Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 79
अध्याय १ — यजुर्विधानम्
Agni Purana, Chapter 259: Yajur-vidhāna
शन्नो मित्र इतीत्येतत् सदा सर्वत्र शान्तिदं गणानां त्वा गणपतिं कृत्वा होमञ्चतुष्पथे
śanno mitra itītyetat sadā sarvatra śāntidaṃ gaṇānāṃ tvā gaṇapatiṃ kṛtvā homañcatuṣpathe
“śaṃ no mitraḥ …” — ang mantrang ito ay laging at saanman nagbibigay ng kapayapaan. Matapos tawagin ang “gaṇānāṃ tvā gaṇapatiṃ” (si Gaṇapati), magsagawa ng homa (handog sa apoy) sa sangandaan (catuṣpatha).
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual procedure, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Shānti-mantra recitation and Gaṇapati-homa performed at a crossroads (catuṣpatha) for public/liminal-space pacification and obstacle-removal.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śānti by ‘Śaṃ no mitraḥ’ and Gaṇapati-homa at the crossroads","lookup_keywords":["śaṃ no mitraḥ","śānti-mantra","gaṇānāṃ tvā gaṇapatiṃ","homa","catuṣpatha"],"quick_summary":"Use the Vedic peace formula ‘śaṃ no mitraḥ…’ universally for pacification; perform a Gaṇapati-invoked homa at a crossroads to secure peace and remove obstacles."}
Concept: Śānti is maintained through Vedic mantra and homa; Gaṇapati is invoked first to remove impediments to any rite.
Application: Begin rites with Gaṇapati invocation; employ universal śānti-mantras for harmonizing environments, especially at liminal places.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Shanti-mantra and Ganapati-homa preliminaries)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Samanya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At a four-way crossroads, a priest performs a small homa after reciting the peace mantra and invoking Gaṇapati, creating an atmosphere of universal pacification.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, crossroads with four roads, small homa-kunda at center, priest chanting, Gaṇapati presence as subtle icon or aura, villagers at a respectful distance, warm ochres and reds.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central homa fire with gold foil flames, Gaṇapati depicted above or on a small pedestal, ornate vessels, rich jewel tones, symmetrical crossroads composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional depiction of catuṣpatha layout, homa-kunda at center, priest offering āhuti, mantra text ribbon, soft pastel palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, urban crossroads scene with detailed architecture, small ritual fire at center, priest and assistants, onlookers, delicate smoke patterns forming auspicious symbols."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इतीत्येतत् = इति + एतत्; होमञ्चतुष्पथे = होमम् + चतुष्पथे
Related Themes: Agni Purana 259 (śānti, homa, rakṣā-mantra sequence); Agni Purana sections on homa-vidhi and pūjā-krama (general)
FAQs
It prescribes a shanti-prayoga: recitation of the Vedic peace formula “śaṃ no mitraḥ …” as universally pacifying, combined with a Gaṇapati-invocation mantra (“gaṇānāṃ tvā gaṇapatiṃ”) and the performance of a homa specifically at a catuṣpatha (four-way crossroads).
It exemplifies the text’s practical cataloging of ritual technology—linking mantra-selection, deity-priority (Gaṇapati as remover of obstacles), and precise ritual geography (crossroads as a liminal, publicly efficacious site) into a compact procedural instruction.
The verse frames the practice as śānti-producing—aimed at pacification, harmony, and removal of impediments—by invoking Mitra for concord and Gaṇapati for obstacle-clearing, with the crossroads setting emphasizing wide-reaching, boundary-cleansing efficacy.