Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 2
Chapter 116 — गयायात्राविधिः (Gayā-yātrā-vidhiḥ) | The Procedure for the Gayā Pilgrimage
मध्याह्ने चोद्यति स्नात्वा गीतवाद्यैर् ह्युपास्य च सावित्रीपुरतः सन्ध्यां पिण्डदानञ्च तत्पदे
madhyāhne codyati snātvā gītavādyair hyupāsya ca sāvitrīpurataḥ sandhyāṃ piṇḍadānañca tatpade
Pada tengah hari, ketika matahari berada di kemuncak peredarannya, setelah mandi hendaklah beribadat dengan nyanyian dan alat muzik; dan di hadapan Sāvitrī hendaklah melakukan Sandhyā tengah hari serta mempersembahkan piṇḍa di tempat suci itu.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Prescribes midday bath and sandhyā, worship before Sāvitrī, and piṇḍa-dāna at the sacred spot; includes sanctioned use of gīta-vādya in worship.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Madhyāhna Sandhyā before Sāvitrī with Gīta-Vādya and Piṇḍa-dāna","lookup_keywords":["madhyāhna-sandhyā","Sāvitrī","gīta-vādya","piṇḍa-dāna","snāna"],"quick_summary":"At midday, bathe and perform worship accompanied by song and instruments; then, before Sāvitrī, do the midday sandhyā and offer piṇḍa at that holy locus."}
Concept: Daily time-junction discipline (sandhyā) integrates mantra-devatā upāsanā with pitṛ offerings; devotional arts (gīta-vādya) can be legitimate supports to worship.
Application: Keep the midday sandhyā during pilgrimage; if appropriate, include devotional singing/instruments to sustain attention and reverence, then complete piṇḍa-dāna at the designated spot.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Sandhya, Gayatri/Savitri worship, Shraddha-related rites)
Primary Rasa: Bhakti
Secondary Rasa: Śānta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At midday on the Gayā pilgrimage: devotees bathe, then worship with singing and instruments before Sāvitrī, perform madhyāhna sandhyā, and offer piṇḍa at the sacred footing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, bright midday river scene, devotees with vīṇā/mṛdaṅga and singers near a small Sāvitrī shrine, sandhyā posture with arghya vessel, piṇḍa plate on a low platform, stylized sun overhead","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Sāvitrī Devī enthroned with gold halo, devotees offering flowers while musicians play, gold-leaf sun motif for midday, piṇḍa offering in foreground, rich reds and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional arrangement: bathing area, worship area with musicians, sandhyā arghya, and piṇḍa spot; fine linework, soft palette, emphasis on ritual implements","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, lively yet reverent courtyard/ghāṭ with musicians and devotees, Sāvitrī shrine niche, detailed instruments and garments, midday light and shadows, piṇḍa offering scene in foreground"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: codyati → ca + udyati; gītavādyair hyupāsya → gīta-vādyaiḥ + hi + upāsya; piṇḍadānañca → piṇḍa-dānam + ca; sāvitrīpurataḥ treated as sāvitrī + purataḥ (adverbial).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 116 (Gayā-yātrāvidhi: sandhyā timings and offerings)
FAQs
It prescribes a sequence for the midday observance: bathing, devotional upāsanā accompanied by song and instruments, performing the midday Sandhyā before Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī), and completing piṇḍa-dāna as an ancillary ancestral rite.
In a compact instruction it links multiple domains—daily nitya-karma (Sandhyā), mantra-devatā focus (Sāvitrī/Gāyatrī upāsanā), and śrāddha-related practice (piṇḍa-dāna)—showing how the text catalogs practical ritual routines alongside broader religious duties.
Bathing and Sandhyā are purificatory nitya-karmas that sustain spiritual discipline, while worship before Sāvitrī emphasizes mantra-centered devotion; piṇḍa-dāna supports ancestral satisfaction and is traditionally held to accrue merit and reduce obstacles linked with pitṛ-debts.