Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 18
Chapter 93 — वास्तुपूजादिविधानम्
Procedure for Vāstu-worship and Related Rites
सोमाय पायसं साज्यं शालूकमूषये दिशेत् लोपीमदितये दित्यै पुरीमित्युत्तराष्टकं
somāya pāyasaṃ sājyaṃ śālūkamūṣaye diśet lopīmaditaye dityai purīmityuttarāṣṭakaṃ
Hendaklah dipersembahkan nasi susu (pāyasa) bercampur ghee kepada Soma; dan śālūka (akar/umbi teratai) kepada Ūṣa. Persembahkan lopī kepada Aditi, dan purī (kuih goreng) kepada Diti—demikian berakhir uttarāṣṭaka, iaitu set lapan persembahan yang kemudian.
Lord Agni (teaching the ritual assignments to the inquirer, traditionally Vasiṣṭha in Agni Purāṇa’s frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Naivedya mapping for Soma, Ūṣa, Aditi, and Diti, concluding an uttarāṣṭaka (latter set of eight) distribution scheme.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Uttarāṣṭaka offerings: Soma, Ūṣa, Aditi, Diti","lookup_keywords":["soma","pāyasa sājya","śālūka","aditi lopī","diti purī"],"quick_summary":"Offer sweet milk-rice with ghee to Soma, lotus-root to Ūṣa, lopī to Aditi, and purī to Diti—completing the latter octet of prescribed offerings."}
Concept: Completeness (pūrṇatā) in worship—finishing the prescribed set (aṣṭaka) is itself a dharmic requirement.
Application: Track offerings as a structured series; avoid omissions by following the aṣṭaka list to its conclusion.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Naivedya offerings and deity-specific oblations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A concluding ritual sequence: milk-rice with ghee offered to Soma, lotus-root presented to Ūṣā, and distinct fried items (lopī, purī) offered to Aditi and Diti, marking the end of the uttarāṣṭaka set.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, four small deity panels around a central altar: Soma with cool lunar aura receiving pāyasa with ghee, Ūṣā with dawn hues receiving lotus-root, Aditi and Diti receiving distinct fried offerings, lamps and floral borders, calm ceremonial mood","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on offering bowls, Soma framed with moon disc, Ūṣā with sunrise gradient, Aditi/Diti in ornate niches, richly textured purī and lopī on plates, symmetrical devotional composition","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional clarity: sequential offering steps shown left-to-right, labeled pāyasa-sājya, śālūka, lopī, purī; priest completing the uttarāṣṭaka, soft pastel background","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined still-life of offerings on a low table, priest presenting to four deity representations in a pavilion, delicate rendering of milk-rice sheen, lotus-root slices, fried breads, concluding gesture of completion"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Sandhi/segmentation: साज्यम् = स-आज्यम्; शालूकमूषये = शालूकम् + ऊषये; पुरीमित्युत्तराष्टकम् = पुरीम् + इति + उत्तर-अष्टकम्. Lopīm-aditaye in IAST parsed as लोपीम् + अदितये (no compound intended).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Puja-vidhi: aṣṭaka/uttarāṣṭaka sequences and naivedya rules (same khanda context)
FAQs
It prescribes deity-specific naivedya/homa items—milk-rice with ghee for Soma, lotus-root for Ūṣas, and particular prepared foods (lopī, purī) for Aditi and Diti—showing precise dravya-viniyoga (assignment of offerings).
By cataloging exact ritual consumables for distinct deities, it functions like a practical ritual manual embedded within the Purana, alongside its other domains (dharma, polity, medicine, arts).
Correctly matching offerings to the intended deity is taught as a means to ensure ritual efficacy (siddhi), devotional propriety, and the accrual of religious merit through disciplined worship.