Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 27
Chapter 61 — द्वारप्रतिष्ठाध्वजारोहाणादिविधिः
Gateway Installation, Flag Hoisting, and Allied Rites
जङ्घा त्वस्य शिवो ज्ञेयः स्कन्धे धाता व्यवस्थितः ऊर्ध्वभागे स्थितो विष्णुरेवं तस्य स्थितस्य हि
jaṅghā tvasya śivo jñeyaḥ skandhe dhātā vyavasthitaḥ ūrdhvabhāge sthito viṣṇurevaṃ tasya sthitasya hi
Wisse, dass Śiva als in seinen Unterschenkeln (jaṅghā) verweilend zu verstehen ist; im Schulterbereich ist Dhātā eingesetzt; und im oberen Teil befindet sich Viṣṇu — so ist in der Tat seine göttliche Anordnung.
Lord Agni (in discourse, traditionally to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","practical_application":"Supports limb-nyāsa and spatial deity-assignment on the divine body/temple-body: placing Śiva, Dhātā, and Viṣṇu in specific regions for meditation, consecration, and ritual mapping.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Aṅga-devatā Nyāsa: Śiva in Jaṅghā, Dhātā in Skandha, Viṣṇu in Ūrdhva-bhāga","lookup_keywords":["nyāsa","aṅga-devatā","jaṅghā","Dhātā","ūrdhva-bhāga"],"quick_summary":"Gives a concise deity-placement scheme across body regions: Śiva in the shanks, Dhātā at the shoulders, and Viṣṇu in the upper portion. Used for nyāsa, dhyāna, and interpreting the temple/image as a multi-deity cosmic body."}
Concept: Deity-integration through aṅga-devatā adhyāsa: the divine body contains multiple cosmic functions/personae.
Application: During nyāsa/dhyāna, touch or visualize the specified regions while invoking the corresponding deity to stabilize attention and sacralize the body/image.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devata-tattva (Deity-identification through body-limb nyasa and cosmic embodiment)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A standing divine figure or pratimā with highlighted zones: shanks labeled Śiva, shoulders labeled Dhātā, upper torso/head region labeled Viṣṇu; a priest performs nyāsa gestures.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized standing deity-body diagram with color-coded limb regions, Sanskrit labels for Śiva/Dhātā/Viṣṇu, priest in profile performing nyāsa, temple wall aesthetic.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central standing figure with gold ornamentation; subtle inscriptions near shanks/shoulders/upper body naming Śiva, Dhātā, Viṣṇu; ritualist with lamp; rich gilded frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clean instructional illustration of nyāsa placement on a figure, precise labels and hand-gesture depiction, minimal background, emphasis on clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: courtly-style devotional study scene with a painted figure diagram on a folio, scholar-priest pointing to shanks/shoulders/upper body with annotations for the three deities."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tvasya → tu + asya; viṣṇurevaṃ → viṣṇuḥ + evam (visarga sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 61 (devatā-tattva and body/temple mapping sequence); Agni Purana sections on nyāsa and pūjā-krama (where present)
FAQs
It teaches an aṅga-devatā mapping (nyāsa-style identification) where specific body regions are contemplated as seats of particular deities—Śiva in the shanks, Dhātā in the shoulder-region, and Viṣṇu in the upper part—used for ritual visualization and consecratory worship.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana preserves applied liturgical technology—structured deity-placement and visualization used in pūjā, iconographic contemplation, and mantra-practice—showing its coverage of practical ritual systems alongside narrative and doctrine.
By mentally installing and recognizing deities within the embodied form, the practitioner sacralizes the body as a divine field, supporting purity of attention (bhāvanā), steadiness in worship, and merit (puṇya) through correct ritual cognition.