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
应当诵持真言至十万遍，然后按诵持数的十分之一行护摩（homa）。若尚有余数，当以十次供火（āhuti）补足；如是护摩当随诵持而行。
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.