Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 13
Chapter 290 — गजशान्तिः
Gaja-śānti: Elephant-Pacification Rite
पूर्वादौ चौषधीभिश् च देवानां भाजनं पृथक् पृथक्शताहुतीश्चाज्यैर् गजानर्च्य प्रदक्षिणं
pūrvādau cauṣadhībhiś ca devānāṃ bhājanaṃ pṛthak pṛthakśatāhutīścājyair gajānarcya pradakṣiṇaṃ
पूर्व दिशेपासून आरंभ करून, औषधींसह देवतांसाठी स्वतंत्र स्वतंत्र पात्रे ठेवावीत. नंतर तुपाने प्रत्येकासाठी शंभर-शंभर आहुती द्याव्यात, गजांची पूजा करून प्रदक्षिणा करावी.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as the primary narrator of Agni Purana’s ritual sections)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Ayurveda","practical_application":"Conducting directional pūjā and homa: preparing separate deity vessels, using oṣadhis in offerings, performing specified ghee oblations, honoring guardian elephants, and completing pradakṣiṇā.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Devatā-bhājana-bheda and śatāhuti-homa with oṣadhi and ājya; gaja-arcana and pradakṣiṇā","lookup_keywords":["oṣadhi","bhājana","śatāhuti","ājya homa","gaja-arcana"],"quick_summary":"Set separate offering vessels for each deity starting from the east, include medicinal herbs in the rite, offer a hundred ghee oblations per deity, worship the guardian elephants, and conclude with clockwise circumambulation."}
Concept: Order (krama) and differentiation (pṛthak-bhāva) in worship: each deity receives distinct attention; repetition (śatāhuti) builds ritual potency.
Application: In complex rites, separate vessels and fixed counts prevent confusion and ensure completeness; pradakṣiṇā seals the rite with embodied reverence.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Yajna-homa and Devata-arcana procedures)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A consecration altar with multiple separate offering vessels arranged from the east; priests adding herbs and pouring ghee into fire for repeated oblations; painted/enshrined directional elephants being honored; participants performing clockwise circumambulation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, sacred fire altar with priests offering ājya, bowls of herbs, directional elephants painted on walls, figures moving in pradakṣiṇā, warm ochres and reds with bold outlines","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, glowing homa fire with gold accents, neatly arranged vessels, stylized elephants as guardians, ornate temple setting, devotional richness","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional layout showing vessels labeled per deity, sequence starting east, depiction of 100 oblations as repeated ladle motion, clear pradakṣiṇā path around altar","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly ritual scene with fire pit, attendants holding vessels and herbs, elephants depicted on banners/panels for directions, circular movement of participants, fine detailing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"ritualistic","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: cauṣadhībhiś ca = ca + auṣadhībhiḥ + ca; pṛthakśatāhutīś cājyaiḥ = pṛthak + śata-āhutīḥ + ca + ājyaiḥ; gajānarcya = gajān + arcya.
Related Themes: Agni Purana homa-vidhi and pūjā-krama sections; adhyāya 290 continuation on offerings and dismissal
FAQs
It gives a procedural rule for worship/homa: begin from the east, arrange separate vessels for each deity, offer fixed-count oblations (hundreds) with ghee, include herb-offerings, then conclude with worship of gajas and clockwise circumambulation.
It preserves precise ritual micro-instructions—directional order, materials (auṣadhi, ājya), quantified offerings (śata-āhutī), and concluding acts (pradakṣiṇā)—showing the text’s catalog-like coverage of practical liturgy alongside other sciences.
Following the prescribed order, purity of materials, and disciplined offering-count is presented as ensuring ritual correctness (yajña-śuddhi), pleasing the deities, and generating merit through orderly worship and pradakṣiṇā.