Upacāra Mantras to Agni
Agni Upacāra Mantra, “the mantras of the offerings to Agni”
The Upacāra Mantras to Agni are the mantras for each offering (upacāra) in the pūjā of Bhagavān Agnideva, from the seat to the closing namaskāra. They are printed with the chapter on Agni pūjā that Sūta teaches the brāhmaṇas in the Madhyama Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa.
The Agni pūjā
Sūta teaches that at the end of the nitya and naimittika yāgas, when the havana is finished, Bhagavān Agnideva receives pūjā with the sixteen upacāras. One kindles Agni, worships the devatās of the pīṭha, takes a red flower and meditates on Agni: he holds a yajña vessel, the śakti, the svastika and the abhaya mudrā; his form is like blazing gold; he sits on a lotus, has three eyes, and is adorned with jaṭās and a crown. At the doors of the maṇḍapa Kāmadeva, Indra, Varāha and Kārtikeya are invoked. Agni is then worshipped in the form of ākāśa: golden, pure, blazing, facing every side, of great tongues and great belly, and his tongues are meditated on.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 1, Chapter 16
The mantras, in order
The meaning of each mantra, as the print renders it:
- Āsana (seat), offered with three bunches of flowers: “O Agnideva, first among all beings, who carries across the ocean of saṃsāra, of the form of supreme light, accept this seat and make me fruitful.”
- Prayer with joined hands: “O Vaiśvānara, Havyavāhana, best among the devas, welcome to you, salutation to you; grant śānti.”
- Pādya: “O Bhagavān Vaiśvānara, of the form of Nārāyaṇa, salutation to you. For the good of the whole world accept this pādya water.”
- Arghya: “O Viśvarūpa, of the form of light, eternal, the supreme abode and Nārāyaṇa, salutation to you. Accept this arghya given by me.”
- Ācamanīya: “Salutation to Jātavedas, of the form of light, who ever lights the whole world in the form of Āditya. Accept this water for ācamana.”
- Snānīya: “O Dhanañjaya, destroyer of all pāpas, salutation to you. Accept this water for snāna, given for the siddhi of all desires.”
- Aṅga-prokshaṇa and vastra: “O Devadeva, eternal, mighty-armed Hutāśana, I go to your refuge; give me the supreme state.”
- Pushpa: “O Deveśa, you are Brahmā and Vishṇu, the goal of the lights, and Īśvara. Accept this flower, that the whole world may be fragrant.”
- Dhūpa: “O Devadeveśa Dhanañjaya, the one eternal source of the happiness of the devas and the pitṛs, accept this dhūpa.”
- Dīpa: “O Paramātman, you pervade all beings, moving and unmoving; your form is supremely excellent. Accept this lamp.”
- Naivedya: “O Yajñapati Jātavedas, mighty, who bring good to the whole world, salutation to you. Accept this naivedya.” At the end all karmas are offered to Bhagavān Agnideva.
- Closing namaskāra: “O Hutāśana, salutation to you; O Lokanātha, salutation to you; O Jātavedas, salutation to you.”
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 1, Chapter 16
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 1, Chapter 16