Agni Purāṇa
57 - Consecration of pitchers
The Lord said:
1. Oneshould do (ceremony) of taking possession of the ground. Oneshould scatter grains and mustard seeds uttering (the sacred syllable) 'Narasimha' which destroys demons. Oneshould sprinkle pañchagavya (the five things got from a cow).
2. Having worshipped the earth in the pitcher containing gems as well as Hari and his retinue, worship the eighteen pitchers therein with the sacred syllable of weapons.
3. The rice grainsshould be purified by an incessantshower (of water) and scattered around. The pitchershould be placed in their midst.
4-5. Lord Achyuta and (his consort) Šrishould again be worshipped in the pitcher (provided with) a cloth. The bed as well as the mattressshould be spread on the kusa grass on a drawn circle with (the recitation of) the sacred syllable yoge yoge.1 Lord Vishņu, the slayer of the demon) Madhu and the lord of the three (divisions of the universe) and also the different lords of learning are worshipped on the bed.
1. RV. 1.30.7.
6-7. Having worshipped Vamana, Sridhara, Hrushikeśa, Padmanabha (different forms of Vishņu) in the north-west and other (corners) of the bathing place and the Dämodara (form of Vishnu) in the north-east and having brought all the materials to the bathing pavilion theyshould be deposited in the four pitchers and the altar in the north-east.
8. These pitchersshould be consecrated in the four quarters with the pitchers containing water for the consecration. The pitchersshould be placed with due regard for the purpose of consecration.
9-11. The young sprouts from the vata udumbara, aśvattha, champaka, aśhoka, Sridruma, palaša, arjuna, plaksha, kadamba, bakula and mango treesshould be brought and put in the eastern pitcher. The lotus, rochana (a kind of yellow pigment), dūrva grass, darbha grass, piñjala (yellow orpiment), the flowers jati and kunda, (pieces of) sandal wood, red sandal, white mustard, tagara (a kind of herb), and riceshould be put on the southern one.
12-14. Silver and gold and earth from the two banks of rivers flowing into the ocean especially the earth from the (river) Jähnavi (Ganges), the urine of a cow, barley grains, paddy and sesamumshould be placed in another pitcher. The Vishnuparni sydmalata, bhrungaraja, satavari, sahadevi, mahadevi, bald and vyaghni (?), the auspicious things are put in the other pitcher in the north-east.
15. The earth from an ant-hill obtained from seven (different placesshould be put in another pitcher. The sand from the Ganges and its watershould be put in another pitcher.
16. The earth loosened by the boars, bulls, and elephants with their horns and tusks as well as earth from the root of the lotus and the kuša grassshould be placed in another pitcher.
17. Oneshould put in another pitcher earth got from sacred places and hills. The flowers of nägakeśara and kašmirashould be put in another pitcher.
18-19. Flowers together with the sandal wood, agallochum and camphorshould be placed in another pitcher. (The gems) lapis lazuli, coral, pearl, crystal, and diamondshould be put earlier in one pitcher and placed firmly by the holy priests. Another pitchershould be filled with the waters of the rivers and tanks.
20. Another (set of) pitchers filled with perfumes etc.should be placed at eightyone places and consecrated with the Srisakta1.
1. Hymn commencing with hiranyavarnam harinim. RV. Kh. 5.87.1.
21. Barley grains, white mustard, perfumes, tips of kusa grass, unbroken rice, sesamum, fruits and flowersshould be first placed for the sake of worship.
22. The lotus, (the creeper called) syåmalatā, dūrvå grass, leaf of holy basil and kuša grass (should be kept) on the righthand side for being offered at the foot. The madhuparka2 also placed on the right side.
2. A respectful offering consisting of five ingredients: curd, clarified butter, water, honey, and candied sugar.
23. The kankola, cloves and nutmeg along with the dūrva grass and unbroken rice (should be offered) in the fire on the north for the sake of rinsing the mouth.
24. A vessel for offering camphor and perfumes to be applied on the bodyshould be placed on the south-east. A vessel containing perfumes and flowersshould be placed on the north-east.
25. The mura, mamsi, myrabolan, sahadeva and niśa and sixty lampsshould be placed. Eight lampsshould be kept for the nirajana (showing the light in adoration).
26. The conch, disc, Srivatsa (mark on the breast of Vishnu), thunderbolt, lotus etc.should be placed in a golden vessel along with flowers of variegated colours.
Summary of chapter 57 of the Agni Purāṇa is as follows:
The fifty-seventh chapter provides the foundational template for the pratiṣṭhā ceremony — the ritual consecration that transforms a crafted image into a living presence of the deity. The seven-day (or in abbreviated form, one-day) structure of the consecration is outlined: the preliminary rites of puṇyāhavācana and nāndīśrāddha, the maṇḍapa construction and kalaśa installation, the adhivāsana (night-vigil with the deity placed on a decorated bed), the main consecration day procedures (jalādhivāsa, dhānyādhivāsa, śayyādhivāsa), and the final prāṇapratiṣṭhā. The navakalaśa arrangement — nine kalaśa-s filled with the nine sacred waters — and the sūtra-saṃdhāna (connecting the deity to the life-thread) are described. The chapter establishes the theological principle that prāṇapratiṣṭhā does not "create" the deity but "reveals" the omnipresent Bhagavān as specifically dwelling in this consecrated form.
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