Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 33
Rājābhiṣeka-kathana
Account of the Royal Consecration
वह्निं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य गुरुं नत्वाथ पृष्ठतः वृषमालभ्य गां वत्सां पूजयित्वाथ मन्त्रितं
vahniṃ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya guruṃ natvātha pṛṣṭhataḥ vṛṣamālabhya gāṃ vatsāṃ pūjayitvātha mantritaṃ
右绕（pradakṣiṇā）圣火之后，再礼拜师长；继而从后方行事：执取公牛，供敬母牛与其犊，然后依所规定的真言完成仪式。
Lord Agni (narrating the ritual procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Ritual sequence: pradakshina of sacred fire, guru-vandana, handling of bull, worship of cow with calf, and mantra-governed performance—useful for household/royal auspicious rites and consecratory observances.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Agni-Pradakshina and Guru-Vandana with Go-Puja (Cow-Calf) and Vrisha-Sparsha","lookup_keywords":["agni-pradakshina","guru-vandana","go-puja","vrisha","mantra-vidhi"],"quick_summary":"The rite proceeds by circumambulating Agni, bowing to the guru, then ritually engaging with bull and worshipping cow-and-calf, concluding with the prescribed mantras. It encodes auspiciousness, lineage-respect, and bovine sanctity within a mantra-framed act."}
Concept: Auspicious power is cultivated through ordered acts: honoring Agni (witness), honoring guru (transmission), and honoring go-vamsha (sustenance), sealed by mantra.
Application: In any consecratory rite, keep the sequence: invoke witness (Agni), submit to guidance (guru), then perform the main auspicious act with correct mantra and respectful bodily conduct.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Agni-hotra and Guru-vandana rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual performer circumambulates a small sacred fire altar, bows to the seated guru, then from behind touches/holds a bull and worships a cow with her calf, while a priest recites mantras.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, homa-kunda with stylized flames, performer in white dhoti doing pradakshina, guru seated on asana, cow and calf adorned with garlands, bull nearby, ritual vessels and lamps, saturated traditional palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold accents on fire altar and ornaments, central Agni flame, guru with halo-like aura, richly decorated cow and calf, devotee in reverent posture, symmetrical sacred composition","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional clarity: stepwise scene showing pradakshina path around agni, guru namaskara, then go-puja with offerings, fine linework and gentle colors","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed domestic ritual courtyard, small fire altar, guru and disciple interaction, naturalistic cow-calf depiction with garlands, attendants holding ritual items, delicate architectural framing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य = प्रदक्षिणी + कृत्य (अर्थतः प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा); नत्वाथ = नत्वा + अथ; पूजयित्वाथ = पूजयित्वा + अथ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: puja-vidhi and homa-related passages; guru-puja and mantra-nyasa discussions (elsewhere in ritual sections)
FAQs
It prescribes a concrete sequence in a fire-rite: circumambulation of Agni, obeisance to the guru, approaching from behind, ritually taking hold of a bull, performing cow-and-calf worship, and then completing the act with the proper mantras.
Rather than only theology, it gives step-by-step operational ritual protocol—linking fire worship, teacher veneration, animal-associated auspicious rites (go-puja), and mantra-application—showing the text’s practical handbook character.
Pradakṣiṇā and guru-namaskāra signify reverence and right orientation; go-puja (cow-and-calf honouring) is traditionally meritorious and purificatory, and mantra-governed action is presented as the correct, efficacy-bearing way to complete the rite.