Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 30
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
कुण्डस्योर्ध्वं हृदावर्त्य भ्रामयित्वाग्निगोचरे पुनर्विष्णुमयीं ध्यात्वा घृतमीशानगोचरे
kuṇḍasyordhvaṃ hṛdāvartya bhrāmayitvāgnigocare punarviṣṇumayīṃ dhyātvā ghṛtamīśānagocare
കുണ്ഡത്തിൽ നിന്നു ചൈതന്യത്തെ ഊർദ്ധ്വത്തിലേക്ക് ഉയർത്തി ഹൃദയത്തിൽ ആവർത്തിപ്പിച്ച് അഗ്നിഗോചരത്തിൽ പരിഭ്രമിപ്പിക്കണം. പിന്നെ ഹവിയെ വിഷ്ണുമയമായി ധ്യാനിച്ച് ഈശാനഗോചരത്തിൽ ഘൃതം ആഹുതിയാക്കണം.
Lord Agni (in dialogue tradition, instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Internalized homa: moving awareness from kuṇḍa to hṛdaya, circulating it in agni-maṇḍala, then offering ghee with deity-bhāvanā (Viṣṇu-pervasion) into the Īśāna-bhāga for śānti and siddhi.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Homa-dhyāna: Kuṇḍa–Hṛdaya-āvartana and Īśāna-bhāga āhuti","lookup_keywords":["kuṇḍa","hṛdaya-āvartana","agni-gocara","viṣṇumayī-bhāvanā","īśāna-bhāga"],"quick_summary":"Before the āhuti, the practitioner internalizes the fire by drawing it to the heart and circulating it in Agni’s sphere; the ghee is then offered with Viṣṇu-pervasion and directed to the Īśāna quarter for pacification and completion."}
Concept: Bahir-yajña and antar-yajña are unified by bhāvanā: the external āhuti mirrors internal circulation of consciousness (agni) and deity-pervasion (viṣṇutva) culminating in īśāna-śānti.
Application: Use deity-bhāvanā to stabilize attention: draw to heart, circulate, then offer—reducing distraction and strengthening mantra efficacy.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Homa & Agni-karya: fire-ritual procedure)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A homa-kuṇḍa with rising flames; the sādhaka seated, eyes half-closed, drawing subtle fire-energy to the heart, then offering a ghee stream toward the northeast (Īśāna) while visualizing Viṣṇu-pervasion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat vibrant colors, sacred homa scene with square kuṇḍa, stylized flames, sādhaka in white, subtle halo at heart, directional marker for Īśāna in northeast corner, iconographic hints of Viṣṇu and Śiva as subtle presences","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, rich gold leaf highlights on the flames and āhuti ladle, sādhaka seated before kuṇḍa, ornate ritual vessels, northeast corner emphasized, faint embossed motifs of Viṣṇu (conch-disc) and Īśāna (trident)","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate linework, instructional composition showing kuṇḍa, heart-focus gesture, and the direction of offering to Īśāna; labeled ritual implements (sruk, ghṛta-pātra)","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed pavilion homa-śālā, priest performing āhuti, swirling flame patterns indicating circulation, subtle symbolic clouds for Viṣṇu-pervasion, northeast corner marked with architectural cue"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कुण्डस्योर्ध्वम् = कुण्डस्य + ऊर्ध्वम्; हृदावर्त्य = हृदा + आवर्त्य; भ्रामयित्वाग्निगोचरे = भ्रामयित्वा + अग्निगोचरे; पुनर्विष्णुमयीम् = पुनः + विष्णुमयीम्; घृतमीशानगोचरे = घृतम् + ईशानगोचरे
Related Themes: Agni Purana 75 (homa-vidhi sequence: nyāsa–dhyāna–āhuti); Agni Purana sections on dikpāla/īśāna-nyāsa in pūjā-vidhi
FAQs
It prescribes a specific homa-sequence: internalizing the ritual focus into the heart, circulating it within Agni’s sphere, visualizing the oblation as Viṣṇu-pervaded, and finally offering ghee into the Īśāna (Śiva) sphere—i.e., a dhyāna-guided offering protocol.
It exemplifies the text’s ritual-technology layer—linking mantra/meditation (dhyāna), directional-theology (Īśāna), and offering mechanics (ghṛta-homa) into a procedural instruction, showing how the Agni Purana systematizes worship methods alongside its many other disciplines.
By mentally consecrating the offering (as Viṣṇu-maya) and placing it in the Īśāna principle through Agni, the act is framed as purified, theologically integrated worship—intended to enhance merit (puṇya) and inner purification through disciplined attention and correct ritual intention.