Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 34
Chapter 38 — देवालयनिर्माणफलं
The Merit of Constructing a Temple
देवालयस्य स्वर्गी स्यान्नरकं न स गच्छति कुलानां शतमुद्धृत्य विष्णुलोकं नयेन्नरः
devālayasya svargī syānnarakaṃ na sa gacchati kulānāṃ śatamuddhṛtya viṣṇulokaṃ nayennaraḥ
من كان مخلصًا للمعبد الإلهي قُدِّر له السماء ولا يذهب إلى الجحيم؛ وبعد أن يرفع مئة جيل من سلالته، يقودهم إلى عالم فيشنو (Viṣṇuloka).
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Encouraging regular temple devotion and service by stating soteriological benefits (svarga, avoidance of naraka, uplift of lineage, attainment of Viṣṇuloka).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Devalaya-bhakti Phala: Svarga, Naraka-nivṛtti, and Kula-uddhāra to Viṣṇuloka","lookup_keywords":["devalaya bhakti","svarga phala","naraka nivṛtti","kula uddhāra","viṣṇuloka"],"quick_summary":"Temple devotion is praised as leading to heaven and freedom from hell, with the devotee credited with uplifting a hundred generations and guiding them to Viṣṇu’s realm."}
Concept: Bhakti expressed through devalaya-sevā as a liberative practice with transgenerational merit.
Application: Maintain regular darśana, pūjā, dīpa, naivedya, and temple service; dedicate merit for ancestors/descendants (kula-hitārtha saṅkalpa).
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devalaya-Mahatmya (Temple worship and merit)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee worships in a temple; behind him a luminous chain of ancestors rises upward, culminating in Viṣṇuloka imagery (Vaikuṇṭha).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, temple interior with lamp-lit sanctum, devotee in añjali, stylized ancestral figures ascending in tiers toward a Vaikuṇṭha cloud-palace with Viṣṇu, rich ornamental borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central Viṣṇu in Vaikuṇṭha with gold halo; lower register shows temple worship with dīpa and flowers; a golden genealogical tree motif representing ‘hundred generations’ uplifted.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, narrative split-scene: left—temple pūjā; right—pathway to Viṣṇuloka with ascending ancestors; delicate linework, soft colors, emphasis on devotional posture.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed temple courtyard with worship; above, a celestial register showing Vaikuṇṭha; a procession of translucent ancestor figures moving upward, fine architectural detail and subdued palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: syānnarakaṃ = syāt + narakam; śatamuddhṛtya = śatam + uddhṛtya; nayennaraḥ = nayet + naraḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Devalaya-mahātmya and pūjā-vidhi sections; Agni Purana: Viṣṇu-bhakti/stotra materials elsewhere in the text
FAQs
It teaches the phala (ritual result) doctrine of devalaya-sevā/temple devotion: temple-oriented worship is presented as a merit-producing practice that grants svarga and prevents naraka.
Alongside practical topics, the Agni Purana catalogues worship-vidhi and its measurable outcomes (phala-śruti). This verse is part of that compendium—summarizing temple devotion as a soteriological and karmic mechanism affecting both the individual and lineage.
It asserts that devotion to a temple not only secures the devotee’s favorable afterlife but also generates transgenerational merit—uplifting “a hundred” ancestral/descendant generations and aligning them with Viṣṇu’s realm.