Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 30
नगरादिवास्तुकथनं
Discourse on Vāstu for Cities and Related Settlements
सौम्ये धनपशू कुर्यादीशे दीक्षावरालयं स्वामिहस्तमितं वेश्म विस्तारायामपिण्डिकं
saumye dhanapaśū kuryādīśe dīkṣāvarālayaṃ svāmihastamitaṃ veśma vistārāyāmapiṇḍikaṃ
Dans la direction Saumya (nord), on doit aménager l’emplacement pour les richesses et le bétail ; dans la direction Īśa (nord‑est), la salle d’initiation (dīkṣā) et la galerie/ passage couvert. La maison doit être mesurée selon la main (hasta) du maître ; et, en largeur comme en longueur, elle doit être sans excroissance renflée (apiṇḍika).
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purāṇa’s usual dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Plan placement of wealth/cattle area (north) and dīkṣā-hall/enclosure (north-east); apply anthropometric measurement (owner’s hasta) and avoid apiṇḍika projections in plan dimensions.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Saumya–Īśa zoning and measurement: owner’s hasta; avoid apiṇḍika projection","lookup_keywords":["saumya","īśa","dīkṣā-śālā","hasta-māna","apiṇḍika"],"quick_summary":"Allocate north for wealth/cattle and north-east for initiation hall/enclosure; measure the house using the owner’s hasta and keep breadth/length free from bulbous projecting extensions (apiṇḍika) for a clean, auspicious plan."}
Concept: Human-scale proportion (puruṣa-māna) and directional sanctity (īśānya) harmonize function, ritual, and prosperity.
Application: Use a consistent hasta module (based on patron) across drawings; keep plan rectangular/regular; place ritual/initiatory spaces in NE and storage/wealth in N.
Khanda Section: Vāstu-śāstra (Temple/House Architecture and Measurements)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An architect marks a house plan: north zone for cattle/wealth storage, north-east for dīkṣā hall and covered passage; he measures with the owner’s hand-span (hasta) and corrects a bulging apiṇḍika projection to a clean rectangle.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, vāstu-ācārya with measuring rod and the patron’s hand shown as module, house mandala with north cattle pen and NE ritual hall, correction of a bulging wall, flat iconic style","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-leaf highlights on measuring marks and NE ritual pavilion, ornate cows and treasure symbols in north, rich temple-like framing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, precise architectural drawing with hasta scale bar, labels for saumya and īśa zones, before/after of apiṇḍika bulge removed, instructional composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, patron extends hand for measurement while architect drafts plan, detailed cows in courtyard, NE pavilion with lamps, refined architectural perspective"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kuryādīśe = kuryāt + īśe (t + ī → dī by sandhi in transmission); dīkṣāvarālayaṃ = dīkṣā-vara-ālayam; svāmihastamitaṃ = svāmi-hasta-mitam; vistārāyāmapiṇḍikaṃ = vistāra-āyāma-piṇḍikam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 105 (māna-pramāṇa; dik-vibhāga; gṛha-vinyāsa)
FAQs
This verse gives Vāstu-vidyā rules: allocate the northern (Saumya) sector for wealth and livestock functions, place initiation-related spaces in the north-east (Īśa), and size the dwelling using the owner’s hasta while avoiding an irregular projecting ‘piṇḍikā’ extension in the plan.
It shows the Agni Purāṇa’s practical, technical coverage by preserving architectural planning norms—directional zoning, ritual hall placement, and proportional measurement—alongside its theological and ritual content.
Correct directional placement for wealth/livestock areas and consecration spaces is treated as harmonizing the dwelling with auspicious quarters, supporting prosperity and ritual purity while reducing inauspicious structural faults (vāstu-doṣa).