Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 8
Chapter 68 — यात्रोत्सवविधिकथनं
Account of the Procedure for the Processional Festival / Yātrā-Utsava Vidhi
तीर्थयात्रा तु या देव श्वः कर्तव्या सुरोत्तम तस्यारम्भमनुज्ञातुमर्हसे देव सर्वथा
tīrthayātrā tu yā deva śvaḥ kartavyā surottama tasyārambhamanujñātumarhase deva sarvathā
Wahai Tuhan—yang terbaik antara para dewa—ziarah ke tīrtha (tempat penyeberangan suci) yang akan dilakukan esok hari: perkenankanlah, dalam segala hal, izin untuk memulakannya.
A devotee/petitioner addressing a deity (contextually within Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue attributed to Lord Agni’s narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Before starting a pilgrimage-vrata, request divine permission (anujñā) for the commencement, framing the journey as a vowed act under divine sanction.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Anujñā-prārthanā for beginning a tīrtha-yātrā","lookup_keywords":["tīrtha-yātrā","anujñā","ārambha","prārthanā","vrata"],"quick_summary":"The pilgrim petitions the deity for permission to begin the next day’s tīrtha-yātrā. This establishes auspicious commencement and removes obstacles through acknowledged divine consent."}
Concept: Right commencement (ārambha) requires humility and alignment with divine order; intention is purified through prayerful permission-seeking.
Application: Before travel for religious purposes, perform a brief prayer seeking anujñā, then begin at an auspicious time with a steady vow-mindset.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-yatra & Vrata-vidhi (Pilgrimage rites and religious observances)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee addresses the deity with folded hands, requesting permission to begin a pilgrimage the next day; travel items and a simple vow-setup are visible nearby.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: devotee in añjali before a deity, background hints of river-ford imagery and travel path, lamps glowing, restrained palette, devotional stillness.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: deity enthroned with gold ornamentation; devotee kneeling with travel bundle and water pot, ornate arch, bright colors, gold leaf emphasizing divine authority granting anujñā.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional scene—devotee reciting anujñā-prārthanā, calendar/next-day indication, minimal temple interior, delicate lines and soft hues.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: refined interior with prayer scene; attendant holds a small travel satchel; distant landscape vignette suggests upcoming journey to tīrthas, fine detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तस्यारम्भम् = तस्य + आरम्भम्. आरम्भमनुज्ञातुमर्हसे = आरम्भम् + अनुज्ञातुम् + अर्हसे.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Tīrtha-māhātmya and yātrā-vidhi passages (same khanda context); Agni Purana: Vrata-vidhi on ārambha, niyama, and anujñā
FAQs
It teaches the formal preliminaries of tīrtha-yātrā—seeking divine authorization (anujñā) before beginning the journey, a standard rule of ritual propriety (vidhi).
Alongside theology, the Agni Purana catalogues practical religious procedures; this verse exemplifies its manual-like guidance on how rites such as pilgrimage are properly initiated.
Beginning a pilgrimage with permission and reverence is presented as ensuring ritual correctness and safeguarding the intended merit (puṇya) of the tīrtha-yātrā.