Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 18
पवित्रारोहणविधिः
The Rite of Raising/Placing the Pavitra
मन्त्रहीनं क्रियाहीनं द्रव्यहीनञ्च यत् कृतं जपहोमार्चनैर् हीनं कृतं नित्यं मया तव
mantrahīnaṃ kriyāhīnaṃ dravyahīnañca yat kṛtaṃ japahomārcanair hīnaṃ kṛtaṃ nityaṃ mayā tava
ข้าแต่พระผู้เป็นเจ้า สิ่งใดที่ข้าพเจ้ากระทำถวายเป็นนิตย์ หากพร่องมนตร์ พร่องพิธี และพร่องเครื่องบูชา; และสิ่งใดที่ทำโดยขาดชปะ โหมะ และอรจนะ—ขอพระองค์ทรงรับไว้และโปรดอภัย
Lord Agni (narratorial instruction within worship procedure; traditional attribution)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Pūjā-samāpanā (completion) and kṣamā-prārthanā: acknowledging deficiencies in mantra, procedure, and materials, and seeking acceptance/forgiveness to remove ritual fault (doṣa).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Kṣamā-prārthanā for Mantra/Kriyā/Dravya Deficiency in Daily Worship","lookup_keywords":["mantrahīna","kriyāhīna","dravyahīna","japa-homa-arcana","kṣamā"],"quick_summary":"A standard completion prayer: whatever worship was done with omissions in mantra, method, or offerings—and lacking japa, homa, or arcana—may be accepted and the fault forgiven."}
Alamkara Type: Yamaka/Anuprāsa-like repetition with hīna-epithets; enumerative style
Concept: Ritual sincerity supersedes unavoidable inadequacy; confession of doṣa and reliance on divine grace for pūrṇatā (completion).
Application: At the end of daily pūjā, recite a kṣamā-prārthanā to neutralize lapses in pronunciation, sequence, or offerings and to maintain steadiness in practice.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Ritual Atonement and Completion Prayers)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A worshipper before a shrine offers a humble completion prayer, with symbolic gaps—missing flowers, unlit fire, and a silent rosary—being mentally offered to the deity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, temple sanctum with lamp and simple liṅga or deity icon, devotee in añjali, faint ghosted icons of japa-mālā, homa-kuṇḍa, and arcana tray indicating omissions, warm ochres and greens.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, deity in gold-embellished shrine, devotee presenting an empty/half-filled offering plate to signify dravya-hīnatā, rich gold work and ornamental arch.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional layout: three panels labeled mantra/kriyā/dravya with subtle deficiencies, devotee reciting kṣamā, clean lines and soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate indoor worship scene with detailed objects (mālā, small fire altar, flowers), devotee’s contrite posture, calligraphy border quoting key words mantrahīna/kriyāhīna/dravyahīna."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: द्रव्यहीनञ्च → द्रव्यहीनम् + च; जपहोमार्चनैर् → जपहोमार्चनैः (विसर्ग/रेफ्-लोप लेखन); (यत् कृतं) → यत् कृतम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Pūjā-vidhi sections on japa, homa, arcana and samāpanā; Agni Purana: Prāyaścitta/vikalpa discussions in vrata contexts (cf. 79.20)
FAQs
It teaches a formal completion/atonement statement used in pūjā to acknowledge deficiencies in mantra-recitation, ritual procedure (kriyā), and offerings (dravya), including omissions in japa, homa, and arcana.
By preserving practical liturgical language for real-world worship—covering mantra-usage, procedural correctness, and material requirements—it documents operational ritual technology alongside the Purana’s broader subjects.
It frames imperfect worship as correctable through humility and surrender, seeking divine acceptance that mitigates fault (doṣa) arising from omissions in mantra, action, or offerings.