Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 45
Agnisthāpana-vidhi (Procedure for Establishing the Sacred Fire) and Protective Īśāna-kalpa Homa Sequences
ततो हृदम्बुजे साङ्गं ससेनं भासुरं परं यजेत् पूर्ववदावाह्य प्रार्थ्याज्ञान्तर्पयेच्छिवं
tato hṛdambuje sāṅgaṃ sasenaṃ bhāsuraṃ paraṃ yajet pūrvavadāvāhya prārthyājñāntarpayecchivaṃ
จากนั้น ณ ดอกบัวแห่งดวงใจ พึงอัญเชิญดังเดิมแล้วบูชาพระศิวะผู้สูงสุดสว่างไสว พร้อมด้วยอังคะและหมู่คณะของพระองค์; ครั้นอธิษฐานแล้ว พึงยังพระศิวะให้พอพระทัยด้วยญาณอาหุติ (เครื่องบูชาแห่งความรู้)۔
Lord Agni (instructional narration to the sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Internal (antaryāga) Śiva-upāsanā: invoke Śiva in the heart-lotus, worship with aṅgas/gaṇas, conclude with jñāna-tarpaṇa as a mental oblation.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Hṛd-ambuja Antaryāga and Jñāna-tarpaṇa to Śiva","lookup_keywords":["hṛdambuja","antaryāga","āvāhana","śiva-upāsanā","jñāna-tarpaṇa"],"quick_summary":"Perform inner worship by invoking radiant Śiva into the heart-lotus, honoring him with attendant aspects and hosts; conclude by propitiation through the ‘oblation of knowledge’ (jñāna as offering)."}
Concept: Antaryāga: knowledge (jñāna) itself functions as an offering that satisfies the deity; inner altar supersedes externality when properly invoked.
Application: Use meditative visualization and contemplative offering (jñāna-tarpaṇa) as a daily practice when external ritual is limited.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Dhyana, Avahana, Antaryaga, and Shiva-upasana within ritual manuals)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A yogin seated in meditation visualizes a luminous Śiva enthroned within a blooming lotus at the heart, surrounded by subtle attendants/gaṇas; offerings are made as rays of knowledge rather than physical substances.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, deep mineral colors, central meditating sādhaka with transparent chest revealing a heart-lotus containing radiant Śiva with gaṇas, stylized flames of jñāna as offerings, ornate borders, sacred symmetry","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf, frontal radiant Śiva seated within a lotus medallion placed at the devotee’s heart, embossed aureole, small gaṇa attendants, rich reds and greens, devotional icon emphasis","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, fine linework and soft shading, instructional composition showing steps: āvāhana into heart-lotus, worship with aṅgas, concluding jñāna-tarpaṇa depicted as light-streams","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, delicate palette, a yogin in a quiet chamber, subtle haloed Śiva appearing within a heart-lotus motif, attendants rendered as small ethereal figures, emphasis on contemplative atmosphere"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हृदम्बुजे = हृत् + अम्बुजे; पूर्ववदावाह्य = पूर्ववत् + आवाह्य; प्रार्थ्याज्ञान्तर्पयेच्छिवं = प्रार्थ्य + आज्ञाम् + तर्पयेत् + शिवम् (तर्पयेत्+शिवम् → तर्पयेच्छिवम्)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 75 (Pūjā-vidhi: dhyāna, āvāhana, antaryāga)
FAQs
It teaches antaryāga (inner worship) centered on the hṛdaya-padma: invoke Śiva (āvāhana) as per prior rite, worship him with his aṅgas and gaṇas, and conclude with jñāna-tarpaṇa—propitiation through contemplative offering of spiritual knowledge.
Beyond myth, it preserves a compact ritual-technology: dhyāna in the heart-lotus, procedural continuity (“pūrvavat”), formal invocation (āvāhana), and a doctrinally loaded offering (jñāna-tarpaṇa), showing how the Agni Purāṇa functions as a practical manual for worship and meditative liturgy.
By internalizing worship in the heart-lotus and offering “knowledge” as tarpaṇa, the practitioner aligns devotion with insight, aiming at purification of ignorance (ajñāna) and stabilization in auspicious Śiva-consciousness rather than merely external ritual merit.