Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 22
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
समिधिः पञ्च होतव्याः प्रान्ते मूले घृतप्लुताः ब्रह्माणं शङ्करं विष्णुमनन्तञ्च हृदार्चयेत्
samidhiḥ pañca hotavyāḥ prānte mūle ghṛtaplutāḥ brahmāṇaṃ śaṅkaraṃ viṣṇumanantañca hṛdārcayet
พึงถวายสมิธะห้าท่อนในโหมะ โดยชโลมเนยใสทั้งที่ปลายและโคน และพึงบูชาในดวงหฤทัยแด่พรหมา ศังกร วิษณุ และอนันตะ.
Lord Agni (in dialogue to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Homa offering protocol: number and preparation of samidh (five), ghee application, and internal worship (hṛd-arcana) of key deities to sanctify the offering act.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pañca-samidh-homa and Hṛd-arcana of Brahmā–Śaṅkara–Viṣṇu–Ananta","lookup_keywords":["samidh","pañca","ghṛta-pluta","hṛdārcana","Brahmā Śaṅkara Viṣṇu Ananta"],"quick_summary":"Offer five ghee-smeared kindling sticks (at tip and base) and simultaneously perform inward worship of Brahmā, Śaṅkara, Viṣṇu, and Ananta to align the rite with creation, dissolution, preservation, and cosmic support."}
Concept: Outer yajña is completed by inner yajña: offerings (samidh/ghṛta) paired with hṛd-bhāvanā of cosmic principles.
Application: Perform homa with synchronized inner visualization to stabilize attention and sacral intent, reducing mechanical ritualism.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Homa / Agni-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Five samidh sticks, each anointed with ghee at both ends, being offered into a bright homa fire; the priest meditates with hand on heart, visualizing Brahmā, Śiva, Viṣṇu, and Ananta within.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, vivid homa flames, five ghee-glossed sticks in priest’s hands, subtle heart-lotus motif on the priest’s chest showing tiny seated Brahmā-Śiva-Viṣṇu-Ananta, traditional ornaments and ritual vessels","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold fire aura, five samidh highlighted with gold sheen of ghee, priest in devotional posture touching heart, miniature divine forms in a lotus medallion","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional depiction of five sticks and ghee application at tip/base, priest offering into kunda, inset diagram of heart-lotus with four deities","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed yajña scene with attendants, five sticks offered sequentially, priest’s contemplative expression, faint symbolic depiction of four deities in a medallion near the chest"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: समिधिः (पाठ) → समिधः (प्रथमा-बहुवचन) अपेक्षितम्; विष्णुमनन्तञ्च → विष्णुम् + अनन्तम् + च; हृदार्चयेत् → हृदा + अर्चयेत्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 75 (Agni-vidhi: samidh, ghṛta, devatā-smaraṇa)
FAQs
It prescribes a homa detail: offer five samidhās (kindling sticks) anointed with ghee at both ends, paired with internal (heart-centered) worship of Brahmā, Śiva, Viṣṇu, and Ananta.
It combines hands-on ritual engineering (materials, number of offerings, ghee application) with contemplative theology (manasika/inner worship), showing how the text integrates practical liturgy and meditative doctrine.
The act unites external sacrifice with internal devotion: the ghee-fed offering symbolizes purification and sustenance of sacred fire, while heart-worship aligns the practitioner’s intention with major divine principles, enhancing merit and ritual efficacy.