Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 21
Chapter 360 — अव्ययवर्गाः
Groups of Indeclinables
तु हि च स्म ह वै पादपूरणे पूजनेप्यति दिवाह्नीत्यथ दोषा च नक्तञ्च रजनाविति
tu hi ca sma ha vai pādapūraṇe pūjanepyati divāhnītyatha doṣā ca naktañca rajanāviti
Sesungguhnya, turut diajarkan bahawa dalam amalan pemujaan, bagi penyempurnaan ritual (pādapūraṇa), waktu yang wajar ialah pada siang hari (divāhna). Selanjutnya, bahagian-bahagian malam dinyatakan sebagai: awal malam (doṣā), tengah malam (nakta), dan baki malam (rajanī).
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","secondary_vidya":"Jyotisha","practical_application":"Ritual scheduling: selecting proper daytime for worship-related completion (pādapūraṇa) and correctly naming/segmenting night periods for time-sensitive rites.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Daytime suitability for pūjā pādapūraṇa and night-period nomenclature","lookup_keywords":["puja-vidhi","divahna","dosa","nakta","rajani"],"quick_summary":"For completing worship components (pādapūraṇa), daytime is prescribed. Night is divided into doṣā (first part), nakta (midnight), and rajanī (remaining night) for accurate ritual time-reckoning."}
Concept: Dharma is safeguarded by correct kāla (time) in ritual action; naming and dividing time supports precision in worship.
Application: Plan pūjā completions in divāhna; when a rite specifies night, map it to doṣā/nakta/rajanī to avoid timing faults (doṣa).
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Ritual Worship Procedures and Time-Calculations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A temple priest completes a worship step in daylight; beside it, a night-sky triptych shows early night, midnight, and late night labeled doṣā, nakta, rajanī.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, temple interior with priest offering lamp in bright daytime, adjacent band showing three night segments with moon positions and labels doṣā/nakta/rajanī, stylized clouds and deep indigo night tones.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, deity shrine with priest in daytime, gold-leaf halo around the lamp, upper register with three moon phases/positions marking night divisions, ornate borders and rich colors.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional panel: clock-like arc of sun to moon with three labeled night sections, priest performing pādapūraṇa at day, fine linework and clear labels.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtyard temple scene in daylight with pūjā, and a separate framed vignette of night sky divided into three segments with moon at different heights, delicate architectural detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पूजनेप्यति → pūjane + api + ati. दिवाह्नीत्यथ → divā + ahnī + iti + atha. नक्तञ्च → naktam + ca. रजनाविति → rajanā + iti.
Related Themes: Agni Purana sections on pūjā-vidhi and kāla-nirṇaya (time determination); Agni Purana sections on vrata timing and muhūrta considerations
FAQs
It gives a pūjā-kāla rule: ritual completion in worship is aligned with daytime, and it defines night into functional segments—doṣā, nakta, and rajanī—for timing observances.
By codifying practical time-divisions and worship scheduling, it functions like a ritual handbook (pūjā-vidhi + muhūrta-nirṇaya), showing the Purana’s coverage beyond stories into applied liturgical and calendrical procedure.
Correct timing is treated as part of ritual correctness (vidhi); performing worship in the prescribed time supports purity of the act and is understood to enhance its merit (puṇya) while avoiding time-based ritual faults (doṣa).