Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 10
Chapter 303: Mantras for Worship Beginning with the Five-syllable (Pañcākṣara) — पञ्चाक्षरादिपूजामन्त्राः
कृत्वा वेद्यां सहानेन स्वपेद्दर्भास्तरे बुधः सुषुप्तं वीक्ष्य तं शिष्यः प्रभाते श्रावयेद्गुरुं
kṛtvā vedyāṃ sahānena svapeddarbhāstare budhaḥ suṣuptaṃ vīkṣya taṃ śiṣyaḥ prabhāte śrāvayedguruṃ
Приготовив веди (vedī), алтарь, вместе с предписанным хави́сом (havis), мудрец должен спать на ложе из травы дарбха. Увидев его спящим, ученик на рассвете должен сообщить учителю о замеченном сне или состоянии.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Ritual incubation: after preparing the vedī and havis, the sādhaka sleeps on darbha to obtain/verify auspicious signs (svapna-lakṣaṇa) and has them assessed by the guru via the disciple’s report at dawn.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Darbha-śayana and dawn dream-report in pūjā/vrata","lookup_keywords":["vedī","havis","darbha-śayana","svapna","guru-śiṣya"],"quick_summary":"After setting the altar and offering materials, the practitioner sleeps on darbha as a ritual observance; the disciple reports the observed sleep/dream signs to the teacher at dawn for validation of the rite’s auspiciousness."}
Concept: Guru-śiṣya mediation and verification of ritual signs (nimitta) as part of disciplined sādhana.
Application: Maintain a sādhana journal of dreams/omens; have them interpreted by a competent teacher before proceeding with higher rites.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Vrata-vidhi (Ritual procedure and observances)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A consecrated altar (vedī) with offering implements; the sādhaka sleeping on a darbha-grass bed while a disciple watches; dawn light as the disciple approaches the seated guru to report the signs.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, vedī with ritual vessels, darbha bed, sādhaka asleep in white cloth, attentive disciple, guru seated under a lamp at dawn, stylized foliage borders, sacred calm.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on ritual vessels and lamp, vedī centered, sādhaka on darbha, disciple with folded hands, guru enthroned with halo-like arch, rich reds and greens, devotional domestic-ritual setting.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, fine linework, instructional clarity: labeled vedī, havis bowl, darbha bed; disciple reporting to guru at sunrise; muted pastels and delicate ornament.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed interior of an āśrama pavilion, dawn sky gradient, sādhaka on darbha mat, disciple observing, guru receiving report with manuscript nearby, intricate textiles and vessels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्वपेद्दर्भास्तरे = स्वपेत् + दर्भ-स्तरे; श्रावयेद्गुरुं = श्रावयेत् + गुरुम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 303 (pūjā-vidhi sequence around maṇḍala, snāna, prāṇāyāma)
FAQs
It prescribes a ritual sleep procedure: prepare the vedī with the required offering, sleep on darbha grass, and have the disciple report the sleep/dream outcome to the guru at dawn for interpretation and guidance.
Beyond theology, it documents practical ritual protocols—how an observance is performed, how outcomes (dreams/omens) are monitored, and how guru-led verification is built into the rite—showing the text’s procedural, manual-like scope.
Sleeping on darbha (a purificatory sacred grass) after preparing the ritual space frames the practitioner’s mind-body as ritually cleansed; guru-supervised reporting ensures the rite is performed correctly and that omens are interpreted in a dharmic, disciplined way.