Worship of Hindu Gods occupies an important place in the Agni Purana. It has described the essence of worship of all the Hindu deities. The Purana says that one should adore the lotus-navelled Lord Brahma with all his limbs in the middle lotus. In the lotus in the north-east corner he should adore Prakriti and Purusha in the lotus in the north. In the south of the Purusha, the fire-god should be worshipped and the wind-god in the south-east quarter presided over by Lord Varuna. The sun god should be adored in the moon, lotus and the Rik and the Yajus in the Aisha lotus.
Similarly Indra and the other deities should be worshipped in the sixteen lotuses of the second row as well as the Saman, the Atharvan, the sky, air, fire, water, earth, mind, ear, skin, eye, tongue, nose and a lot more. Having worshipped the principle of greatness, asceticism, truth, Agnisthoma, Atyagnisthoma, Sodashi, Vayapyaka and Atirata he should adore the Aptayama. He should then in due order meditate in the lotuses on mind, intellect, egoism, sound, touch, colour, taste, smell all these twenty four Tattwas as well as on Jiva, the Ego, the lord of the mind and the sound form of Prakriti.
It is recommended in the Agni Purana that then the worshipper should worship the image of Vasudeva and others identical with the ten organs. Then it is his duty to worship the twenty-six forms of Purusottama. The lords of the months should also be worshipped by the votary in order in the lotuses of the Chakra.
The next step involves some decorations which are involved while worshipping the deities. Another important aspect of the worship is uttering of the principal Mantra along with four lakh other mantras. The mantras should involve purification of the self, dedication or salutation to earth. Performing of the monthly Vratas are also part of the worship of Hindu gods and goddesses.
Discussing the worship of Hindu deities the Purana has given a lot of prominence to the aspect of Dhyana or meditation. It is believed that performing of the dhyana ceremony with full heart ensures the acquiring of the desired results. Agni Purana says that the luminous subtle form exists in the heart and is within the reach of the thought and with the help of meditation it is possible that an individual comes to realise the depth of inner thoughts. At the same time it is said that the thought that is beyond the reach of thought is described as Ishwara. Thus one should meditate on the essence of the mystic syllable in order to realise the Ishwara within oneself.
The adhyaya in Agni Purana dedicated to the worship of Hindu gods concludes saying that by worshipping the gods and by meditating upon them one is able to unite themselves with the power of the deity that exists within the body and is also able to purify one`s soul from all the gross elements and Tanmatras. It is with the help of worship that one comes out from the worldly clutches and in the process acquires Anima and other Siddhis.
