Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 3
Chapter 68 — यात्रोत्सवविधिकथनं
Account of the Procedure for the Processional Festival / Yātrā-Utsava Vidhi
कारकस्यानुकूले वा यात्रान्देवस्य कारयेत् मङ्गलाङ्कुररोपैस्तु गीतनृत्यादिवाद्यकैः
kārakasyānukūle vā yātrāndevasya kārayet maṅgalāṅkuraropaistu gītanṛtyādivādyakaiḥ
Apabila pelaksana upacara (kāraka) berada dalam keadaan yang menguntungkan—atau apabila keadaan sekeliling mengizinkan—hendaklah diadakan perarakan dewa (yātrā), disertai penanaman tunas bertuah serta nyanyian, tarian dan alat muzik.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Natya","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Organize deva-yātrā (procession) when omens/conditions are favorable, integrating aṅkura-ropana (auspicious sprout-raising) and public performing arts (gīta-nṛtya-vādya) to sacralize civic space.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Deva-yātrā with Maṅgalāṅkura and Gīta–Nṛtya–Vādya","lookup_keywords":["deva-yātrā","maṅgalāṅkura","gīta","nṛtya","vādya"],"quick_summary":"Conduct the deity’s procession under favorable circumstances, accompanied by auspicious sprout-planting and celebratory music and dance, making the rite both devotional and communal."}
Concept: Auspicious timing and collective participation amplify ritual potency; devotion is enacted through embodied arts (song, dance, instruments).
Application: Use omens/seasonal suitability to schedule processions; integrate sanctioned performance traditions as part of worship protocol.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Deva-yatra & Utsava-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: utsaha
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A deity’s palanquin procession moving through streets; priests and women planting auspicious sprouts; musicians with drums and cymbals; dancers performing before the deity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, frontal procession with chenda drums and ilathalam cymbals, dancers in temple attire, sprout trays (aṅkura) carried by devotees, bright lamp-lit street","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold-embellished utsava-mūrti on palanquin, musicians and dancers in ornate costumes, devotees holding sprout pots, festive archways","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional composition: officiant signaling favorable time, sprout-planting at side, procession route with musicians and dancers, refined pastel palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, bustling street procession with detailed instruments, palanquin bearers, dancers mid-gesture, attendants carrying sprout bowls, architectural facades"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kārakasyānukūle → kārakasya + anukūle; yātrāndevasya → yātrām + devasya; maṅgalāṅkuraropaistu → maṅgala-aṅkura-ropaiḥ + tu; gītanṛtyādivādyakaiḥ → gīta-nṛtya-ādi-vādyakaiḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 68.4-68.5 (aṅkura materials; bali and lamp-circumambulation)
FAQs
It prescribes the proper conduct of a deity’s ceremonial procession (deva-yātrā), specifying auspicious preliminaries (maṅgalāṅkura planting) and devotional accompaniments (gīta, nṛtya, vādyas).
It preserves practical temple-festival protocol—timing/auspiciousness, public ritual logistics, and sanctioned devotional arts—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage beyond theology into applied liturgy and cultural practice.
Conducting the deity’s procession under auspicious conditions with maṅgala rites and devotional music is presented as a dharmic act that increases sacred auspiciousness (maṅgalya) and supports communal merit through public worship.