Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 38
Divya-pramāṇa-kathana
Explanation of Divine Proofs / Ordeals and Evidentiary Procedure
करौ विमृदितव्रीहेर्लक्षयित्वा ततो न्यसेत् सप्ताश्वप्त्यस्य पत्राणि तावत् सूत्रेण वेष्टयेत्
karau vimṛditavrīherlakṣayitvā tato nyaset saptāśvaptyasya patrāṇi tāvat sūtreṇa veṣṭayet
நசுக்கிய நெல் மணிகளால் இரு கைகளிலும் குறி வைத்து, பின்னர் ந்யாசம் செய்ய வேண்டும். அதன் பின் அச்வப்தீயின் ஏழு இலைகளை நூலால் சுற்ற வேண்டும்।
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Perform hand-marking with crushed rice, then nyāsa (ritual placement of mantra/energy on body), and prepare a protective/ritual wrap using seven aśvaptī leaves bound with thread.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Kara-lakṣaṇa, Nyāsa, and Aśvaptī-patra Sūtra-veṣṭana","lookup_keywords":["nyāsa","crushed rice","kara-lakṣaṇa","aśvaptī leaves","sūtra-veṣṭana"],"quick_summary":"Mark both hands with crushed rice grains, perform nyāsa, then wrap seven aśvaptī leaves with a thread—combining bodily sanctification with a leaf-based protective preparation."}
Concept: The body is made a mantra-vessel through nyāsa; materials (anna/rice, patra/leaves, sūtra/thread) become carriers of sankalpa and protection.
Application: Emphasize cleanliness, intentionality, and correct sequencing in ritual acts; treat touch and gesture as sacred instruments.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Ritual procedure and protective rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A priest marks the practitioner’s palms with crushed rice, performs nyāsa gestures, and then wraps seven aśvaptī leaves together with a thread as a protective ritual bundle.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style; close-up of hands being marked with white rice paste, priest performing nyāsa mudrās, seven green leaves tied with red thread, oil lamps and brass vessels, decorative temple border motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold work; enlarged hands with rice markings, priest with sacred thread, seven leaves tied with gold-accented thread, rich textile patterns, luminous background.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional clarity; sequential panel-like composition: (1) crushed rice marking on palms, (2) nyāsa touch points, (3) seven leaves wrapped with thread; fine lines and soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; intimate indoor ritual scene with detailed textiles, small bundle of seven leaves tied with thread, attendants holding a tray of rice grains, precise hand gestures captured."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"focused","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vimṛdita-vrīheḥ+lakṣayitvā → vimṛditavrīheḥ lakṣayitvā; saptāśvaptīasya → sapta aśvaptī-asya; nyaset is ni+as (nyas) optative.
Related Themes: Agni Purana ritual sections on nyāsa, rakṣā-vidhi, and pūjā-vidhi
FAQs
It teaches a practical prayoga-step: mark the hands with crushed rice, perform nyāsa (ritual touch-consecration), and bind seven aśvaptī leaves with a thread as a protective/ritual implement.
Beyond mythology, it preserves hands-on ritual technology—specific materials (rice, leaves, thread), counts (seven), and procedures (nyāsa, binding)—typical of the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic catalog of rites and applied religious practices.
Marking with purified grain and performing nyāsa sacralizes the practitioner’s hands, while the bound leaves function as a consecrated protective aid—supporting ritual purity, warding obstacles, and strengthening mantra efficacy.