Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 21
Pratiṣṭhā-sāmagrī-vidhāna — Prescription of Materials and Conditions for Consecration
मुष्टिमात्रं शतार्धे स्याच्छते चारत्रिमात्रकं हस्तं सहस्रहोमे स्यान्नियुते तु द्विहास्तिकं
muṣṭimātraṃ śatārdhe syācchate cāratrimātrakaṃ hastaṃ sahasrahome syānniyute tu dvihāstikaṃ
สำหรับการบูชาด้วยอาหุติห้าสิบครั้ง ปริมาณเครื่องบูชาให้เท่ากำมือหนึ่ง; สำหรับหนึ่งร้อยครั้ง ให้เป็นปริมาณเท่าหนึ่งราตรี; สำหรับโหมะหนึ่งพันครั้ง ให้เป็นหนึ่งหัตถะ; และสำหรับนิยุตะ (หนึ่งหมื่น) ให้เป็นสองหัตถะ
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purana’s common dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Calibrating offering/measure standards according to the scale of homa counts (50/100/1000/10000), ensuring proportional ritual provisioning.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Homa-saṅkhyā-anusāra dravya-māna (offering measures by oblation count)","lookup_keywords":["homa","māna","muṣṭi","hasta","niyuta"],"quick_summary":"The text gives proportional offering measures keyed to homa counts, guiding how much material to prepare and how to standardize offerings."}
Concept: Ritual action requires pramāṇa (measure) and saṅkhyā (count); correctness is maintained through standardized units.
Application: Plan homa supplies by count; keep consistent hand-measures (muṣṭi/hasta) to avoid under/over-offering and maintain niyama.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Homa–Japa–Dāna: ritual measures and equivalences)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritualist measuring offerings: fistful (muṣṭi) and hand-measure (hasta), with a tally of 50, 100, 1000, 10000 oblations shown as counting beads or marks beside the homa fire.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, priest holding a muṣṭi of samid/grains, another panel with hasta measure, counting marks on palm-leaf, homa fire glowing, subdued sacred palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold-highlighted ladles and offering bowls, clear depiction of muṣṭi and hasta measures, decorative numerals/marks for 50/100/1000/10000, ornate border.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic layout with four compartments labeled by homa count, each showing the corresponding measure (muṣṭi, ‘one-night measure’ symbolized by a night lamp, hasta, two-hasta), fine linework.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, meticulous still-life of ritual implements, hands demonstrating measures, scribe recording counts, delicate shading and patterned textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्याच्छते = स्यात् शते (त् + श → च्छ). स्यान्नियुते = स्यात् नियुते (त् + न → न्न).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 95 (Homa–japa–dāna equivalences and measures)
FAQs
It gives pramāṇa (standardized measures) for the quantity of offerings in homa, scaling the offering size according to the number of oblations (50, 100, 1000, 10,000).
Beyond theology, it preserves practical liturgical standards—count-based ritual logistics (how much to offer for a given homa)—showing the text’s coverage of procedural religion alongside doctrine.
By matching offering-measure to the intended homa count, the rite is performed in proper proportion (yathā-vidhi), supporting ritual correctness believed to secure the intended merit (puṇya) and purification.