Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 23
Kapilādipūjāvidhāna — Procedure for Worship Beginning with Kapilā
अमृतोपस्तरणमसि प्राणाहुतीस्ततो ददेत् प्राणाय स्वाहापानाय समानाय ततस् तथा
amṛtopastaraṇamasi prāṇāhutīstato dadet prāṇāya svāhāpānāya samānāya tatas tathā
“Engkau ialah hamparan penutup (upastaraṇa) bagi amṛta (nektar keabadian).” Sesudah itu hendaklah dipersembahkan obla kepada nafas-nafas hayat: “svāhā” kepada Prāṇa, “svāhā” kepada Apāna, dan seterusnya demikian juga kepada Samāna.
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purāṇa’s primary teaching frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Prāṇāhuti (inner oblation) sequence: recite the amṛta-upastaraṇa formula, then offer to Prāṇa, Apāna, and Samāna with svāhā—used as a pre/post-meal sanctification and prāṇa-regulation rite.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Amṛtopastaraṇa & Prāṇa–Apāna–Samāna svāhā-prāṇāhuti","lookup_keywords":["amṛtopastaraṇa","prāṇāhuti","prāṇa","apāna","samāna"],"quick_summary":"The verse supplies a mantra-cue (‘amṛtopastaraṇam asi’) and the svāhā offerings to key vital airs, framing digestion and life-breath as recipients of inner yajña."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Antaryāga: converting external yajña logic into inner discipline where prāṇa is the देवता and svāhā is the act of surrender.
Application: Use mantra to anchor attention and reduce impulsive consumption; cultivate reverence for bodily processes as sacred.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Prāṇāhuti / Ācamana and inner-offering rite)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A meditative practitioner visualizes a luminous ‘nectar-covering’ over food, then offers three inner oblations labeled Prāṇa, Apāna, Samāna into a subtle inner fire, each accompanied by ‘svāhā’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symbolic nectar veil over a food bowl, yogi in padmāsana, three flame-offerings at the navel with labels prāṇa/apāna/samāna, svāhā glyphs, ornate floral borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-highlighted nectar aura around the offering, three small golden flames with inscriptions, devotee’s hands in offering gesture, rich textiles and temple arch framing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional visualization: nectar-covering shown as translucent layer, three sequential offerings with clear captions, calm palette and precise lines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined interior with a seated ascetic, delicate translucent wash indicating ‘amṛta’ covering, three labeled offerings, elegant calligraphy of svāhā"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अमृतोपस्तरणमसि → अमृतोपस्तरणम् + असि; स्वाहापानाय → स्वाहा + अपानाय (आ + अ संधि).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 77.21–77.22 (upa-prāṇa offerings); Agni Purana 77.24 (Udāna/Vyāna and cullaka)
FAQs
It teaches the prāṇāhuti procedure—an internalized offering where oblations are ritually dedicated with “svāhā” to specific vital currents (Prāṇa, Apāna, Samāna) after invoking “amṛtopastaraṇam asi.”
By preserving a precise, step-based worship micro-ritual (mantra + sequence + targets of offering), it exemplifies the Agni Purāṇa’s catalog-like coverage of practical rites alongside its many other domains.
Dedicating offerings to the vital breaths is a purification and harmonization practice, aligning bodily life-forces with sacrificial intention, thereby supporting inner sanctity and merit (puṇya) in worship.