Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 29
Chapter 116 — गयायात्राविधिः (Gayā-yātrā-vidhiḥ) | The Procedure for the Gayā Pilgrimage
यन्नाम्ना पातयेत् पिण्डं तन्नयेद्ब्रह्म शाश्वतम् फल्ग्वीशं फल्गुचण्डीं च प्रणम्याङ्गारकेश्वरम्
yannāmnā pātayet piṇḍaṃ tannayedbrahma śāśvatam phalgvīśaṃ phalgucaṇḍīṃ ca praṇamyāṅgārakeśvaram
เมื่อเอ่ยนามศักดิ์สิทธิ์ใดแล้วถวายปิณฑะ การนั้นย่อมนำผู้ล่วงลับไปสู่พรหมันอันนิรันดร์. ครั้นนอบน้อมแด่ผลควีศะ ผลคุจัณฑี และอังคารเกศวรแล้ว จึงประกอบพิธี.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purāṇa’s standard frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Śrāddha/piṇḍadāna efficacy through nāma-smaraṇa and prescribed obeisance to local deities at Gayā before/while offering piṇḍa.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Nāma-smaraṇa in Piṇḍadāna and Salutation Sequence (Phalgvīśa–Phalgucaṇḍī–Aṅgārakeśvara)","lookup_keywords":["piṇḍadāna","nāma-smaraṇa","Phalgvīśa","Phalgucaṇḍī","Aṅgārakeśvara"],"quick_summary":"The piṇḍa offered with invocation of a sacred name is said to conduce to the departed’s highest good (Brahman). The rite includes bowing to specific Gayā deities—Phalgvīśa, Phalgucaṇḍī, and Aṅgārakeśvara—before proceeding."}
Concept: Nāma (sacred name) as a vehicle of ritual efficacy; śrāddha intention is elevated toward brahma-gati.
Application: During piṇḍadāna, maintain focused nāma-smaraṇa and follow kṣetra-devatā namaskāra to align the act with mokṣa-oriented intent.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Tirtha/Devata-stuti and ritual efficacy of nāma-smaraṇa)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Type: Tirtha/River-Kshetra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A śrāddha scene at the Phalgu river: a performer offers a piṇḍa while mentally invoking a sacred name; nearby are shrines/lingas for Phalgvīśa and Aṅgārakeśvara and a Devī shrine for Phalgucaṇḍī, receiving namaskāra.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Phalgu riverbank with stylized waves, priest offering piṇḍa on darbha, three shrine-icons in a row (Śiva-liṅga for Phalgvīśa, fierce Devī for Phalgucaṇḍī, Śiva-liṅga with Mars motif for Aṅgārakeśvara), devotees in añjali, ornate frame","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central śrāddha performer with piṇḍa plate, gold-embossed halos on the three deities in small panels, rich reds and greens, heavy gold work emphasizing ritual sanctity","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional layout: left—namaskāra to Phalgvīśa; center—piṇḍa offering with nāma-smaraṇa; right—namaskāra to Phalgucaṇḍī and Aṅgārakeśvara; fine linework and soft shading","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed ghāṭa with priests and pilgrims, small temples labeled by iconography, refined depiction of offerings and river setting, subdued elegance"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यन्नाम्ना = यत् + नाम्ना; तन्नयेद्ब्रह्म = तत् + नयेत् + ब्रह्म; प्रणम्याङ्गारकेश्वरम् = प्रणम्य + अङ्गारकेश्वरम्।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 116 (Gayā śrāddha sequence and deity-salutations)
FAQs
It teaches the śrāddha/ancestral-rite principle that offering the piṇḍa while invoking a specific sacred name (nāma) is itself the operative ritual factor, and it prescribes salutations to the local/associated deities (Phalgvīśa, Phalgucaṇḍī, Aṅgārakeśvara) as part of the rite.
It integrates multiple domains—funerary ritual (śrāddha), pilgrimage/tīrtha context (Phalgu-associated deities), and sectarian deity cataloging (Śaiva/Maṅgala-linked Aṅgārakeśvara)—showing how the text functions as a practical handbook across ritual and sacred geography.
The verse asserts that correctly offered piṇḍa with sacred-name invocation can confer the highest posthumous good—conveyance toward the eternal Brahman—highlighting purification and upliftment of the departed through properly directed ritual intention and devotion.