Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 4
Sāma-vidhāna
Procedure of the Sāman Hymns
सर्वपापहरं ज्ञेयं परितोयञ्च तासु च अविक्रेयञ्च विक्रीय जपेद्घृतवतीति च आयुष्यञ्च गणं हुत्वा अपमृत्युं व्यपोहति स्वस्तिमाप्नोति सर्वत्र हुत्वा स्वस्त्ययनङ्गणं
sarvapāpaharaṃ jñeyaṃ paritoyañca tāsu ca avikreyañca vikrīya japedghṛtavatīti ca āyuṣyañca gaṇaṃ hutvā apamṛtyuṃ vyapohati svastimāpnoti sarvatra hutvā svastyayanaṅgaṇaṃ
ଏହାକୁ ସର୍ବପାପହର ବୋଲି ଜାଣିବା ଉଚିତ; ଏବଂ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ‘ପରିତୋୟ’ ନାମକ (ମନ୍ତ୍ର) ମଧ୍ୟ ଅଛି। ଯାହା ବିକ୍ରୟଯୋଗ୍ୟ ନୁହେଁ, ତାହାକୁ ଦାନ କରି ‘ଘୃତବତୀ’ ଜପ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ଆୟୁଷ୍ୟ ଗଣରେ ଆହୁତି ଦେଲେ ଅପମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଦୂର ହୁଏ। ସ୍ୱସ୍ତ୍ୟୟନ ଗଣରେ ସର୍ବତ୍ର ଆହୁତି ଦେଲେ ସର୍ବତ୍ର କଲ୍ୟାଣ ମିଳେ।
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, as customary in Agni Purana narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Combine ethical injunction (do not sell what is unsellable; instead give in dāna) with mantra-japa and gaṇa-homa for longevity, avoidance of untimely death, and universal auspiciousness.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Āyuṣya and Svastyayana gaṇa-homa; Ghṛtavatī-japa with dāna-niyama","lookup_keywords":["Ghṛtavatī","Āyuṣya gaṇa","Svastyayana gaṇa","apamṛtyu","avikreya dāna"],"quick_summary":"Practice dāna in place of improper sale, recite ‘Ghṛtavatī’, and offer to Āyuṣya and Svastyayana gaṇas to avert apamṛtyu and secure well-being everywhere."}
Concept: Auspicious outcomes depend on both ritual correctness and ethical purity (dāna/avoidance of improper commerce).
Application: Pair protective rites with livelihood-ethics: redirect prohibited sale into charitable giving; maintain maṅgala conduct alongside homa.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Homa-vidhi (Mantra-japa and protective oblations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: dharmya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder performs a homa for longevity: offerings labeled Āyuṣya and Svastyayana; a parallel vignette shows giving in charity what should not be sold; the mantra ‘Ghṛtavatī’ is recited with a ghee vessel prominent.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: domestic-ritual courtyard with homa fire, ghee pot highlighted; donor giving cloth/grain to a brāhmaṇa; inscriptions ‘Āyuṣya’ and ‘Svastyayana’; serene auspicious mood.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-embellished ghee vessel and altar; donor figure with offering tray; auspicious symbols (śrīvatsa, kalasha) around; rich ornamental framing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: stepwise instructional scene—(1) dāna, (2) Ghṛtavatī-japa, (3) Āyuṣya homa, (4) Svastyayana homa—clean labels and precise implements.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: refined interior with homa in a small brazier, donor distributing alms; delicate calligraphy for ‘Ghṛtavatī’; attendants and ritual vessels rendered in detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Shree","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: japedghṛtavatīti = japet + ghṛtavatī + iti; svastimāpnoti = svastim + āpnoti; svastyayanaṅgaṇaṃ = svastyayanaṃ + gaṇam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: dāna and dharma topics (where present); Agni Purana: śānti-kalpa/āyuṣya prayoga passages
FAQs
It prescribes specific mantra-japa and homa applications—reciting ‘Ghṛtavatī’, and offering Āyuṣya- and Svastyayana-gaṇas—to purify sin, secure welfare, and avert apamṛtyu (untimely death).
It exemplifies the text’s practical ritual manual aspect by cataloging named formulas (e.g., Paritoya, Ghṛtavatī) and their applied results (purification, longevity, protection), alongside ethical-economic guidance (what should not be sold, but treated as a gift).
The verse frames homa and japa as karmic purification (sarvapāpahara) and as protective merit that stabilizes life-force (āyuṣya) and wards off premature death, yielding sustained auspiciousness (svasti) in all circumstances.