Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 20
Chapter 34 — होमादिविधिः
The Procedure for Homa and Related Rites
पद्मश्यामाकदूर्वाश् च विष्णुपत्नी च पाद्यकम् तथाष्टाङ्गार्घ्यमाख्यातं यवगन्धफलाक्षतम्
padmaśyāmākadūrvāś ca viṣṇupatnī ca pādyakam tathāṣṭāṅgārghyamākhyātaṃ yavagandhaphalākṣatam
പാദ്യത്തിൽ പദ്മം, ശ്യാമാക ധാന്യം, ദൂർവാ പുല്ല്, കൂടാതെ വിഷ്ണുപത്നി (തുളസി) ചേർക്കണം. അഷ്ടാംഗ അർഘ്യം യവം, ഗന്ധദ്രവ്യം, ഫലം, അക്ഷതം എന്നിവകൊണ്ടുള്ളതെന്ന് പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു.
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Specify botanical and grain components for pādya and define an eightfold arghya set; useful for priests standardizing upacāras in household/temple worship.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Pādya Additives and Aṣṭāṅga-Arghya Components","lookup_keywords":["padya","durva","shyamaka","vishnupatni","ashtanga-arghya"],"quick_summary":"Prepare pādya with lotus, śyāmāka grain, dūrvā, and viṣṇupatnī; and offer arghya in an eightfold standard including barley, fragrance, fruit, and akṣata (with remaining items supplied by local paddhati)."}
Concept: Dravya-saṃskāra: sanctity is supported by specific natural substances chosen for their auspicious symbolism and purity.
Application: Maintain a standardized inventory for pūjā: lotus/dūrvā/akṣata/yava/fragrance/fruit; ensure items are whole (akṣata) and ritually clean.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Ritual Worship Procedures and Upacharas)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Ritual space
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pūjā tray showing lotus petals, śyāmāka grains, dūrvā blades, and viṣṇupatnī herb placed into pādya water; beside it an arghya set with barley, perfume, fruit, and akṣata arranged in eight compartments.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, close-up ritual still-life: bronze vessels with lotus and dūrvā, grains being sprinkled, eightfold arghya plate with compartments, warm muted palette, stylized hands of priest","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, ornate offering plate with gold leaf, lotus and dūrvā rendered richly, akṣata and barley sparkling, fruit and perfume flask, symmetrical devotional still-life with temple lamp glow","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional composition: labeled ingredients for pādya and aṣṭāṅga-arghya, fine line botanical depiction of dūrvā and lotus, soft colors, clear segmentation of eightfold tray","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed tabletop scene with jeweled bowls, lotus petals, fine grains, perfume vial, fruits, attendants preparing arghya, intricate textile background and realistic shading"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"methodical-ritual","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दूर्वाश् = दूर्वाः + (श् before च); विष्णुपत्नी = विष्णु + पत्नी; तथाष्टाङ्गार्घ्यम् = तथा + अष्टाङ्गार्घ्यम्; अष्टाङ्गार्घ्यम् = अष्ट + अङ्ग + अर्घ्यम्; अर्घ्यमाख्यातम् = अर्घ्यम् + आख्यातम्; फलाक्षतम् = फल + अक्षतम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 34 (upacāra-dravya and arghya/pādya definitions)
FAQs
It specifies the correct constituents for pādya (foot-washing water) and identifies key components of aṣṭāṅgārghya (the eightfold arghya offering) used in formal deity worship.
By cataloging precise ritual ingredients (plants, grains, and auspicious items) and standardizing worship-upacāras, it functions like a procedural manual—one of the Agni Purana’s hallmark encyclopedic roles across religious practice.
Offering properly constituted pādya and arghya is a purification-and-honor rite (satkāra) to the deity; correctness of materials is treated as enhancing auspiciousness (maṅgala) and the merit (puṇya) of worship.