Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 3

Chapter 43 — प्रासाददेवतास्थापनम्

Installation of Deities in a Temple

Devanagari script

अथ नारायणं मध्ये आग्नेय्यामम्बिकां न्यसेत् नैरृत्यां भास्करं वायौ ब्रह्माणं लिङ्गमीशके

Transliteration

atha nārāyaṇaṃ madhye āgneyyāmambikāṃ nyaset nairṛtyāṃ bhāskaraṃ vāyau brahmāṇaṃ liṅgamīśake

Translation

Dann soll Nārāyaṇa in der Mitte eingesetzt werden; im Südosten (Āgneyī) Ambikā; im Südwesten (Nairṛtī) Bhāskara (die Sonne); im Nordwesten (Vāyu‑Richtung) Brahmā; und im Nordosten (Īśāna) der Liṅga (Śivas).

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Discourse particle (अथ)

• nārāyaṇam: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; ‘in the middle’

• āgneyyām: in the southeast
• āgneyyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āgneya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th), Singular; ‘in the southeast’

• ambikām: Ambikā (Goddess)
• ambikām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• nyaset: should place/install
• nyaset: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु √अस्)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person, Singular; from causative/denominative ‘ny-√as’ (to place)

• nairṛtyām: in the southwest
• nairṛtyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nairṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th), Singular; ‘in the southwest’

• bhāskaram: Bhāskara (Sun)
• bhāskaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāskara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• vāyau: in the Vāyu quarter
• vāyau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th), Singular; ‘in the northwest’

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā
• brahmāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• liṅgam: liṅga (Śiva emblem)
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; Śiva-liṅga

• īśake: in the Īśāna quarter
• īśake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; ‘in the Īśāna quarter’

Speaker

Lord Agni (in Agni Purana’s standard narration to a sage, commonly Vasiṣṭha)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ‘āgneyyāmambikām’ resolved as āgneyyām + ambikām. ‘liṅgamīśake’ resolved as liṅgam + īśake.

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu)
• Ambikā (Devī)
• Bhāskara (Sūrya)
• Brahmā
• Liṅga (Śiva)
• Āgneyī (SE)
• Nairṛtī (SW)
• Vāyu (NW)
• Īśāna (NE)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It teaches nyāsa/vinyāsa—ritual installation of specific deities in the center and the cardinal/intercardinal directions of a worship-maṇḍala.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

It preserves a practical, systematized ritual blueprint (directional iconography and placement) alongside the Purana’s many other domains, showing its handbook-like coverage of temple and household worship procedure.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Correct directional installation is held to harmonize the worship space, invite the intended divine presences, and ensure the rite’s efficacy (siddhi) and purification through properly ordered devotion.