Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 7
Chapter 57 — कुम्भाधिवासविधिः
Kumbhādhivāsa-vidhi: Rite of Installing/Consecrating the Ritual Jar
अभ्यर्च्य पश्चादैशान्यां चतुष्कुम्भे सवेदिके स्नानमण्डषके सर्वद्रव्याण्यानीय निक्षिपेत्
abhyarcya paścādaiśānyāṃ catuṣkumbhe savedike snānamaṇḍaṣake sarvadravyāṇyānīya nikṣipet
ครั้นบูชาแล้ว ต่อจากนั้นในทิศอีศานะ (ตะวันออกเฉียงเหนือ) ณ มณฑปสรงน้ำที่มีแท่นบูชาย่อยและหม้อน้ำสี่ใบ พึงนำเครื่องสักการะทั้งหมดมาและวางไว้ ณ ที่นั้น。
Lord Agni (in dialogue, instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Procedural setup of the snāna-maṇḍapa in the Īśāna quarter with a small altar and four kumbhas, and staging all materials for the rite.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Īśāna Snāna-maṇḍapa Setup with Catuṣkumbha and Vedikā","lookup_keywords":["Īśāna","catuṣkumbha","vedikā","snāna-maṇḍapa","dravya-sañcaya"],"quick_summary":"After preliminary worship, establish the bathing pavilion in the northeast with a small altar and four pots, then assemble and place all ritual materials there for efficient abhiṣeka preparation."}
Concept: Ritual efficacy depends on saṃskāra through order: correct quarter, correct implements, and complete readiness (sarva-dravya-sannidhāna).
Application: Create a dedicated, uncluttered staging area (NE if possible) with altar and four pots; gather all items before beginning abhiṣeka to avoid breaks in mantra/attention.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Isana-kalpa / Snana-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Type: Sacred-direction
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A bathing pavilion in the northeast corner with a small altar and four water pots; attendants bring and neatly place all ritual materials after initial worship.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, pavilion corner marked as Īśāna, four kumbhas around a small vedikā, attendants carrying trays of flowers, lamps, conch, and vessels; subdued sacred ambience with traditional ornamented borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, symmetrical arrangement: four decorated kumbhas with gold bands around a central vedikā, ritual items (flowers, incense, lamps) placed in orderly rows, heavy gold work on pot motifs and altar edges.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional composition: top-down pavilion plan showing NE placement, vedikā at center, four kumbhas at cardinal points, labeled storage of dravyas; fine linework and gentle shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed still-life of ritual paraphernalia being arranged on carpets, four ornate pots near a small altar, architectural corner highlighted, attendants in profile with careful gestures."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: paścādaiśānyām → paścāt + aiśānyām; catuṣkumbhe → catuḥ-kumbhe; sarvadravyāṇyānīya → sarva-dravyāṇi + ānīya.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 57.6 (nyāsa in snāna-maṇḍapa); Agni Purana 57.8 (kalaśa-sthāpana for abhiṣeka)
FAQs
It gives a precise logistical rule for pūjā and snāna preparations: after worship, arrange the bathing pavilion in the Īśāna (northeast) sector with a vedi and four kumbhas, and deposit all ritual requisites there in an orderly manner.
Beyond theology, it preserves applied temple-ritual engineering—directional placement (Vāstu logic), pavilion setup, and standardized equipment (kumbhas, vedi)—showing the text’s breadth as a manual of practical religious procedure.
Correct placement and preparation in the auspicious Īśāna quarter supports ritual purity (śuddhi) and efficacy (siddhi), ensuring the bathing rite and subsequent worship are performed without doṣa (procedural fault).