Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 39
Chapter 93 — वास्तुपूजादिविधानम्
Procedure for Vāstu-worship and Related Rites
पञ्चचिंशत्पदो वास्तुर्वैतालाख्यश्चितौ स्मृतः अन्यो नवपदो वास्तुः षोडशाङ्घ्रिस् तथापरः
pañcaciṃśatpado vāsturvaitālākhyaścitau smṛtaḥ anyo navapado vāstuḥ ṣoḍaśāṅghris tathāparaḥ
Im Zusammenhang des Bauens (citi) wird ein Vāstu-Grundriss aus fünfundzwanzig Feldern (pada) als der sogenannte Vaitāla überliefert. Ein weiterer Vāstu-Grundriss ist der neunteilige (navapada) Plan; und ein anderer ist der „sechzehnfüßige“, d. h. sechzehnfeldrige Plan.
Lord Agni (teaching Vastu-shastra in Agni Purana’s encyclopedic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Selection of an appropriate vāstu-maṇḍala grid (9/16/25 padas) for planning altars, houses, or temple sub-structures; guides proportional layout and deity-allocation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Vāstu-maṇḍala pada-bheda (9, 16, 25) and Vaitāla (25-pada)","lookup_keywords":["vaitāla-vāstu","pañcaviṃśatpada","navapada","ṣoḍaśāṅghri","vāstu-maṇḍala"],"quick_summary":"The verse enumerates standard vāstu grids: 25-pada (Vaitāla, used in citi/construction contexts), 9-pada, and 16-pada. These grids determine how space is divided for planning and ritual placement."}
Concept: Cosmic order expressed through measured spatial division (pada-bheda) in built form.
Application: Use canonical grids to align construction with ritual/auspicious spatial order.
Khanda Section: Vastu-shastra (Architecture and Site-Planning)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An architect-priest draws three vāstu grids on the ground: 3x3, 4x4, and 5x5 (Vaitāla), marking padas with chalk and cord lines beside a construction site/altar base.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, earthy reds and ochres, sthapati and priest drawing vāstu-maṇḍala grids (9,16,25 squares) with white kolam-like lines, ritual vessels nearby, flat iconic composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central gold-highlighted vāstu grid (25-pada Vaitāla) on a wooden board, sthapati holding measuring rod, ornate borders, rich reds and greens, subtle gold embossing on grid lines","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, clean linework showing three maṇḍalas (3x3, 4x4, 5x5) with labels, architect demonstrating to disciples, soft shading, instructional diagram aesthetic","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed courtyard construction scene, artisans stretching cords to form 5x5 grid, marginal notes-like labels for navapada and ṣoḍaśa-pada, fine brushwork and perspective"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vāstur = vāstuḥ; vaitālākhyaś = vaitāla-ākhyaḥ + ca; ṣoḍaśāṅghris = ṣoḍaśa-aṅghriḥ (visarga/sandhi normalization).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 93 (Vāstupūjā and maṇḍala context); Agni Purana 94 (śilāvinnyāsa/pratiṣṭhā sequence)
FAQs
It classifies Vāstu-pada grids used in sacred and domestic planning—specifically the 25-square (Vaitāla) layout, the 9-square navapada plan, and the 16-division plan—guiding how a site is geometrically organized for construction.
By preserving applied architectural taxonomy (named grids and their square-counts), the text functions as a practical manual alongside its theological material—showing Agni Purana’s coverage of technical sciences like Vastu-shastra.
Correct Vāstu-grid selection and alignment is traditionally held to harmonize the built space with cosmic order (ṛta), supporting purity in ritual activity and auspicious outcomes for the inhabitants and worship performed there.