Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 14
Aghīrāstra-ādi-Śānti-kalpaḥ
Rite for Pacification of Aghora-Astra and Other Weapons
विकृता यत्र जायन्ते यात्राकाले ऽयुतं हुनेत् तिलाज्यलक्षहोमन्तु उत्तमासिद्धिसाधने
vikṛtā yatra jāyante yātrākāle 'yutaṃ hunet tilājyalakṣahomantu uttamāsiddhisādhane
凡出现不祥异变之处，于启程之时应行火供（homa）千次投供；而欲成就最上悉地，则当以芝麻与酥油（ghee）作十万次火供。
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Ritual countermeasures for travel-omens and for attaining siddhi through graded homa counts, specifying materials (tila, ājya) and scale (1,000 vs 100,000).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Yātrā-kāla Homa for Omens; Lakṣa-homa with Sesame and Ghee for Uttama-siddhi","lookup_keywords":["yātrā-kāla","utpāta","sahasra-homa","tilājya","lakṣa-homa"],"quick_summary":"At the onset of a journey, if abnormalities/omens arise, perform a thousand oblations as a remedial homa. For the highest accomplishment, undertake a lakṣa (100,000) homa using sesame and ghee."}
Concept: Siddhi is proportional to saṅkhyā (count), dravya (materials), and niyama (observance); omens are met with deliberate ritual action.
Application: Use smaller homa as immediate travel-remedy; reserve lakṣa-homa as long-form disciplined practice for major aims.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Homa-prayoga (Ritual instructions for yajña, travel rites, and expiatory offerings)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A traveler preparing to depart while priests perform a homa; a clear contrast panel shows an extended lakṣa-homa with heaps of sesame and ghee, counting beads and offering ladles, indicating ‘uttama-siddhi’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized yajña scene with homa-kuṇḍa, priests offering tila and ājya, traveler with baggage at the edge, symbolic depiction of ‘100,000’ via repeated offering motifs, temple-like framing.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: richly ornamented homa altar with gold leaf on vessels, sesame and ghee offerings, traveler receiving blessings, luminous sacred fire, heavy decorative borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional clarity—layout of kuṇḍa, ladle, sesame bowl, ghee pot; a scribe-like counter marking 1,000 and 100,000; calm palette and fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: caravan departure with a small fire-rite in the foreground; second scene of a grand prolonged homa in a pavilion with attendants bringing sesame and ghee; intricate textiles and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ऽयुतम् = अयुतम् (अकार-लोपः due to avagraha after kāle). होमन्तु = होमम् + तु (म् + त् → न्त्).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 320 (travel omens and śānti measures); Agni Purana 321 (astra-mantra śānti and obstacle-removal)
FAQs
It prescribes a remedial fire-offering: perform 1,000 oblations at the start of a journey when inauspicious anomalies appear, and perform a 100,000-oblation sesame-and-ghee homa to seek the highest level of ritual success (siddhi).
It shows the text’s applied ritual science—linking omen-management, travel protocol, and graded homa counts (1,000 vs. 100,000) with specific substances (tila and ājya), demonstrating the Purana’s manual-like coverage of practical religious procedures.
The homa functions as a purification and obstacle-removal rite: it is meant to neutralize inauspicious conditions encountered at departure and to strengthen auspiciousness and attainment (siddhi) through intensified, substance-specific offerings.