Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 26
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
प्रताप्याग्नौ त्रिधा दर्भमूलमध्याग्रकैः स्पृशेत् कुशस्पृष्टप्रदेशे तु आत्मविद्याशिवात्मकं
pratāpyāgnau tridhā darbhamūlamadhyāgrakaiḥ spṛśet kuśaspṛṣṭapradeśe tu ātmavidyāśivātmakaṃ
เมื่อทำให้หญ้าดัรภะร้อนในไฟแล้ว ให้แตะ (กาย) สามประการตามลำดับ คือด้วยโคน กลาง และปลายของหญ้า. ณ บริเวณที่ถูกหญ้ากุศะแตะ ให้ตั้งมั่น/ภาวนา “อาตมวิทยา” อันมีสภาวะเป็นพระศิวะ
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Teaches a fire-purified kuśa/darbha touch-rite (sparśa) mapped to body-nyāsa, using root–middle–tip contact as a threefold sanctification and as a locus for Śiva-natured self-knowledge contemplation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Trividha Darbha-sparśa (Root–Middle–Tip) and Ātmavidyā-Śiva-bhāvanā","lookup_keywords":["darbha","kuśa sparśa","tridhā","ātmavidyā","śiva bhāvanā"],"quick_summary":"Heat darbha in the fire, then touch the body thrice with root, middle, and tip; at the touched spot, establish contemplation of the Self as Śiva—linking physical purification with inner realization."}
Concept: Ātmavidyā culminates in Śiva-ātmatā (recognition of the Self as Śiva); external rite becomes a support (ālambana) for inner gnosis.
Application: Use tactile ritual cues (sparśa) as triggers for non-dual contemplation during pūjā/homa rather than treating them as mere externals.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Agneya-vidya (Fire-ritual procedure and mantra-nyasa)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A priest heats darbha in the fire, then touches his body in three points/ways with root, middle, and tip, visualizing a Śiva-luminous energy at each touched region.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized priest beside blazing homa-kunda, darbha held delicately, three sequential touch gestures shown in narrative panels, subtle aura at touched spots indicating Śiva-ātma-bhāvanā","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold accents on flames and ritual vessels, priest touching chest/limbs with darbha, radiant halo motifs at contact points, ornate borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, step-by-step instructional composition: darbha heated, then three touches labeled root/middle/tip, clean altar geometry, calm palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate ritual interior, detailed darbha blades, fire glow, three successive touch actions depicted with fine realism and soft illumination"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pratāpyāgnau → pratāpya + agnau; darbhamūlamadhyāgrakaiḥ → darbha-mūla-madhya-agrakaiḥ; kuśaspṛṣṭapradeśe → kuśa-spṛṣṭa-pradeśe; ātmavidyāśivātmakaṃ → ātma-vidyā-śiva-ātmakam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana nyāsa and bhāvanā instructions in the same Puja-vidhi sequence (75.27); Agni Purana sections on kuśa usage and śuddhi-kriyā in ritual preliminaries
FAQs
It teaches a threefold ritual touch (sparśa) using darbha/kuśa heated in fire—applying root, middle, and tip—paired with a contemplative placement (nyāsa/bhāvanā) of ātma-vidyā as Śiva-essence in the touched area.
It blends practical ritual technique (handling and application of sacred grass in fire rites) with a doctrinal contemplative layer (Self-knowledge identified with Śiva), showing the text’s characteristic integration of liturgy, yoga-like interiorization, and sectarian metaphysics.
The heated kuśa-touch functions as ritual purification and consecration, while the instruction to establish Śiva-natured Self-knowledge sacralizes the body/spot, orienting the act toward inner realization rather than mere external performance.