Agni Purāṇa

264 - Worship of gods to ward off the effects of portents and mode of offering the Vaišhvadeva ball

 Pushkara said: 

1. Ishall describe the mode of worshipping the gods and other rites that destroy (the effects of) portents. Oneshould offer respectful water of libation to (Lord) Vishņu with the three (hymns beginning with) apo ni shtha1 after having bathed. 

1. RV. 10.9.1a

2. O Brahmin! Water for washing the feet (should be offered) with the three (hymns beginning with) hiranyavarna2. Water for sipping (is offered with the recitation of the hymn) Sanna apo3 and for bathing with (the hymn) idamāpaḥ.4 

2. RV.Kh. 5.87,1a.

3. AV.1.6.4a.

4.RV.1.23.22.a

3. Perfumes (are offered) with the three (hymns) rathe akshe5 and dress with (the hymn) yuva6. Flowers (are given) with (the recitation of the hymn) puspavatiḥ7 and incense with (the hymn) dhūpo'si.8 

5. Rathe aksesu, AV. 6.38.3a.  

6. Cf. Bloomfield, Vedic Concordance pp. 792-93.

 7. RV. 10. 97-3b.

 8. Cf. dhur asi, Tait. Sam. 1.1.4.1. 

4-6. (The hymn for offering) the lamp is tejo’si1 and for the madhuparka2, dadhi3, O Foremost among men! The eight hymns (beginning) with hiranyagarbhaḥ4 are said to be (used) in offering eatables (to gods), cooked rice, drinks,, perfume, chowrie, fan,shoe, umbrella, chariot and seat. Whatever other thing has to be offeredshould be accompanied by the recitation of (the hymn) of (god) Savitri. The purushasūkta5should be repeated and oblationsshould be offered with the same (hymn).

1. Tait. Sam. 1.1.10.3 

2. Consisting of curd, clarified butter, water, honey and candied sugar. 

3. Cf. AV. 20.127.9b and TB. 3.7.6.13. 

4.  RV. 10.121.1a.

5. RV. 10.90.1a.

7. In the absence of an image of (Lord Vishņu) (the deityshould be invoked) on the altar or in water or in a pot full (with water) or on the banks of a river or in a lotus. One would thus accomplish the propitiation by worshipping (lord) Vishnu. 

8-12. Then the oblationsshould be offered to the glowing fire with the entire food being collected and offered with earnestness after cleaning the ground, sprinkling water and spreading sand and kusa grass. (Oneshould say) (obeisance) to Vasudeva, to the lord, to the master, to the immutable, to the Fire (god), to Soma6, to Mitra, to Varuna and to Indra. O Fortunate one' Obeisance to Indra and Fire (god), the Visvedevas7 and to the lord of the beings. Oh! Rama! Then (oneshould say) (obeisance) to Anumati8, to Dhanvantari9,  to Västoshpati10, to the goddess, to the Fire that accomplishes the sacrificial rite. After having made the oblations (thus) with the names ending in the dative case, a part of the offering is given away as gift. 

6. This and the following three are different celestial gods. 

7. A particular group of deities ten in number and supposed to be sons of Višhvå. 

8. A female deity.

9. The physician of the gods.

 10. The deity that presides over the foundation of a house.

13-14. O Son of Bhrugu! Knower of righteousness! Taksha and Upataksha towards the east, then the horses and the hairs (on the south), Nirundhi and Dhūmriņikå (on the west) and Asvapanti and Meghapatni (on the north) are the names of all those (to be worshipped) all around (in a circle). 

15-16. The Agni and other godsshould be located in (the places of) the goddesses. O Son of Bhrugu! (goddesses) Nandini, Subhågya, Sumangali, Bhadrakali, Sthūņa, Sri, Hiranyakeśhí and Vanaspati are worshipped. 

17-22. Offering is made to Dharma and Adharma at the door, Dhruva at the centre of the house, Mrutyu outside, Varuņa at a reservoir, the goblins outside (the house), the god of wealth at the house, Indra and companions on the east, Yama and his attendants on the south, Varuna and his companions on the west and Soma and his attendants on the north. (Offering) is made to Brahma and his attendants at the centre. (Offerings)should be made in the sky, above, on the floor and on the earth during the day (for the spirits) that wander during the day and in the night for those that wander during the night. Offeringshould be made (to the spirits) morning and evening daily outside. Then offering of balls of rice is made (for the manes). Itshould not be done in the evening. 

23-28. Offering is first made to(the dead) father, then to the grandfather and great-gradfather, then to one's mother, paternal grandmother and paternal great-grandmother. The manesshould thus be worshipped on the kuśa (grass) having their tips facing the south. The offerings of balls of rice to the crows are made with the repetition of the sacred formula stating 'let the crows partake in the directions of east, west, north-west, south and south-west'. (Similarly) the ball of rice to the dogs is offered (with the repetition of the sacred formula, 'I am offering the ball of rice to the dogs in the family of Sun that are black and of variegated colours. May it protect me always on the path to the next world'). (Then offerings are made to the Cows with the following words:) 'Accept this oblation of mine, O cows, the daughters of the celestial cow, that are good for all, holy, destroyer of sins and the mothers of the three worlds'. After having offered the food to the cows and bidding adieu, oneshould offer the alms. After having 'worshipped the guests and the poor, the householdershould himself eat. Oneshould say, 'Om bhuh oblations. Om bhuvaḥ oblations. Om svaḥ oblations. Ombhūrbhuvaḥ svaḥ oblations. Om oblations, you are the atonement for sins done by the gods. Om oblations, you are the atonement for sins done by the manes. Om oblations, you are the atonement for sins done by me. Om oblations, you are the atonement for sins done by men. Oblations, you are the atonement for all sins done by the learned men and the ignorant men. Oblations, to Fire god that accomplishes the desires. Om oblations to Prajapati (lord of beings). I have descrihed to you (the mode of) worship of (Lord) Vishņu and the offering made to all gods.