Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 27
Devapūjā, Vaiśvadeva Offering, and Bali (देवपूजावैश्वदेवबलिः)
श्यामशबलाविति ज , ञ , ट च सौरभेय्यः सर्वहिताः पवित्राः पापनाशनाः प्रतिगृह्णन्तु मे ग्रासं गावस्त्रैलोक्यमातरः
śyāmaśabalāviti ja , ña , ṭa ca saurabheyyaḥ sarvahitāḥ pavitrāḥ pāpanāśanāḥ pratigṛhṇantu me grāsaṃ gāvastrailokyamātaraḥ
“Śyāma” dan “Śabalā”, serta (suku kata benih) ja, ña dan ṭa—dengan demikian menyeru lembu-lembu Saurabheya: semoga lembu-lembu itu, yang membawa manfaat bagi semua, menyucikan dan memusnahkan dosa, para ibu bagi tiga alam, menerima suapan persembahan daripadaku.
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana instruction, traditionally to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","practical_application":"Go-sevā/naivedya time protective invocation so the first morsel is ritually offered to the sacred cows as purifiers and sin-destroyers.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Saurabheya-go-mantra for accepting the first morsel (grāsa)","lookup_keywords":["Śyāma","Śabalā","Saurabheya","grāsa","pāpanāśana"],"quick_summary":"Invoke the sacred cows (as trilokya-mātṛ) with name-epithets and bīja-syllables so they accept the offered morsel and confer purification and sin-removal."}
Concept: Go-sevā and offering the first share as a purifier that transforms eating into yajña-like conduct.
Application: Before eating, mentally/verbally dedicate the first morsel to sacred recipients to cultivate restraint, gratitude, and ritual purity.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Go-seva, Bali/Naivedya and Protective Mantras)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder offers the first morsel with water/flowers before eating, while sacred cows (Śyāma and Śabalā) are envisioned as radiant, purifying mothers of the worlds.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, warm earthy palette, householder in simple white cloth offering first morsel on a leaf plate, luminous sacred cows behind with halo-like aura, palm trees and lamp, devotional domestic ritual mood","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central sacred cow pair with ornate jewelry and gold foil halos, householder offering a morsel at their feet, rich red/green background, embossed gold detailing emphasizing ‘trilokya-mātṛ’ sanctity","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, fine linework, instructional domestic ritual scene: first morsel offering gesture, small Sanskrit bīja letters (ja ña ṭa) subtly inscribed near the offering, calm interior with brass vessels","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed courtyard with cows and attendants, householder presenting a morsel on a small dish, delicate floral borders, naturalistic cows with subtle divine glow"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śyāmaśabalau → śyāma-śabalau (dvandva); gāvastrailokyamātaraḥ → gāvaḥ trailokya-mātaraḥ; pratigṛhṇantu kept as prati- + gṛhṇantu.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 263 (Deva-pūjā, Vaiśvadeva, Bali context); Agni Purana 264 (snāna/śānti continuation of daily observances)
FAQs
It gives a short invocation/mantra for offering a morsel (grāsa) to sacred cows—calling them purifying and sin-destroying, and using specific ritual syllables (ja, ña, ṭa) as part of the recitation.
Alongside theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical pūjā-vidhi details—how to sanctify and present offerings (naivedya/bali) through precise epithets and mantra-components, showing its coverage of lived ritual practice.
By honoring cows as ‘mothers of the three worlds’ and as ‘pāpanāśanāḥ,’ the act of offering becomes a purificatory rite intended to reduce sin (pāpa) and generate merit through reverent giving and sanctified consumption/feeding.