Agni Purāṇa
329 - An abridgement of rules of prosody relating to the Vedic metres
This chapter sums up second chapter of Pingala.
Agni said:
1. The Gayatri and the Goddess are of equal (number of) letters in the section on metres. It would have fifteen letters. (The metre called) Prajapati (consists of) eight letters.
2. (The metre) Gayatri (used) in the Yajurveda (consists of) six letters and that in the Samaveda would have twelve letters. It would have eighteen letters in the Rugveda. Two more letters are added in the Sāmaveda.
3. The fourth quarter in the Rugveda and all the quarters in the Prajapati would get lengthened. There would be increase of one syllable each in the rest. The Asuri would drop one (letter).
4. (The metres) Ushņik, Anushtubh, Bruhatī, Pankti, Trishțubh and Jagatsshould be known as gradually (increasing). All these Gayatris (are known as) Brahma.
5. If groups of three (of the above) are added each one would be the name of the metres) of the Rugveda and Yajurveda. Theyshould be written in a square of sixty-four chambers.
Summary of chapter 331 of the Agni Purāṇa is as follows:
The rites of śrāddha — the offering of food and water to the ancestors (pitṛs) — are described in detail. Agni explains the three categories of śrāddha: nitya (daily libations), naimittika (performed on specific occasions such as death anniversary), and kāmya (performed for specific desires). The twelve types of śrāddha — pārvaṇa, ekodiṣṭa, sapinḍīkaraṇa, māsika, ābdika, and others — are enumerated with their distinctive rites. The chapter specifies the foods most pleasing to the pitṛs, the brāhmaṇas who are to be invited, the directions and times auspicious for śrāddha performance, and the fruits of śrāddha for both the performer and the departed souls.
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