Agni Purana
by N. Gangadharan | 1954 | 360,691 words | ISBN-10: 8120803590 | ISBN-13: 9788120803596
This page describes Mode of installation of the image of Goddess Lakshmi which is chapter 62 of the English translation of the Agni Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas dealing with all topics concerning ancient Indian culture, tradition and sciences. Containing roughly 15,000 Sanskrit metrical verses, subjects contained in the Agni-Purana include cosmology, philosophy, architecture, iconography, economics, diplomacy, pilgrimage guides, ancient geography, gemology, ayurveda, etc.
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Chapter 62 - Mode of installation of the image of Goddess 尝补办峁墨
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
The Lord said:
1. I shall describe to you the mode of installation of all divine images. At first I shall describe the (mode of) installation (of the image) of 尝补办峁墨 and her attendant goddesses.
2. As before, one should do all rites such as bathing (the image) in the shed. (The image of) goddess 尝补办峁墨 should be placed on the pedestal. One should place eight pitchers.
3. The image should be anointed with ghee with the principal mantra and washed with the five things got from a cow. The eyes of (the goddess) 尝补办峁墨 should be opened with (the recitation of the mantra) hira峁噛avar峁嚹乵 hari峁嚹玬[1].
4. The three sweet things[2] should be offered with (the recitation of the mantra) t膩峁� ma 腻惫补丑补[3]. She (the image) should be bathed with (the waters of) the pitcher on the east with (the recitation of) the (hymn) 补艣惫补辫奴谤惫补[4].
5. The image should then be bathed with (the waters of.pitchers on) the south, west and north with the recitation of hymns k膩mo'smi te[5], candram prabh膩s膩m[6], 膩ditya var峁嘺[7] (respectively)
6-7. (Waters) from (the pitchers placed in) the southeast, south-west, north-west and north-east should be poured on the image accompanied by (the recitation of the mantras) upaitu m膩[8], 办峁迟 辫颈辫腻蝉腻[9], 驳补苍诲丑补诲惫腻谤补[10], 尘补苍补蝉补岣� 办腻尘补尘腻办峁泃颈[11]. The image should subsequently be bathed with (the waters of) eighty-one pitchers (accompanied) by 膩pa岣� s峁沯an k峁tim.[12]
8. (The priest should worship the image) with perfumes accompanied by 膩rdr膩m pu峁ari峁嚹玬[13], with flowers accompanied by t膩峁� ma 腻惫补丑补[14] and ya 腻苍补苍诲补.[15]
9. The goddess should be worshipped in the bed with (the mantra) 艣腻测补苍迟墨[16] yena and her presence is accomplished by 艣谤墨蝉奴办迟补[17]. Her consciousness is invoked and worshipped again with. the principal mantra of the goddess.
10. Thousand or hundred lotus flowers or 办补谤补惫墨谤补 flowers. should be offered in the fire pit at the shed accompanied by 艣谤墨蝉奴办迟补.[17]
11. Household furniture should be offered with the 艣谤墨蝉奴办迟补[17] itself. Then the consecration of edifice should be performed as described earlier.
12. The pedestal should be made with (the recitation of) the mantra. The installation of the goddess is done subsequently. Her presence is accomplished with the 艣谤墨蝉奴办迟补.[17] Everyone of the hymns (stated earlier)) should be recited as before.
13. Having invoked consciousness in the image, her presence is accomplished by the principal mantra. The priest and the brahmins should be presented with land, gold, clothes, cow and food. The images of all other forms of goddesses should be installed in the same way. One who invokes (and consecrates) in this way is held as going to heaven.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
峁歏 Kh. 5.87.1.
[2]:
P. 160. fn 7.
[3]:
峁歏. Kh. 5.87.2a, 15a.
[4]:
cf. 峁歏. Kh. 5.87.3a.
[5]:
Could not be identified.
[6]:
Could not be identified.
[7]:
VS. 31.81b.
[8]:
峁歏. Kh. 5.87.7a.
[9]:
TB. 3.4.1.16.
[10]:
峁歏. Kh. 5.87.9a.
[11]:
峁歏. Kh. 5.87.10a.
[12]:
Could not be identified.
[13]:
Cf. 峁歏. Kh. 8.87.3a, 14a.
[14]:
峁歏. Kh. 5.87.2a, 15a.
[15]:
Not found.
[16]:
Could not be identified.
[17]:
峁歏. Kh. 5.87.1.