Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 50
The Description of the Sarvatobhadra Maṇḍala (सर्वतोभद्रमण्डलकथनम्)
एकैकस्यां दिशि त्रीणि द्वाराण्यपि भवन्त्युत पञ्च पञ्च तु कोणेषु पङ्क्तौ पङ्क्तौ क्रमात् मृजेत् कोष्टकानि भवेदेवं मर्त्येष्ट्यं मण्डलं शुभं
ekaikasyāṃ diśi trīṇi dvārāṇyapi bhavantyuta pañca pañca tu koṇeṣu paṅktau paṅktau kramāt mṛjet koṣṭakāni bhavedevaṃ martyeṣṭyaṃ maṇḍalaṃ śubhaṃ
وفي كل جهةٍ تكون كذلك ثلاثُ فتحاتٍ للأبواب. وعند الزوايا يكون خمسُ خلايا وخمسُ خلايا؛ صفًّا بعد صفّ، على الترتيب، تُعلَّم/تُنقّى مربعات الشبكة. وهكذا ينشأ الماندالا المبارك «martyeṣṭya» وقد انتظمت خلاياه على الوجه الصحيح.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the common Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Jyotisha","practical_application":"Constructing the ‘martyeṣṭya’ mandala: placing three door-openings per direction, assigning five cells at each corner, and marking/cleansing squares row-by-row to finalize an auspicious grid for temple/altar planning.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Martyeṣṭya-maṇḍala: door counts, corner cells, and row-wise grid marking","lookup_keywords":["martyeṣṭya maṇḍala","dvāra traya","koṇa pañca","koṣṭaka","maṇḍala-vidhi"],"quick_summary":"Gives a stepwise mandala method: three doors per side, five cells at corners, and systematic row-wise marking/cleansing of grid squares to produce an auspicious planning diagram."}
Concept: Śubhatva (auspicious efficacy) is produced through correct spatial sequencing—counts, corners, and orderly preparation of the field.
Application: Before construction, finalize the mandala by systematic row-wise marking/cleansing; ensure door and corner module counts match the prescribed pattern.
Khanda Section: Vāstu-śāstra / Maṇḍala-vidhi (Temple & altar diagrammatics)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A large square mandala grid being prepared: workers sweep/clean squares row-by-row; three door openings are shown on each side; corners are emphasized with five-cell groupings; the completed diagram is labeled ‘martyeṣṭya’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural of priests and sthapati preparing a mandala on the ground with rice flour lines; sweeping row-by-row; three gateways per side; corner clusters highlighted; traditional flat colors and bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting of a consecration scene: the martyeṣṭya mandala rendered as a luminous grid with gold accents on door openings and corners; ritual vessels and lamps around the diagram.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style technical-cum-ritual illustration: precise grid with numbered koṣṭakas; three door gaps per side; corner five-cell blocks; artisans shown cleaning/marking in sequence.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature courtyard scene: architects and priests draw a geometric plan on plastered ground; attendants sweep squares; doors and corner modules clearly depicted; intricate border and calligraphy cartouche naming the mandala."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhoopali","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dvārāṇyapi = dvārāṇi + api; bhavantyuta = bhavanti + uta; bhavedevaṃ = bhavet + evam; martyeṣṭyaṃ = martya-iṣṭyam (a+i→eṣṭy).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 29.46-29.49 (vīthī, dvāra schemes, ornament logic, enumeration)
FAQs
It gives a Vāstu/maṇḍala specification: three door-openings in each direction, and a prescribed corner-count (five-and-five) while preparing the maṇḍala’s grid-cells row-by-row.
Beyond theology, it preserves technical architectural-ritual standards (maṇḍala geometry, door distribution, grid preparation), showing the text’s coverage of applied sciences like Vāstu-śāstra alongside rites.
Correctly preparing an auspicious maṇḍala is treated as ritually purifying and merit-yielding, because the rite’s efficacy depends on orderly, rule-based spatial sanctification.