Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 6
Chapter 303: Mantras for Worship Beginning with the Five-syllable (Pañcākṣara) — पञ्चाक्षरादिपूजामन्त्राः
मध्येषु तोरणद्वहिरिति ख , ज , ञ च मूलमूर्त्यङ्गविद्याभिस्तण्डुलक्षेपणादिकम् कृत्वा चरुञ्च यत् क्षीरं पुनस्तद्विभजेत् त्रिधा
madhyeṣu toraṇadvahiriti kha , ja , ña ca mūlamūrtyaṅgavidyābhistaṇḍulakṣepaṇādikam kṛtvā caruñca yat kṣīraṃ punastadvibhajet tridhā
Sa mga gitnang puwesto, gamit ang mantra na ‘toraṇadvahir’ at ang mga binhing pantig na kha, ja, at ña, matapos isagawa ang mga ritwal gaya ng paghahagis ng mga butil ng bigas, kasama ang ugat-mantra, mantra ng pangunahing anyo ng diyos, at mga aṅga-mantra, at matapos ihanda ang caru (handog na lugaw), dapat muling hatiin sa tatlong bahagi ang gatas na ginamit dito.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Homa/puja procedure: placement mantras and bija-syllables, rice-grain casting, use of mula/manim-deity/aṅga mantras, preparation of caru, and tripartite division of milk for subsequent ritual steps.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Caru-homa Preparations with Bija and Aṅga-mantras; Tripartite Milk Division","lookup_keywords":["toraṇadvahir","kha ja ña","tandula-kṣepa","caru","aṅga-mantra"],"quick_summary":"The rite specifies mantric placements (including a named mantra and bija-syllables), preliminary acts like rice-grain casting, coordinated recitation of root/main/aṅga mantras, and a precise handling of the milk used in caru—dividing it into three portions for ordered offerings."}
Concept: Kriyā-krama (procedural exactness): mantra, gesture, and material handling together generate ritual efficacy.
Application: Maintain strict sequencing—bija/placement, preliminaries, caru preparation, and measured division of ingredients—to avoid ritual fault (doṣa) and preserve intended phala.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Mantra-japa, Homa, and Tantric ritual procedure)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A homa setup where the officiant performs rice-grain casting, recites bija-syllables, stirs caru in a vessel with milk, and measures the milk into three portions for later offerings.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, homa-kunda with flames, priest casting rice grains, three small bowls of milk arranged symmetrically, mantra gestures (mudra) shown, warm ochres and deep greens, ritual precision emphasized.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, glowing homa fire with gold accents, ornate vessels for caru and three milk portions, priest and assistants holding ladles, rich reds and blues, embossed gold borders around the altar scene.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, diagrammatic clarity: homa-kunda, caru pot, three measured milk bowls, priest chanting with rosary, fine linework and soft palette, instructional composition.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtyard yajna scene with detailed utensils, scribe-like depiction of three milk portions, priest mid-chant, attendants holding ladles and rice, intricate textiles and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मन्त्र-उद्धरण: ‘तोरणद्वहिरिति’ likely for ‘तोरणद्वारः अहिरिति’ (toraṇa-dvāraḥ ahiḥ iti). मूलमूर्त्यङ्गविद्याभिः → मूल-मूर्ति-अङ्ग-विद्याभिः. तण्डुलक्षेपणादिकम् → तण्डुल-क्षेपण-आदिकम्. चरुञ्च → चरुम् च. पुनस्तद्विभजेत् → पुनः तत् विभजेत्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Homa-vidhi sections on caru, aṅga-mantras, nyāsa/āvāhana, and bali
FAQs
It prescribes a mantra-governed homa sequence: using specific bīja-syllables (kha, ja, ña) along with the mūla/manifest-deity and aṅga mantras, performing taṇḍula-kṣepaṇa (rice-grain scattering) and related preliminaries, preparing caru, and then apportioning the milk into three measured parts for subsequent ritual use.
It functions like a compact ritual handbook entry—detailing mantra sets, preparatory consecration acts, and precise material handling (caru and milk portions). This procedural specificity exemplifies how the Agni Purana catalogs practical liturgical technology alongside broader theology and dharma.
By standardizing mantra application and exact offerings, the rite is believed to ensure purity (śuddhi), correct invocation (āhvāna) of the deity’s power, and faultless oblation—thereby enhancing the intended merit (puṇya) and efficacy (siddhi) of the homa.