Agni Purana

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.

मध्येषु डिण्डिमं प्रार्च्य गन्धमाल्यानुलेपनैः । हुत्वा देयस्तु कलशो रसपूर्णो द्विजाय च ।। २९१.

In the center, one should worship the drum with fragrance, garlands, and ointments; after offering oblations, a pot filled with liquid should be given to the Brahmin.

गजाध्यक्षं हस्तिपं च गणितज्ञञ्च पूजयेत् । गजाध्यक्षाय तन्दद्यात् डिण्डिमं सोपि वादयेत् ।। २९१.

One should worship the superintendent of elephants, the mahout, and the astrologer; the drum should be given to the superintendent of elephants, and he should also play it.

शुभगम्भीरशब्दैः स्याज्जघनस्थोऽभिवादयेत् ।। २९१.

With auspicious and deep sounds, he should salute from behind.

धन्वन्तरिरुवाच गोविप्रपालनं कार्य्यं राज्ञा गोशान्तिमावदे । गावः पवित्रा माङ्गल्या गोषु लोकाः प्रतिष्ठिताः ।। २९२.

Dhanvantari said: The king must protect cows and Brahmins, bringing peace to the cowshed; cows are pure and auspicious, and the worlds are established in cows.

शकृन्‌मूत्रं परं तासामलक्षमीनाशनं परं । गवां कण्डूयनं वारि श्रृह्गस्याघौघमर्द्दनम् ।। २९२.

Their dung and urine are supreme, the best destroyers of misfortune; the water from cows scratching themselves removes heaps of sin.

रोचना विषरक्षोघ्नी ग्रासदः स्वर्गगो गवां । यद्‌गृहे दुःखिता गावः स याति नरकन्नरः ।। २९२.

Rocana is a destroyer of poison and demons, the giver of food, and leads to heaven for cows; if cows are unhappy in a house, that man goes to hell.

परगोग्रासदः स्वर्गी गोहितो ब्रह्मलोकभाक् । गोदानात्‌कीर्त्तनाद्रक्षां कृत्वा चोद्धरते कुलम् ।। २९२.

He who feeds another's cows attains heaven; one who cares for cows attains the world of Brahma; by giving cows, by praise, and by protection, one uplifts his lineage.

गवां श्वासात् पवित्रा भूस्पर्शनात्किल्विषक्षयः । गोमृत्रं गोमयं क्षीरं दधि सर्पिः कुशोदकम् ।। २९२.

By the breath of cows, there is purity; by touching the earth, sin is destroyed; cow urine, dung, milk, curd, ghee, and water touched by kusa grass—

एकरात्रोपवासश्च श्वपाकमपि शोधयेत् । सर्व्वाशुभविनाशाय पुराचरितमीश्वरैः ।। २९२.

A single night's fasting purifies even a dog-eater; all this was practiced by the gods for the destruction of all inauspiciousness.

प्रत्येकञ्च त्र्यहाभ्यस्तं महासान्तपनं स्मृतं । सर्वकामप्रदञ्चैतत् सर्व्वाशुभवीमर्द्दनम् ।। २९२.

Practiced individually for three days, it is known as the great expiation; it grants all desires and destroys all inauspiciousness.