Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 18
Tvaritā-pūjā (The Worship of Tvaritā) — Transition Verse and Context
ऊष्माणस्येत्ययं पाठो न साधुः प्रथमं पञ्चमे योज्यं स्वरार्धेनोद्धृता इमे ओंकाराद्या नमोन्ताश् च जपेत् स्वाहाग्निकार्यके
ūṣmāṇasyetyayaṃ pāṭho na sādhuḥ prathamaṃ pañcame yojyaṃ svarārdhenoddhṛtā ime oṃkārādyā namontāś ca japet svāhāgnikāryake
“ऊष्माणस्य …” हा पाठ योग्य नाही. प्रथम मंत्रभाग पंचमाशी जोडावा. स्वरार्धाने उद्धृत, ओंकारादि व “नमः”पर्यंतचे हे अक्षर/मंत्र “स्वाहा”सह अग्निकार्यात जपावेत।
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purana’s common dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Correcting mantra-patha and applying extracted syllabic units (varṇa/bīja) in agnikārya with svāhā for effective oblation-linked japa.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Agnikārya-japa: svarārdha-uddhṛta Oṃkārādi-namo’nta with svāhā","lookup_keywords":["agnikārya","svāhā","svarārdha","oṃkārādi","namo’nta"],"quick_summary":"The verse gives a textual correction and a rule for extracting/segmenting mantra-units (svarārdha-uddhṛta) to be recited from Oṃ to namaḥ, and then applied in fire-rite with svāhā."}
Concept: Mantra-siddhi depends on śuddha-pāṭha (correct reading) and correct viniyoga (application) in yajña/agnikārya.
Application: Verify mantra-text, join prescribed segments, and maintain svāhā-usage when the act is homa-oriented rather than mere japa.
Khanda Section: Mantra-shastra & Agnikarma (Fire-ritual procedure; Japa and Mantra-nyasa guidance)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritualist seated before a consecrated fire, consulting a palm-leaf manuscript, carefully segmenting syllables and offering oblations with the utterance svāhā.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm ochres and reds, a vaidika-tantrika priest before a homa-kuṇḍa, stylized flames, palm-leaf manuscript, hand in japa-mudrā, sacred geometry on the altar, minimal background, traditional ornamentation.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central homa-kuṇḍa with bright flames, priest with sacred thread and manuscript, gold-leaf highlights on fire and vessels, ornate border, rich reds and greens, devotional-ritual atmosphere.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, clean linework, instructional clarity: labeled implements (sruk, sruva, āhuti bowl), priest joining mantra segments from manuscript, svāhā at oblation moment, soft pastel palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed ritual pavilion, scholar-priest reading manuscript, assistants holding ghee and ladles, precise depiction of fire altar and vessels, fine textiles, subdued yet luminous flames."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ūṣmāṇasya + iti → ūṣmāṇasyeti; svarārdhena + uddhṛtāḥ → svarārdhenoddhṛtāḥ; namo + antāḥ → namontāḥ (o + a sandhi); svāhā + agni + kāryake → svāhāgnikāryake (ā+a contraction).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 309 (Mantra-nyāsa/vidyāṅga context); Agni Purana mantra-kalpa sections on homa and japa-viniyoga
FAQs
It gives a rule of mantra-recitation for homa: reject an incorrect textual reading, combine specified elements (the first with the fifth), and perform japa of formulas beginning with Oṃ and ending with namaḥ, using svāhā in the fire-rite.
Beyond theology, it preserves technical ritual philology—how to correct a pāṭha (reading), apply a phonetic extraction rule (svarārdha), and standardize japa/homa utterances—showing the Purana’s coverage of mantra-science and liturgical precision.
Correct pāṭha and properly formed japa in homa are presented as essential for efficacy: accurate sound and procedure ensure the offering is ritually valid and spiritually fruitful, avoiding defects caused by improper recitation.