Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 11
अध्याय १ — यजुर्विधानम्
Agni Purana, Chapter 259: Yajur-vidhāna
विद्वेषणे च पक्ष्माणि काककौशिकयोस् तथा कापिलञ्च घृतं हुत्वा तथा चन्द्रग्रहे द्विज
vidveṣaṇe ca pakṣmāṇi kākakauśikayos tathā kāpilañca ghṛtaṃ hutvā tathā candragrahe dvija
Sa ritong vidveṣaṇa na naglalayong magpasiklab ng poot, ihandog bilang alay ang pakṣmāṇi (pilantik/balahibong pinong) ng uwak at ng kuwago; gayundin, ihandog ang kāpila na ghṛta (ghee na kayumanggi), lalo na sa panahon ng pag-eclipse ng buwan, O dwija.
Lord Agni (instructing a Brahmin/ritual practitioner within the Agni Purana’s dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Abhicara (vidveṣaṇa) homa specifying animal-derived oblations and timing (lunar eclipse) to intensify the rite’s effect.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Vidveṣaṇa-homa: crow/owl pakṣmāṇi and kāpila-ghṛta at candra-grahaṇa","lookup_keywords":["vidveshana","candra-grahana","kakapakshman","kaushika","kapila-ghrita"],"quick_summary":"For enmity-provoking rites, oblations include crow and owl pakṣmāṇi and tawny ghee, with lunar eclipse time highlighted as a potency-amplifier."}
Concept: Kāla (timing) and dravya (materials) are decisive variables in ritual technology, especially in abhichāra.
Application: If studying historically/ritually, note the text’s emphasis on eclipse-timing as an intensifier; ethically, such rites are traditionally constrained by dharma and guru-adhikāra.
Khanda Section: Mantra-tantra & Abhichara-kalpa (Ritual applications for pacification, attraction, subjugation, and enmity)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Cosmology
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"During a lunar eclipse, a ritualist performs a secretive homa offering crow and owl pakṣmāṇi with tawny ghee, the moon dimmed overhead.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, darkened sky with eclipsed moon, homa fire glowing, priest in profile holding ladle, symbolic crow and owl motifs near offering bowl, dramatic reds/blacks.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, eclipsed moon as a gold-embossed disc partially shadowed, homa altar with gold accents, vessels of ghee, stylized crow/owl emblems, intense contrast.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear didactic layout: eclipse moon above, homa pit below, labeled items (kāpila-ghṛta, pakṣmāṇi), restrained palette, precise linework.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature night scene, detailed courtyard, astronomic eclipse depiction, small figures around fire, fine rendering of ghee pot and symbolic feathers, moody illumination."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कापिलञ्च = कापिलम् + च; काककौशिकयोस् = काककौशिकयोः (visarga/orthographic in Devanagari).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Abhichara-kalpa sections on vidveṣaṇa, stambhana, uccāṭana; Agni Purana grahaṇa-kāla merits/defects where mentioned
FAQs
It specifies dravya (ritual substances) for a vidveṣaṇa-abhicāra homa: offering pakṣmāṇi associated with crow and owl, and performing oblations with kāpila (tawny) ghee, particularly during a lunar eclipse.
It exemplifies the text’s catalog-like coverage of applied ritual technology—linking specific aims (vidveṣaṇa), specific materials (crow/owl pakṣmāṇi, kāpila ghṛta), and specific timing (candra-grahaṇa)—alongside its many other domains such as polity, medicine, architecture, and poetics.
By tying an intention-driven rite to a powerful astral moment (lunar eclipse), the verse reflects the belief that time (kāla) and substance (dravya) amplify ritual efficacy; however, because vidveṣaṇa is a harmful/discord-producing aim, it is traditionally treated as a grave, ethically risky practice with heavy karmic consequences if misused.