Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 12
Chapter 40 — भूपरिग्रहो नाम
Bhū-parigraha) / अर्घ्यदानविधानम् (Arghya-dāna-vidhāna
पूरिकाभिस्ततश्चापमीशाधः पयसा पदे ततोधश्चापवत्सन्तु दध्ना चैकपदे स्थितं
pūrikābhistataścāpamīśādhaḥ payasā pade tatodhaścāpavatsantu dadhnā caikapade sthitaṃ
తదుపరి పూరికలతో ‘అప్’ (జల నైవేద్యం) స్థాపించాలి. ఈశ స్థానానికి దిగువగా నిర్దిష్ట పాదంలో పాలు ఉంచాలి. దాని కింద ‘ఆపవత్స’ (పాలు కలిసిన నీరు) ఉంచాలి; పెరుగు ఒక పాదంలో స్థాపించాలి.
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Mandala/nyāsa-like placement of specific naivedyas (pūrikā, water, milk, milk-water, curd) in designated pādas/positions during pūjā.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Koṣṭhaka-pāda placement: Ap, Kṣīra, Āpa-vatsā, Dadhi with Pūrikā sequence","lookup_keywords":["pūrikā","ap-offering","kṣīra","āpa-vatsā","dadhi"],"quick_summary":"Gives a stepwise placement rule for liquids and foods in assigned ritual ‘pādas’—water, milk, a milk-water preparation, and curd—anchored by pūrikā-cakes."}
Concept: Ritual efficacy depends on correct krama (sequence) and sthāna (placement) of dravya within a consecrated layout.
Application: Use a fixed diagram/altar map; place offerings exactly by prescribed ‘pāda’ to preserve ritual integrity (saṃskāra) and avoid pratyavāya (procedural fault).
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Ritual worship and offerings / Naivedya-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A mandala-like altar divided into pādas, with labeled placements: water (ap), milk, milk-water (āpa-vatsā), curd, and pūrikā-cakes arranged in a descending order beneath an Īśa-marked position.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized mandala grid with pāda compartments, vessels of water and milk, bowl of curd, pūrikā cakes, an ‘Īśa’ marker above, flat iconic rendering, ritual calm","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, ornate altar grid with gold accents, shining kalashas for water and milk, curd in silver bowl, pūrikā on banana leaf, inscriptions-like labels for pādas, symmetrical devotional composition","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional diagram aesthetic: clear compartment lines, neatly drawn vessels, arrows showing ‘below Īśa’ and ‘below that’, soft colors, precise labeling feel","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, top-down view of a divided ritual tray/mandala with small bowls for ap, milk, milk-water, curd, and plates of pūrikā, fine detailing and calligraphic annotations"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पूरिकाभिः + ततः → पूरिकाभिस्ततः; ततः + च + अपम् → ततश्चापम्; च + एकपदे → चैकपदे.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 40 (koṣṭhaka/mandala placement instructions around naivedya)
FAQs
It gives a precise naivedya-arrangement rule: which food/liquid offerings (pūrikā, water, milk, milk-water mixture, curd) are to be placed in specific pādas (designated spots) relative to the Īśāna/Īśa position.
Beyond theology, it preserves operational temple/household-pūjā details—food taxonomy, liquid offerings, and spatial/directional placement—showing the Agni Purana as a manual of applied ritual science, not only mythic narrative.
Correct placement and sequencing of naivedya is treated as ritual correctness (śuddhi and niyama), believed to ensure the offering is properly received by the deity and to generate puṇya through disciplined, rule-based worship.