Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 20
Chapter 34 — होमादिविधिः
The Procedure for Homa and Related Rites
पद्मश्यामाकदूर्वाश् च विष्णुपत्नी च पाद्यकम् तथाष्टाङ्गार्घ्यमाख्यातं यवगन्धफलाक्षतम्
padmaśyāmākadūrvāś ca viṣṇupatnī ca pādyakam tathāṣṭāṅgārghyamākhyātaṃ yavagandhaphalākṣatam
สำหรับปาทยะพึงใส่ดอกบัว ธัญพืชศยามากะ หญ้าทูรวา และวิษณุปัตนี (ตุลสี); ส่วนอรฆยะองค์แปดกล่าวว่าประกอบด้วยข้าวบาร์เลย์ เครื่องหอม ผลไม้ และอักษตะ (ข้าวสารไม่แตก)
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Specify botanical and grain components for pādya and define an eightfold arghya set; useful for priests standardizing upacāras in household/temple worship.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Pādya Additives and Aṣṭāṅga-Arghya Components","lookup_keywords":["padya","durva","shyamaka","vishnupatni","ashtanga-arghya"],"quick_summary":"Prepare pādya with lotus, śyāmāka grain, dūrvā, and viṣṇupatnī; and offer arghya in an eightfold standard including barley, fragrance, fruit, and akṣata (with remaining items supplied by local paddhati)."}
Concept: Dravya-saṃskāra: sanctity is supported by specific natural substances chosen for their auspicious symbolism and purity.
Application: Maintain a standardized inventory for pūjā: lotus/dūrvā/akṣata/yava/fragrance/fruit; ensure items are whole (akṣata) and ritually clean.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Ritual Worship Procedures and Upacharas)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Ritual space
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pūjā tray showing lotus petals, śyāmāka grains, dūrvā blades, and viṣṇupatnī herb placed into pādya water; beside it an arghya set with barley, perfume, fruit, and akṣata arranged in eight compartments.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, close-up ritual still-life: bronze vessels with lotus and dūrvā, grains being sprinkled, eightfold arghya plate with compartments, warm muted palette, stylized hands of priest","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, ornate offering plate with gold leaf, lotus and dūrvā rendered richly, akṣata and barley sparkling, fruit and perfume flask, symmetrical devotional still-life with temple lamp glow","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional composition: labeled ingredients for pādya and aṣṭāṅga-arghya, fine line botanical depiction of dūrvā and lotus, soft colors, clear segmentation of eightfold tray","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed tabletop scene with jeweled bowls, lotus petals, fine grains, perfume vial, fruits, attendants preparing arghya, intricate textile background and realistic shading"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"methodical-ritual","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दूर्वाश् = दूर्वाः + (श् before च); विष्णुपत्नी = विष्णु + पत्नी; तथाष्टाङ्गार्घ्यम् = तथा + अष्टाङ्गार्घ्यम्; अष्टाङ्गार्घ्यम् = अष्ट + अङ्ग + अर्घ्यम्; अर्घ्यमाख्यातम् = अर्घ्यम् + आख्यातम्; फलाक्षतम् = फल + अक्षतम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 34 (upacāra-dravya and arghya/pādya definitions)
FAQs
It specifies the correct constituents for pādya (foot-washing water) and identifies key components of aṣṭāṅgārghya (the eightfold arghya offering) used in formal deity worship.
By cataloging precise ritual ingredients (plants, grains, and auspicious items) and standardizing worship-upacāras, it functions like a procedural manual—one of the Agni Purana’s hallmark encyclopedic roles across religious practice.
Offering properly constituted pādya and arghya is a purification-and-honor rite (satkāra) to the deity; correctness of materials is treated as enhancing auspiciousness (maṅgala) and the merit (puṇya) of worship.