Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 21
Pavitrāropaṇa-vidhāna
The Procedure for Installing the Pavitra
पवित्राणि समभ्यर्च्य ब्राह्मणाय समर्पयेत् यावन्तस्तन्तवस्तस्मिन् पवित्रे परिकल्पिताः
pavitrāṇi samabhyarcya brāhmaṇāya samarpayet yāvantastantavastasmin pavitre parikalpitāḥ
Tendo venerado devidamente os fios pavitra, deve-se oferecê-los a um brāhmaṇa; e o mérito se acumula na proporção do número de fios dispostos nesse pavitra.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"After worship, donate the pavitra-threads to a Brāhmaṇa; merit scales with the number of strands—guiding how to prepare and offer pavitra for intended phala.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Pavitra-dāna to Brāhmaṇa and Merit by Strand-count","lookup_keywords":["pavitra","brāhmaṇa-dāna","tantu","puṇya-phala","saṅkhyā"],"quick_summary":"Worship the pavitra-threads and gift them to a Brāhmaṇa; the resulting merit is proportionate to the number of strands arranged—linking ritual construction to ethical giving."}
Concept: Merit is tied to intentionality and measurable offering (saṅkhyā/saṃskāra), but is ethically routed through dāna to qualified recipients.
Application: If performing pavitra rites, conclude with a tangible donation (the pavitra itself or its equivalent) to a learned/ritually qualified Brāhmaṇa, matching capacity and vow.
Khanda Section: Pūjā-vidhi (Ritual Procedure and Purificatory Rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee worships a bundle of pavitra-threads and then respectfully hands them to a seated Brāhmaṇa; strands are visibly counted/arranged to indicate proportional merit.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, interior of a traditional home/temple mandapa, devotee offering pavitra-threads to a brāhmaṇa, strands clearly depicted, calm ethical-giving atmosphere","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold accents, brāhmaṇa seated on a mat receiving pavitra-threads on a golden tray, devotee in añjali, ornate ritual items and auspicious motifs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic focus on the pavitra construction: close depiction of multiple strands (tantu) and the act of donation; clean composition and gentle colors","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed gifting scene with textiles and vessels, brāhmaṇa receiving the threads, an assistant counting strands, refined linework and balanced courtly setting"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यावन्तस्तन्तवस्तस्मिन् = यावन्तः + तन्तवः + तस्मिन् (सन्धि: विसर्ग/व्यञ्जन-सन्धि).
Related Themes: Agni Purana dāna sections and pūjā completion rules (samāpana with dāna)
FAQs
It prescribes a pūjā practice: worship the pavitra (a sanctifying thread arrangement used in rites) and then donate it to a Brāhmaṇa, with merit linked to the number of strands.
It records a precise, procedural detail of ritual technology (materials, offering protocol, and merit-calculus), illustrating how the Agni Purana functions as a handbook of rites alongside many other disciplines.
The act combines purification (pavitra) with dāna (gift), generating puṇya; the text emphasizes that greater ritual completeness (more strands) corresponds to increased merit.