Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 1
नगरादिवास्तुकथनं
Discourse on Vāstu for Cities and Related Settlements
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे सामान्यप्रासादलक्षणं नाम चतुरधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ पञ्चाधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः नगरादिवास्तुकथनं ईश्वर उवाच नगरग्रामदुर्गाद्या गृहप्रासादवृद्धये च द्वारे श्वभ्रबिद्धे इति ख , घ , ङ च मार्गवेधैश् च इति छ चुल्लीबिद्धे इति ख , ङ च शिलाबिद्धेन मूढतां इति ग , ज च नगरग्रामदुर्गादौ इति ख , छ , ज च नगरग्रामदुर्गाख्यमिति घ एकाशीतिपदैर् वस्तुं पूजयेत् सिद्धये ध्रुवं
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe sāmānyaprāsādalakṣaṇaṃ nāma caturadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha pañcādhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ nagarādivāstukathanaṃ īśvara uvāca nagaragrāmadurgādyā gṛhaprāsādavṛddhaye ca dvāre śvabhrabiddhe iti kha , gha , ṅa ca mārgavedhaiś ca iti cha cullībiddhe iti kha , ṅa ca śilābiddhena mūḍhatāṃ iti ga , ja ca nagaragrāmadurgādau iti kha , cha , ja ca nagaragrāmadurgākhyamiti gha ekāśītipadair vastuṃ pūjayet siddhaye dhruvaṃ
Ainsi, dans l’Agni Mahāpurāṇa s’achève le cent-quatrième chapitre intitulé « Caractéristiques générales des prāsada (temples/palais) ». Commence maintenant le cent-cinquième chapitre, « Exposé du Vāstu pour les villes et les établissements connexes ». Le Seigneur déclara : « Pour la prospérité et l’accroissement des maisons et des prāsada dans les villes, villages, forteresses et lieux semblables, il faut assurément vénérer le Vāstu (esprit/principe du site) au moyen des quatre-vingt-un padas (le vāstu-maṇḍala 9×9), afin d’obtenir un succès infaillible. »
Īśvara (the Lord, as the teaching voice in this vāstu section)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Planning and consecrating settlements/buildings by installing and worshipping the Vāstu-puruṣa on the 9×9 (81-pada) maṇḍala to remove site-faults and ensure prosperity.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Nagara–Grāma–Durga Vāstu: 81-pada Vāstu-pūjā for Siddhi","lookup_keywords":["vāstu-pūjā","ekāśīti-pada","9×9 maṇḍala","nagara-grāma-durga","prāsāda-vṛddhi"],"quick_summary":"For growth and success of houses and prāsādas in cities, villages, and forts, the site should be ritually stabilized by worship of Vāstu through the 81-pada maṇḍala. This frames construction as a dharmic act: correct spatial order precedes material building."}
Concept: Ritualized spatial order (maṇḍala) as the unseen cause of visible prosperity and success in construction.
Application: Before building, align the plan to the vāstu-maṇḍala and perform vāstu-pūjā to mitigate doṣas and stabilize the site.
Khanda Section: Vāstu-śāstra (Nagara–Grāma–Durga & Prāsāda-lakṣaṇa)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A master-builder and priests mark a 9×9 grid on the ground, placing offerings on each pada while invoking Vāstu-puruṣa for a city/village/fort foundation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, earthy reds and greens, priests drawing an 81-pada vāstu-maṇḍala with rice-flour lines, Vāstu-puruṣa subtly depicted within the grid, lamps and kalasha, serene ritual atmosphere","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on the maṇḍala borders and ritual vessels, Vāstu-puruṣa as a divine figure emerging from the grid, ornate arch framing, rich jewel tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional depiction of the 9×9 grid with labeled padas, architect-priest demonstrating offerings and orientation to east, delicate linework and soft palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed courtyard scene with surveyors and priests around a precisely drawn 9×9 grid, fine textiles, architectural backdrop of a fort gate and city plan, meticulous geometry"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Key resolutions: ity āgneye = iti āgneye; 'dhyāyaḥ = adhyāyaḥ; lakṣmīr/vibhūtir etc not in this verse. ekāśītipadair = ekāśīti-padaiḥ; pūjayet siddhaye dhruvam read as main sentence; several 'iti ... ca' segments are manuscript variant markers retained as indeclinables.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: prāsāda-lakṣaṇa (preceding chapter 104); Agni Purana: vāstu-doṣa/veadha discussions in the vāstu section (contextual)
FAQs
It introduces Vāstu-śāstra practice: propitiating the Vāstu principle/deity using the 81-pada (9×9) vāstu-maṇḍala as a ritual-technical basis for successful construction and prosperity of houses and prāsādas in settlements (city/village/fort).
It shifts from prāsāda-lakṣaṇa (architectural definitions) into applied urban/settlement vāstu—showing the text’s coverage of practical sciences (architecture, planning, ritual procedures) alongside theology, making the Agni Purāṇa a compendium of religious-technical knowledge.
By worshipping Vāstu through the prescribed maṇḍala, construction is aligned with cosmic order (ṛta/dharma), removing site-obstacles and securing “siddhi” (successful completion and stability) for the dwelling or temple, which is framed as a religiously efficacious act.