, and other hues—arranged symmetrically in trays.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Viṣṇu in serene stance, large stylized lotus pond motifs, devotees presenting five-color garlands, prominent blue utpala and red padma, rhythmic ornamental borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Viṣṇu on pedestal with gold-leaf arch, thick jeweled garlands in five colors, blue lotus and red lotus emphasized, lamps at the base","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional composition: labeled five-color flower set on a pūjā plate before Viṣṇu, delicate pastel shading and fine outlines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly devotee offering trays of multicolored flowers to a small Viṣṇu shrine, detailed textiles, lotus pond in background"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चैव = च + एव।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 266 (puja-dravya and flower classifications)
FAQs
It specifies approved flower-offerings for Haripūjā, emphasizing selection by colour (five-colour classification) and naming particular flowers like utpala and lotus varieties for Vaiṣṇava worship.
By cataloguing concrete pūjā-materials (flowers and their classifications), it functions like a ritual manual embedded in the Purāṇa, alongside its many other domains (dharma, polity, medicine, arts).
Using prescribed, auspicious offerings in Hari’s worship is presented as a means to perform pūjā correctly (yathāvidhi), supporting purity of rite and merit (puṇya) through disciplined devotional practice.