Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 1
Chapter 22 — स्नानविधिकथनं
Instruction on the Rite of Bathing
इत्य् आदिमहापुराणे आग्नेये वासुदेवादिपूजाकथनं नाम एकविंशतितमो ऽध्यायः अथ द्वाविंशो ऽध्यायः स्नानविधिकथनं नारद उवाच वक्ष्ये स्नानं क्रियाद्यर्थं नृसिंहेन तु मृत्तिकां गृहीत्वा तां द्विधा कृत्वा मनःस्नानमथैकया
ity ādimahāpurāṇe āgneye vāsudevādipūjākathanaṃ nāma ekaviṃśatitamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha dvāviṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ snānavidhikathanaṃ nārada uvāca vakṣye snānaṃ kriyādyarthaṃ nṛsiṃhena tu mṛttikāṃ gṛhītvā tāṃ dvidhā kṛtvā manaḥsnānamathaikayā
Như vậy, trong Agni Purāṇa, chương hai mươi mốt mang tên “Tường thuật việc thờ phụng Vāsudeva và các vị khác” kết thúc. Nay bắt đầu chương hai mươi hai, “Chỉ dạy về nghi thức tắm gội.” Nārada nói: “Ta sẽ giảng về việc tắm, nhằm phục vụ các hành sự nghi lễ và những điều tương tự. Lấy đất thanh tịnh (mṛttikā) bằng thần chú Nṛsiṃha, chia làm hai phần; với một phần, hãy thực hiện ‘tắm của tâm’ (manas-snāna).”
Nārada
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Introduces snāna-vidhi as a prerequisite for ritual acts; prescribes mantra-grahaṇa of purificatory earth and a twofold use including mānasa-snāna (mental purification).","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Snāna-vidhi Prastāva: Mantra-gṛhīta Mṛttikā and Mānasa-snāna","lookup_keywords":["snāna-vidhi","śauca","mṛttikā","nṛsiṃha-mantra","mānasa-snāna"],"quick_summary":"For ritual readiness, take purificatory earth with the Nṛsiṃha-mantra, divide it into two portions, and use one portion for ‘bath of the mind’—a mental purification preceding physical rites."}
Concept: Śauca is both internal (mind) and external (body); mantra sacralizes materials used for purification.
Application: Before worship, consciously perform mānasa-śauca (mental cleansing) alongside physical bathing, using mantra-intention to sanctify the process.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi & Shauca (Ritual Purification and Bathing Rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Nārada instructs a practitioner near a waterbody; the practitioner holds a lump of purificatory clay, divides it into two, and closes eyes for mānasa-snāna before bathing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Nārada with vīṇā teaching beside a riverbank, devotee holding and dividing clay, calm water, stylized foliage, flat iconic figures","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Nārada as central guru with gold halo, devotee with clay in hands, river and bathing vessels, gold embellishment on ornaments and borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional scene: clay divided into two portions shown clearly, devotee in meditative posture for mānasa-snāna, soft colors and fine linework","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, riverside teaching scene with Nārada, detailed landscape, devotee dividing clay, subtle depiction of contemplation"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shree","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ity = iti; mahāpurāṇe āgneye (locatives); ekaviṃśatitamo 'dhyāyaḥ = ekaviṃśatitamaḥ + adhyāyaḥ; dvāviṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ = dvāviṃśaḥ + adhyāyaḥ; kriyādyarthaṃ = kriyā-ādi-artham; manaḥsnānam = manaḥ-snānām; athaikayā = atha + ekayā.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 21 (conclusion: Vāsudevādi-pūjā); Agni Purana 22 (snāna-vidhi continuation: nyāsa, rakṣā, prāṇāyāma)
FAQs
It introduces the Snāna-vidhi (bathing protocol) and specifies purificatory clay (mṛttikā) taken with the Nṛsiṃha-mantra, to be divided so that one portion is used for manas/inner purification (manaḥ-snānā).
It shifts from deity-worship procedure (Vāsudeva-pūjā) to practical daily/ritual hygiene (śauca) by detailing materials (mṛttikā), mantra-application (Nṛsiṃha), and a graded purification model (external + mental), showing the text’s coverage of both liturgy and applied ritual technique.
By pairing physical cleansing (with sanctified earth) with manaḥ-snānā (purification of intention and mind), the verse frames bathing as not merely hygienic but as karmically purifying preparation for Vedic/Smārta rites and worship.