Agni Purana

शुभे दिने श्रीधरञ्च श्रियमुच्चैःश्रवाश्च तं । हयराजं समभ्यर्च्य सावित्रैर्जुहुयाद्घृतं ।। २९०.

On an auspicious day, after worshipping Śrīdhara and Uccaiḥśravas, the king of horses, one should offer ghee with Sāvitra hymns.

द्विजेभ्यो दक्षिणान्दद्यादश्ववृद्धिस्तथा भवेत् । अश्वयुक् शुक्लपक्षस्य पञ्चदश्याञ्च शान्तिकं ।। २९०.

One should give gifts to Brahmins, and thus the horse will prosper; on the fifteenth day of the bright fortnight, a pacification rite should be performed for the horse.

बहिः कुर्य्याद्विशेषेण नासत्यौ वरुणं यजेत् । समुल्लिख्य ततो देवीं शाखाभिः परिवारयेत् ।। २९०.

One should perform the ritual outside, especially worshipping Nāsatya and Varuṇa; after marking, the goddess should be surrounded with branches.

घटान्सर्व्वरसैः पूर्णान् दिक्षु दद्यात्सवस्त्रकान् । यवाज्यं जुहुयात् प्रार्च्य यजेदश्वांश्च साश्विनान् ।। २९०.

One should place pots filled with all kinds of liquids in the directions, covered with cloth; after offering barley and ghee, worship the horses and the Aśvins.

विप्रेभ्यो दक्षिणान्दद्यान्नैमित्तिकमतः श्रृणु । मकरादौ हयानाञ्च पद्मैर्विष्णुं श्रियं यजेत् ।। २९०.

One should give gifts to Brahmins; now listen to the occasional rite: at the beginning of Capricorn, worship Viṣṇu and Śrī with lotuses for the horses.

ब्रह्माणं शङ्करं सोममादित्यञ्च तथाश्विनौ । रेवन्तमुच्चैःश्रवसन्दिक्पालांश्च दलेष्वपि ।। २९०.

Brahmā, Śaṅkara, Soma, Āditya, the Aśvins, Revanta, Uccaiḥśravas, and the guardians of the directions are to be invoked in the divisions as well.

प्रत्येकं पूर्णंकुम्भैश्च वेद्यान्तत्सौम्यतः स्थले । तिलाक्षताज्यसिद्धार्थान् देवतानां शतं शतं ।। २९०.

For each, at the end of the altar, with full pots, and in a gentle manner on the ground, a hundred offerings each of sesame, rice, clarified butter, and mustard seeds are to be made to the deities.

उपोषितेन कर्त्तव्यं कर्म्म चाश्वरुजापहं ।। २९०.

This rite, which removes horse ailments, should be performed by one who has fasted.

शालिहोत्र उवाच गजशान्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि गजरोगविमर्द्दनीम् । विष्णुं श्रियञ्च पञ्चम्यां नागमैरावतं यजेत् ।। २९१.

Śālihotra said: I will explain the pacification for elephants, which destroys elephant diseases; on the fifth day, one should worship Viṣṇu, Śrī, and the Nāga Airāvata.

ब्रह्माणं शङ्करं विष्णुं शक्रं वैश्रवणं यमं । चद्रार्कौ वरुणं वायुमग्निं पृथ्वीं तथा च खं ।। २९१.

Brahmā, Śaṅkara, Viṣṇu, Śakra, Vaiśravaṇa, Yama, the Moon, the Sun, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Agni, Earth, and also Space are to be worshipped.

शेषं शैलान् कुञ्जरांश्च ये तेऽष्टौ देवयोनयः । विरूपाक्षं महापद्मं भद्रं सुमनसन्तथा ।। २९१.

Śeṣa, the mountains, and the elephants—these eight divine lineages: Virūpākṣa, Mahāpadma, Bhadra, Sumanasa,

कुमुदैरावणः पद्मः पुष्पदन्तोऽथ वामनः । सुप्रतीकोञ्जनो नागा अष्टौ होमोऽथ दक्षिणाम् ।। २९१.

Kumuda, Airāvata, Padma, Puṣpadanta, Vāmana, Supratīka, Añjana—these eight nāgas are to be offered oblations and gifts.

गजाः शान्त्युदकासिक्ता वृद्धौ नैमित्तिकं श्रृणु । गजानां मकरादौ च ऐशान्यां नगराद्बहिः ।। २९१.

The elephants, sprinkled with sanctified water, increase; now hear the occasional rite for elephants, beginning with Makara, outside the city to the northeast.

स्थण्डिले कमले मध्ये विष्णुं लक्ष्मीञ्च केशरे । ब्रह्माणं भास्करं पृथ्वीं यजेत् स्कन्दं ह्यनन्तकं ।। २९१.

On a platform, in the center of a lotus, Viṣṇu and Lakṣmī are to be worshipped at the pericarp; Brahmā, the Sun, Earth, Skanda, and Ananta as well.

खं शिवं सोममिन्द्रादींस्तदस्त्राणि दले क्रमात् । वज्रं शक्तिञ्च दण्डञ्च तोमरं पाशकं गदां ।। २९१.

Space, Śiva, Soma, Indra and others, and their weapons are to be placed in order in the divisions: the thunderbolt, spear, staff, javelin, noose, and mace.

शूलं पद्मं बहिर्वृन्ते चक्रे सूर्य्यन्तथाश्विनौ । वसूनष्टौ तथा साध्यान् याम्येऽथ नैर्ऋते दले ।। २९१.

The trident and lotus are to be placed on the outer stalk; the discus, the Sun, and the Aśvins; the eight Vasus and the Sādhyas, in the southern and southwestern divisions.

देवानाङ्गिरसश्चाश्विभृगवो मरुतोऽनिले । विश्वेदेवांस्तथा दक्षे रुद्रा रौद्रेऽथ मण्डले ।। २९१.

The deities, the Āṅgirasas, the Aśvins, the Bhṛgus, the Maruts, Vāyu, the Viśvedevas, Dakṣa, the Rudras, and in the Rudra division, the circle.

ततो वृत्तया रेखया तु देवान् वै बाह्यतो यजेत् । सूत्रकारानृषीन् वाणीं पूर्व्वादौ सरितो गिरीन् ।। २९१.

Then, with a circular line, the gods are to be worshipped on the outside; the makers of the thread, the seers, Vāṇī, in the east, along with rivers and mountains.

महाभूतानि कोणेषु ऐशान्यादिषु संयजेत् । पद्मं चक्रं गदां शंखं चतुरस्रन्तु मण्डलं ।। २९१.

The great elements are to be worshipped in the corners, beginning with the northeast; the lotus, discus, mace, and conch, and the square and the circle.

चतुर्द्वारं ततः कुम्भाः अग्न्यादौ च पताकिकाः। चत्वारस्तोरणा द्वारि नागानैरावतादिकान् ।। २९१.

At the four gates, then, pots are to be placed, with banners at the fire and other points; four arches at the gates, and elephants beginning with Airāvata.

पूर्व्वादौ चौषधीभिश्च देवानां भाजनं पृथक् । पृथक्शताहुतीश्चाज्यैर्गजानर्च्य प्रदक्षिणं ।। २९१.

In the east, with herbs, separate vessels for the deities; a hundred separate oblations with clarified butter; the elephants are to be worshipped, moving clockwise.

नागं वह्निं देवतादीन् बाह्यैर्जग्मुः स्वकं गृहम् । द्विजेभ्यो दक्षिणां दद्यात् हस्तिवैद्यादिकांस्तथा ।। २९१.

The nāga, fire, and other deities, having been worshipped, return to their own abodes; gifts are to be given to the brahmins, as well as to the elephant doctors and others.

करिणीन्तु समारुह्य वदेत् कर्णन्तु कालवित् । नागाराजेऽमृते शान्तिं कृत्वाऽमुष्मिन् जपन्मनुम् ।। २९१.१५ श्रीगजस्त्वं कृतो राज्ञा भवानस्य गजाग्रणीः । प्रभुर्माल्याग्रभक्तैस्त्वां पूजयिष्यति पार्थिवः ।। २९१.

Mounting the female elephant, one who knows the proper time should recite into her ear: 'Having performed the pacification for the nāga king, reciting this mantra over him: O blessed elephant, you have been made chief by the king; the ruler will honor you with garlands and foremost offerings.'

लोकस्तदाज्ञया पूजां करिष्यति तदा तव । पालनीयस्त्वया राजा युद्धेऽध्वनि तथा गृहे ।। २९१.

Then, by that command, the people will perform worship for you; you must protect the king in battle, on the road, and likewise at home.

तिर्य्यग्भावं समुत्‌सृज्य दिव्यं भावमनुस्मर । देवासुरे पुरा युद्धे श्रीगजस्त्रिदशैः कृतः ।। २९१.

Abandon the animal state and remember your divine nature; in the ancient war between gods and demons, the auspicious elephant was made by the gods.

ऐरावणसुतः श्रीमानरिष्टो नाम वारणः । श्रीगजानान्तु तत् तेजः सर्व्वमेवोपतिष्ठते ।। २९१.

The illustrious Arishta, son of Airavata, is the elephant's name; all the energy of the auspicious elephants now abides in you.

तत्तेजस्तव नागेन्द्र दिव्यभावसमन्वितं । उपतिष्ठतु भद्रन्ते रक्ष राजानमाहवे ।। २९१.

Let that energy of yours, O lord of elephants, endowed with divine nature, be present for your welfare; protect the king in battle.

इत्येवमभिषिक्तैनमारोहेत शुभे नृपः । तस्यानुगमनं कुर्युः सशस्त्रनवसद्‌गजाः ।। २९१.

Thus, having been consecrated in this way, the king should ascend the auspicious elephant; armed soldiers and newly adorned elephants should follow him.

शालास्वसौ स्थण्डिलेऽब्जे दिकपालादीन् यजेद्वहिः । केशरेषु बलं नागं भुवञ्चैव सरस्वतीं ।। २९१.

In the hall, on the altar, and on the lotus, one should worship the guardians of the directions and others outside; in the manes, the army, the elephant, the earth, and Sarasvati.