Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 79
अध्याय १ — यजुर्विधानम्
Agni Purana, Chapter 259: Yajur-vidhāna
शन्नो मित्र इतीत्येतत् सदा सर्वत्र शान्तिदं गणानां त्वा गणपतिं कृत्वा होमञ्चतुष्पथे
śanno mitra itītyetat sadā sarvatra śāntidaṃ gaṇānāṃ tvā gaṇapatiṃ kṛtvā homañcatuṣpathe
'ଶନ୍ନୋ ମିତ୍ରଃ' ମନ୍ତ୍ର ସର୍ବଦା ଶାନ୍ତି ପ୍ରଦାନ କରେ | 'ଗଣାନାଂ ତ୍ୱା' ମନ୍ତ୍ରରେ ଛକ ଜାଗାରେ ଗଣପତି ହୋମ କରିବା ଉଚିତ୍ |
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Shānti-mantra recitation and Gaṇapati-homa performed at a crossroads (catuṣpatha) for public/liminal-space pacification and obstacle-removal.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śānti by ‘Śaṃ no mitraḥ’ and Gaṇapati-homa at the crossroads","lookup_keywords":["śaṃ no mitraḥ","śānti-mantra","gaṇānāṃ tvā gaṇapatiṃ","homa","catuṣpatha"],"quick_summary":"Use the Vedic peace formula ‘śaṃ no mitraḥ…’ universally for pacification; perform a Gaṇapati-invoked homa at a crossroads to secure peace and remove obstacles."}
Concept: Śānti is maintained through Vedic mantra and homa; Gaṇapati is invoked first to remove impediments to any rite.
Application: Begin rites with Gaṇapati invocation; employ universal śānti-mantras for harmonizing environments, especially at liminal places.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Shanti-mantra and Ganapati-homa preliminaries)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Samanya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At a four-way crossroads, a priest performs a small homa after reciting the peace mantra and invoking Gaṇapati, creating an atmosphere of universal pacification.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, crossroads with four roads, small homa-kunda at center, priest chanting, Gaṇapati presence as subtle icon or aura, villagers at a respectful distance, warm ochres and reds.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central homa fire with gold foil flames, Gaṇapati depicted above or on a small pedestal, ornate vessels, rich jewel tones, symmetrical crossroads composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional depiction of catuṣpatha layout, homa-kunda at center, priest offering āhuti, mantra text ribbon, soft pastel palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, urban crossroads scene with detailed architecture, small ritual fire at center, priest and assistants, onlookers, delicate smoke patterns forming auspicious symbols."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इतीत्येतत् = इति + एतत्; होमञ्चतुष्पथे = होमम् + चतुष्पथे
Related Themes: Agni Purana 259 (śānti, homa, rakṣā-mantra sequence); Agni Purana sections on homa-vidhi and pūjā-krama (general)
FAQs
It prescribes a shanti-prayoga: recitation of the Vedic peace formula “śaṃ no mitraḥ …” as universally pacifying, combined with a Gaṇapati-invocation mantra (“gaṇānāṃ tvā gaṇapatiṃ”) and the performance of a homa specifically at a catuṣpatha (four-way crossroads).
It exemplifies the text’s practical cataloging of ritual technology—linking mantra-selection, deity-priority (Gaṇapati as remover of obstacles), and precise ritual geography (crossroads as a liminal, publicly efficacious site) into a compact procedural instruction.
The verse frames the practice as śānti-producing—aimed at pacification, harmony, and removal of impediments—by invoking Mitra for concord and Gaṇapati for obstacle-clearing, with the crossroads setting emphasizing wide-reaching, boundary-cleansing efficacy.