Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 1
Chapter 21 — सामान्यपूजाकथनम्
Teaching on General Worship
इत्य् आदिमहापुराणे आग्नेये जगत्सर्गवर्णनं नाम विंशतितमो ऽध्यायः अथ एकविंशो ऽध्यायः सामान्यपूजाकथनं नारद उवाच सामान्यपूजां विष्ण्वादेर्वक्ष्ये मन्त्रांश् च सर्वदान् समस्तपरिवाराय अच्युताय नमो यजेत्
ity ādimahāpurāṇe āgneye jagatsargavarṇanaṃ nāma viṃśatitamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha ekaviṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ sāmānyapūjākathanaṃ nārada uvāca sāmānyapūjāṃ viṣṇvādervakṣye mantrāṃś ca sarvadān samastaparivārāya acyutāya namo yajet
Demikianlah, dalam Agni Purāṇa, bab kedua puluh yang bertajuk “Huraian Penciptaan Alam Semesta” telah berakhir. Kini bermula bab kedua puluh satu, “Ajaran tentang Pemujaan Umum”. Nārada berkata: “Aku akan menerangkan kaedah pemujaan umum bagi Viṣṇu dan para dewa yang lain, beserta mantra-mantra yang sesuai pada setiap waktu. Hendaklah seseorang bersembahyang sambil mengucap: ‘Sembah sujud kepada Acyuta, bersama seluruh rombongan (parivāra)-Nya’.”
Nārada
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Establishes the opening sankalpa-like intent for sādhāraṇa (general) pūjā and gives a universal salutation-mantra usable for Viṣṇu and allied deities with their parivāra.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Sāmānya-pūjā: Acyuta-parivāra-namaskāra (universal opening salutation)","lookup_keywords":["sāmānya-pūjā","acyuta","parivāra","namas","nārada"],"quick_summary":"Begins the general worship section and prescribes a universal formula: worship Acyuta together with the entire retinue, suitable as an all-purpose opening in pūjā."}
Concept: Parivāra-sahita-devatā-arcana: worship is complete when the deity is honored along with the associated powers/attendants.
Application: In any pūjā, include the main deity plus parivāra in the opening salutation to avoid ritual incompleteness (aparipūrṇatā).
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Sāmānya-pūjā / General Worship Procedure)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Nārada instructs a devotee-priest beginning a general pūjā before a Viṣṇu altar, hands folded, offering the opening salutation to Acyuta with attendant deities symbolically present.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style: Nārada with vīṇā teaching a priest before a lamp-lit Viṣṇu shrine; Acyuta in serene stance with subtle parivāra halos; rich earthy reds, greens, and ochres; stylized lotus borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: central Acyuta (Viṣṇu) with parivāra arranged symmetrically; heavy gold foil work on crown and prabhāmaṇḍala; priest in añjali at the base; ornate arch frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: instructional pūjā opening scene—altar, pañcapātra, flowers, incense; Nārada pointing to a written mantra strip 'acyutāya namaḥ'; delicate lines, soft shading, minimal gold.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: courtly interior turned into a temple chamber; Nārada as sage-musician instructing; Viṣṇu icon on a pedestal with attendants hinted; fine textiles, detailed vessels, calligraphic caption band."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इत्य्→इति; विंशतितमो ऽध्यायः→विंशतितमः अध्यायः; एकविंशो ऽध्यायः→एकविंशः अध्यायः; विष्ण्वादेर्वक्ष्ये→विष्णु-आदेः वक्ष्ये; मन्त्रांश्→मन्त्रान्; नमो यजेत्→नमः यजेत्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 21 (Sāmānya-pūjā section continues); Agni Purana pūjā-vidhi chapters on nyāsa, āvāhana, upacāras (contextual)
FAQs
It introduces sāmānya-pūjā-vidhi: a general, reusable worship framework and an “always applicable” mantra-formula for worshipping Viṣṇu (Acyuta) together with His full retinue (samasta-parivāra).
By shifting from cosmology (creation-description) to a practical ritual handbook section, it demonstrates the Agni Purāṇa’s wide scope—moving from doctrine and narrative into standardized liturgical procedure and mantra-usage.
Worshipping Acyuta with “samasta-parivāra” expresses completeness (honouring the deity with attendant powers/forms), supporting right intention, ritual wholeness, and accruing merit through disciplined devotion and mantra.