THE AGNI-PURANA

CONTENTS PART I PREFACE vii ABBREVIATIONS viii INTRODUCTION xv CHAPTERS 1. Introductory 1 2. Manifestation of Visnu as Fish 3 3. Manifestation of Visnu as Tortoise 5 4. Manifestation of Visnu as Boar 7 5. Manifestation of Visnu as Rama 9 6. Manifestation of Visnu as Rama 11 7. Manifestation of Visnu as Rama 15 8. Manifestation of Visnu as Rama 17 9. Manifestation of Visnu as Rama 19 10. Manifestation of Visnu as Rama 21 11. Manifestation of Visnu as Rama 24 12. Manifestation of Visnu as Rama 25 13. Origin of Kauravas and Pandavas 31 14. Story of the Mahabharata 34 15. Ascendance of Pandavas to heaven 36 16. Manifestation of Visnu as Buddha and Kalki 38 17. Creation 39 18. Genealogy of Svayambhuva Manu 41 19. Secondary Creation: the progeny of Kasyapa 45 20. Primary Creation 48 21. Method of worshipping Visnu and other gods 50 22. Bath prior to a religious rite 53 23. Mode of performing worship 54 24. Mode of constructing the sacrificial pit and the oblations unto fire 56 25. Mode of worshipping Vasudeva, Sankarsana Pradyumna and Aniruddha 62 26. Position of fingers in Worship 66 27. Initiation rite 67 28. Mode of anointment for the preceptor 74 29. Mode of Worshipping Hair in Sarvatobhadra 75 30. Mode of worshipping gods in lotus figures 79 31. Mode of cleansing oneself and others 82 32. Purifacotory rites 85 33. Investiture of the sacred thread for the deity and the installation of the deity 87 34. Mode of performing oblation 92 35. Mode of consecration of an image 96 36. Mode of performing the investiture of sacred thread 98 37. Mode of investiture of sacred thread for all gods 100 38. Benefits of constructing temples 101 39. Preparations of ground for constructing temples 106 40. Mode of making the respectful offering to the god 107 41. Mode of performing Consecration 110 42. Construction of a temple 113 43. Installation of deities in temples 116 44. Characteristics of the image of Vasudeva 118 45. Characteristics of pedestals and details relating to images 123 46. Characteristics of different Salagrama stones 124 47. Mode of worshipping Salagrama 126 48. Adoration of twenty four forms of Visnu 127 49. Characteristics of forms of Fish etc of Visnu 129 50. Characteristics of an image of the goddess 132 51. Characteristics of images of Sun and other planets 136 52. Characteristics of images of different forms of goddesses 138 53. Characteristics of Linga (parabolic representation of Siva) 139 54. The dimensions of different varieties of Linga 141 55. Characteristics of the pedestal 146 56. Five divisions of installation 147 57. Consecration of pitchers 149 58. Consecration of pitchers 152 59. Preliminary consecration of an image 155 60. Mode of installation of image of Vasudeva 161 61. Consecration of the door of the temple and the erection of banner 164 62. Mode of installation of image of Goddess Laksmi 169 63. Mode of installation of other gods and Goddesses, the Sudarsana disc and the writing of books and their installations 171 64. Mode of consecration of tanks and ponds 173 65. Building pavilions in front of temples 178 66. Mode of consecration of other gods 180 67. Renovation of decayed images 184 68. Mode of taking out a procession and celebration of festivals after fixing the new image 184 69. Mode of conducting the bathing festival 186 70. Mode of planting trees 188 71. Mode of Worshipping Ganesha 186 72. Mode of bathing and daily worship 190 73. Mode of Worshipping Sun 195 74. Mode of Worshipping Siva 197 75. Mode of installation of fire 205 76. Mode of worshipping Canda (attendant of Siva) 211 77. Mode of Worshipping Kapila 212 78. Mode of investiture of the sacred thread for the deity 215 79. Investiture of the Sacred thread 221 80. Mode of investiture with the fibres of amanaka 225 81. Mode of spiritual initiation 226 82. Mode of performing purificatory initiation 235 83. Mode of spiritual Initiation that removes one's bondage 238 84. Mode of Initiation for Emancipation 243 85. Mode of purifying the Beatific principle of establishment 248 86. Mode of purifying of Scriptural knowledge 252 87. Mode of purification of the principle of peace 254 88. Mode of initiation for attaining liberation 257 89. Initiation of principles 262 90. Anointing the disciple after worshipping Siva 263 91. Mantras for worshipping gods 265 92. Mode of installing the image of Siva 266 93. Mode of worshipping the presiding deity of a ground 272 94. Mode of placing the stone slabs 276 95. Mode of installation of Linga 278 96. Mode of initial consecration of an image 283 97. Mode of installation of lord Siva 294 98. Mode of installation of the image of goddess Gauri 302 99. Mode of installation of the image of sun-god 303 100. Rites of Consecration of doors of a temple 304 PART II PREFACE vii ABBREVIATIONS xv 101. Mode of consecration of a temple 307 102. Mode of consecrating the flag staff 308 103. Mode of repair of old or broken lingas 311 104. General characteristics of a divine edifice 313 105. Mode of worship of the presiding deity of a place 316 106. Vastu relating to Cities 320 107. The creation of Svayambhuva Manu 322 108. Cosmographical account 323 109. The greatness of sacred spots 326 110. The greatness of Ganga 328 111. The Greatness of Prayaga 329 112. The greatness of Varanasi 330 113. The greatness of Narmada 331 114. The greatness of Gaya 332 115. Mode of making a pilgrimage to Gaya 335 116. Mode of making a pilgrimage to Gaya 341 117. Mode of performing the ancestral rites 345 118. The Country of Bharata 350 119. Description of different continents 351 120. The extent of the universe 353 121. The Science of Jyotisa (Astronomy and Astrology) 356 122. Pancanga: The Almanae 364 123. Svarodaya cakra, Sanicakra, Kurmacakra, Rahucakra 370 124. Essence of astrology as described in the Victory in battles 372 125. Different circles which get success in battle 375 126. Combinations of good and bad asterisms 380 127. The auspicious and inauspicious periods of the day based on certain combinations 383 128. The Kotacakra - a drawing to forecast results 385 129. Guide-lines for storing and selling grains 386 130. Different spheres marked by astorisms indicating victory in battle 387 131. Ghataka cakra, Naracakra, Jayacakra indicating failure or success in battle 388 132. Sevacakra and the indication of accrual of benefits 390 133. Different traits in infants and combinations indicating success in battle 392 134. Sacred formula for the conquest of three worlds 396 135. Formula for success in battle 397 136. The diagram of asterisms indicating the period for undertaking a journey 400 137. The formula known as Mahamari 401 138. The six accessory acts relating to all mantras 403 139. The names of sixty years of Hindu cycle and the good or bad results accruing from them 404 140. Description of herbs used in charms 405 141. Description of herbs used in charms, medicines 407 142. Description of medicinal incantations 409 143. Mode of worship of Goddess Kubjika 411 144. Mode of worship of Goddess Kubjika 413 145. Different Kinds of mantras and the rites of locating them. 416 146. Names of different Goddesses 420 147. Mode of worshipping the goddess Tvarita and others 423 148. Mode of worship for success in the battle 425 149. Mode of performing Laksa and Kotihoma 425 150. Names of different Manus, different sages and others during their period. 427 151. Duties laid down for different castes 429 152. Duties of a householder 431 153. Duties of a student 434 154. Rules of marriage 436 155. The Code of Conduct 439 156. Purification of things 439 157. Pollution and Purification 440 158. Kinds of pollution 444 159. The merits of libation and the performance of good deeds. 450 160. Duties of a brahmin leading in the forest 452 161. Duties of an ascetic 452 162. Code of laws 455 163. Mode of performing a sraddha 457 164. Propitiatory rite for the planets 461 165. Code of conduct 463 166. Duties of different castes 465 167. Propitiatory rite for the planets 467 168. Kinds of major sins 471 169. Atonements for various offences 474 170. Expiations for association with major sinners 478 171. Description of certain subtle expiations 482 172. The hymn which destroys sins 483 173. Different expiations for different sins 485 174. Expiations for discontinuing the worship of gods 490 175. Rules and regulations relating to the Vows 492 176. Vows observed on the first lunar day 497 177. Vows observed on the second lunar day 498 178. Vows observed on the third lunar day 500 179. Vows observed on the fourth lunar day 503 180. Vows observed on the fifth lunar day 504 181. Vows observed on the sixth lunar day 504 182. Vows observed on the seventh lunar day 504 183. Vows observed on the eighth lunar day 505 184. Vows observed on the eighth lunar day 507 185. Vows observed on the ninth lunar day 509 186. Vows observed on the tenth lunar day 510 187. Vows observed on the eleventh lunar day 511 188. Vows observed on the twelfth lunar day 512 189. Rules of observing Sravanadvadasi vrata 513 190. Mode of practising vows on the thirteenth lunar day 514 191. Mode of practising vows on the thirteenth lunar day 515 192. Vows to be observed on the fourteenth lunar day 516 193. Description of Sivaratrivrata 517 194. Details relating to the vows of Asoka Purnima 518 195. Vows relating to the weak-days 519 196. Vows relating to different asterisms 520 197. Vows performed on certain days 522 198. Vows performed in different months 523 199. Vows relating to different seasons 524 200. Vow of giving a gift of a lamp 525 201. Mode of Worshipping Visnu in a figure of nine Compartments 527 202. Different flowers used in worship 528 203. The nature of hell 530 204. Mode of practising the vow of fasting for stipulated months 533 205. Mode of performing the Bhismapancakavrata 534 206. Mode of offering water of libation to the Venerable sage: Agastya 535 207. Mode of performing Kaumuda vrata 537 208. Rules and regulations relating to vows and gifts in genral 538 209. Rules relating to gifts 539 210. Sixteen great gifts 544 211. Different kinds of gifts 546 212. Gifts granting the desired fruits 552 213. Mode of making a gift of the earth and its benefits 555 214. The system of veins in the body and their benefits 556 215. Mode of reciting Gayatri and its greatness 559 216. Instructions relating to Gayatri 563 217. Vasistha's hymn to lord Siva 564 218. Mode of performing the Coronation of a king 566 219. sacred syllables for the coronation 569 220. Accomplishment of assistance of the king 573 221. Code of Conduct for the servants 575 222. Construction of forts 576 223. Duties of a king 579 224. Duties of a king in the harem 581 225. Duties of a King 584 226. Means of Conciliation 587 227. Code of Criminal laws 588 228. Instructions relating to military expedition 594 229. Significance of dreams 595 230. Inauspicious auguries 597 231. Good and bad augures known from the sounds of animals and birds 598 232. Omens known from birds 600 233. Propitious periods for undertaking an expedition 604 234. Six expedients used by the King 606 235. Daily duties of a king 608 236. Rites preceding the march of a king 609 237. A hymn to Laksmi for success 615 238. Ethics narrated by Rama 617 239. Duties of a King 618 240. Six expedients used by a king 622 241. Four ways of policy: Conciliation etc. 624 242. Statesmanship for a king 629 243. Physiognomy of men and their indications 635 244. Characteristic features of women 637 245. Characteristics of the royal fan, bow and sword 638 246. Testing of gems 640 247. Characteristics of a Site for building 642 248. Benefit of worshipping Lord Visnu with flowers and leaves 644 249. Science of archery 645 250. Science of archery 647 251. Method of using a noose 649 PART III PREFACE vii ABBREVIATIONS xiii 252. The mode of wielding the swords, maces etc. 651 253. The description of administration of justice 653 254. Debts and their repayments 659 255. Description of rules relating to disputes and different kinds of ordeals 661 256. Description of the procedure for division of properties 666 257. Settlement of disputes relating to the boundaries of fields 670 258. Punishment for making defamatory speeches and committing other offences 675 259. The application of the mantras of the Rgveda 683 260. The use of the hymns of Yajurveda 695 261. The use of the hymns of Samaveda 704 262. The use of the hymns of Atharvaveda 707 263. Appeasing rites for portents 710 264. Worship of gods to ward off the effects of portents and mode of offering the Vaisvadeva ball 713 265. The sacred bathing of the deities 716 266. The mode of performing the ceremonial bathing to wash off obstacles 718 267. Ceremonial bathing known as Mahesvara and other kinds of ablutions 719 268. Mode of worshipping Indra, doing nirajana (relating to King's expedition) and other rites 722 269. The sacred formulas for the consecration of the umbrella and other royal insignia 725 270. A hymn to Visnu that destroys Evil 728 271. The different recensions of the Vedas 730 272. The meritoriousness of making gifts of the different Puranas 732 273. The description of the solar race 735 274. Description of the lunar race 738 275. Description of the dynasty of Yadu 740 276. The manifestations of the Lord Visnu 744 277. The narration of the lineage of Anga 747 278. The description of the lineage of Puru 748 279. The description of the potent remedies 751 280. The remedies for all the diseases 757 281. The description of the characteristics of the different tastes and the qualities of the herbs 761 282. Description of horticulture 764 283. The remedial herbs for all the diseases 766 284. Narration of sacred formulas that are medicinal 770 285. The accomplished recipes that would revive the dead. 772 286. Collection of medical recipes 778 287. The treatment of the diseases of elephants 781 288. The diseases of the horses and the management of the horses 784 289. The characteristics of the horses and the treatment of the diseases of the horses 789 290. Propitiatory rites for curing the ailments of horses 794 291. Propitiatory rites for curing the ailments of elephants 795 292. The greatness of cows and their welfare 798 293. Different kinds of mantras and their nomenclature 802 294. The characteristics of different kinds of serpents 807 295. The medical treatment for a serpent bite 811 296. The five constituents of the worship of Rudra 814 297. The remedial mantra that would remove poison 817 298. The treatment for the poison due to snakes such as the gonasa and others 818 299. Recipes for the diseases of infants 820 300. Description of the mantras which remove the baneful influences of planets 826 301. The mode of worship of Sun 830 302. Description of different kinds of potential mantras and herbs 832 303. The propitiation of the letters of one's limbs to ward off evil 835 304. The mode of worship of Siva with the mantra of five syllables 837 305. The fiftyfive names of (Lord) Visnu and their greatness 840 306. Description of the mantras to be repeated to ward off evil incantations etc. 843 307. Description of the mantras that would stupefy the three worlds 845 308. On the mode of worship of goddess Laksmi and others that confer immense benefits 849 309. The mode of worship of Tvarita 852 310. The narration of the spell relating to Tvarita 854 311. The location of the basic mantras of Tvarita and her worship 858 PART IV PREFACE vii ABBREVIATIONS xiii INTRODUCTION xv 312. The occasions for the use of the Tvarita-mantra and the benefits 863 313. The mantras relating to the worship of different gods 865 314. Mantras relating to the worship of Goddess Tvarita 868 315. Narration of mantras relating to paralysing, captivating etc. 871 316. Narration of different kinds of mantras 872 317. The different kinds of mantras of Siva 873 318. The mode of worshipping Ganapati, accomplishing all things 876 319. Mode of worshipping Vagisvari (Goddess of speech) 878 320. The different mystic diagrams 879 321. The appeasing rites relating to Aghorastra 883 322. The appeasing rite employing the mantra of the weapon of Pasupati 885 323. The mantra of the weapons of Aghora and the six constituents 887 324. Appeasing rite for lord Siva 891 325. The benefits of wearing the rosary beads and the counting of the formulae with them 894 326. Description of the mode of worshipping Goddess Gauri for gaining enjoyment, emancipation etc. 896 327. The greatness of establishing a linga and worship with the accessories 899 328. The rules of prosody 901 329. An abridgement of rules of prosody relating to the Vedic metres 902 330. An abridgement of the rules of metres 902 331. Metres of different kinds 905 332. The metres of un-equal characteristics in the four quarters 908 333. Description of metres having equal characteristics in the alternate quarters 910 334. Description of metres having similar characteristics in the four quarters 911 335. The tabular representation of long and short vowels of different metres 915 336. Description of phonetics 915 337. Description of the characteristics of a kavya 918 338. Description of the different types of drama 921 339. Description of the santiments, emotions, hero etc. 923 340. Description of diction and mode 927 341. Description of the actions and movements of the limbs 928 342. Definition of dramatic representation 930 343. Definition of the embellishment of words 933 344. Description of the embellishment of sense 939 345. The embellishments of sound and sense 942 346. Investigation into poetic excellences 944 347. Investigation into poetic blemishes 946 348. List of mono-syllabic words 950 349. The pratyaharas and fundamental rules in grammar 953 350. The forms of completed euphonic combinations 954 351. Perfected forms of inflection in the nouns 957 352. Narration of the finished forms of the substantives in the feminine 966 353. The finished forms of substantives in the neuter 968 354. The relation between a noun and a verb in a sentence 970 355. Different kinds of compounds 973 356. The rules governing the formation of taddhita (secondary nominal bases) 976 357. The formation of the primary nominal bases by adding primary affixes known as unadi, beginning with affix u 980 358. The completed form of the verbs after adding the conjugational signs etc. 981 359. The finished forms after adding the krt affixes (Primary affixes added to verbs) 985 360. The synonyms of group of words denoting the celestial region and the nether world 986 361. The indeclinables 996 362. Words having many meanings 1001 363. The words denoting men and four classes of men 1005 364. Words denoting men and four classes of men 1013 365. Words relating to the class of brahmins 1017 366. Words relating to ksatriya, vaisyas and other classes 1018 367. The class of words dependent on the substantives 1024 368. Constant dissolution, occasional and total dissolution 1028 369. The description of absolute dissolution and the process of creation 1030 370. The constituent parts of a body 1034 371. The description of hells 1037 372. The major and minor religious observances (yama-s and niyama-s) 1041 373. Description of asanas (different physical postures) and control of breath 1044 374. Contemplation 1046 375. Fixing-up of the mind in the object of contemplation 1049 376. Deep meditation (samadhi) 1051 377. Knowledge of Brahman 1055 378. Knowledge of Brahman 1057 379. Knowledge of Brahman again 1059 380. Knowledge of non-dual Brahman 1062 381. The essence of the Bhagavadgita 1068 382. The Yamagita 1073 383. The glorification of the Agnipurana 1077 INDEX 1085