Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 20
सकलादिमन्त्रोद्धारः (Sakalādi-mantra-uddhāra) — Chapter Colophon/Transition
श्रयुतञ्च जपेन्मन्त्रं होमयेत्तु दशांशतः शेषाणान्तु दशाहुत्या जपाद्धोमन्तु कारयेत्
śrayutañca japenmantraṃ homayettu daśāṃśataḥ śeṣāṇāntu daśāhutyā japāddhomantu kārayet
Dapat bigkasin ang mantra hanggang isang daang libong ulit, at saka magsagawa ng homa sa sukat na ikasampu ng japa. Kung may natitira, tapusin ito sa sampung handog na āhuti; sa gayon, ang homa ay isinasagawa ayon sa japa.
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Japa-to-homa conversion rule: determine homa count as one-tenth of japa; handle shortfall with fixed supplementary oblations.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Japa–Homa Proportion (Daśāṃśa-nyāya) and Remainder Completion","lookup_keywords":["japa","homa","dashamsha","ahuti","mantra-sankhya"],"quick_summary":"Perform mantra-japa to the target count (here 100,000), then offer homa oblations equal to one-tenth of the japa; any remainder is rectified by ten āhutis, aligning fire-offering with recitation."}
Concept: Saṅkhyā-niyama (numerical discipline) as a support for mantra-siddhi; external homa seals internal japa.
Application: Maintain a japa ledger; after completing the count, schedule homa with āhuti count = japa/10; if interrupted, perform prescribed supplementary āhutis to ‘close’ the practice cycle.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Mantra-japa and Homa procedure)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner completes a large japa count and then performs homa, measuring oblations carefully according to a one-tenth rule; tally marks and rosary beside the fire altar.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural of a homa-kuṇḍa with bright stylized flames; a sādhaka with japa-mālā and palm-leaf tally sheet; assistant counting āhutis; traditional mural geometry and warm tones","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting of a homa scene with gold-highlighted flames and utensils; the japa-mālā and a counting board shown prominently; priest offering ghee with ladle, ornate borders and lamps","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting designed like a ritual chart: japa count shown as numerals, arrow to homa count (1/10), then a small box ‘remainder → 10 āhutis’; clean depiction of kuṇḍa, ladle, ghee pot, and rosary","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a courtyard homa: detailed brassware, attendants recording counts, subtle smoke; margins decorated with numeric motifs indicating proportional rule"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śrayutañca → śrayutam + ca (normalized); japenmantraṃ → japet + mantram; homayettu → homayet + tu; śeṣāṇāntu → śeṣāṇām + tu; daśāhutyā → daśa-āhutyā; japāddhomantu → japāt + homam + tu.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 317 (homa and japa procedural sequence in pūjā-vidhi)
FAQs
It gives a practical japa–homa calculation: complete mantra-japa (noted here as up to 100,000 recitations) and perform homa as one-tenth of the japa count; any shortfall is adjusted using ten additional oblations.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana functions as a ritual handbook: it preserves operational rules (counts, ratios, and completion methods) used in mantra practice and fire rites, reflecting its wide, instructional scope.
By matching homa to japa in a defined proportion and completing any remainder, the practitioner is understood to “seal” the mantra practice with ritual offering, supporting completeness (pūrṇatā), purification, and efficacy of the sādhana.