Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 13
Vāsudevādi-pratimā-lakṣaṇa-vidhiḥ
Iconographic and Iconometric Procedure for Vāsudeva and the Vyūha Forms
द्व्यङ्गुले हनुके कार्ये विस्ताराच्चिबुकन्तथा अष्टाङ्गुलं ललाटन्तु विस्तारेण प्रकीर्तितम्
dvyaṅgule hanuke kārye vistārāccibukantathā aṣṭāṅgulaṃ lalāṭantu vistāreṇa prakīrtitam
La mâchoire (hanū) doit être faite de deux aṅgulas de largeur; de même le menton (cibuka) en largeur. Le front (lalāṭa) est enseigné comme ayant huit aṅgulas de largeur.
Lord Agni (in dialogue, traditionally instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Detailed facial iconometry: set jaw and chin breadth, and forehead breadth, ensuring standardized divine/ideal physiognomy.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Hanū-cibuka-lalāṭa pramāṇa (breadth measures)","lookup_keywords":["hanū-pramāṇa","cibuka","lalāṭa-vistāra","aṅgula","mukha-lakṣaṇa"],"quick_summary":"Make the jaw and chin two aṅgulas in breadth each; set the forehead breadth at eight aṅgulas to maintain canonical facial balance."}
Concept: Lakṣaṇa (canonical marks) are preserved through numeric proportion, not subjective preference.
Application: When scaling images, keep relative breadth ratios (2-2-8) consistent even if absolute aṅgula size varies by tāla system.
Khanda Section: Shilpa-shastra / Pratima-lakshana (Iconometry and measurements for images)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Close-up proportional diagram of a face: jaw and chin marked as two-aṅgula breadth segments; forehead breadth marked as eight-aṅgula span.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized face grid with bold lines and aṅgula ticks, artisan pointing with a stylus, workshop setting with temple motifs and lamps.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: deity face outline with gold ornamentation around, measurement marks subtly integrated, rich colors, embossed gold for halo and borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clean technical plate-like painting, labeled breadth lines across jaw, chin, and forehead, gentle shading, didactic clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: manuscript-illustration feel with a proportional face study, fine calligraphic annotations, painter’s tools and pigments nearby."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विस्ताराच्चिबुकन्तथा = विस्तारात् + चिबुकम् + तथा (t + c → cc; m + t → nt); ललाटन्तु = ललाटम् + तु.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 44.12 (four-aṅgula facial lengths); Agni Purana 44.14-44.15 (temples, ear-eye interval, ear breadth and alignment)
FAQs
It gives iconometric (pratimā-lakṣaṇa) width-measurements in aṅgulas for sculpting the jaw, chin, and forehead of a sacred image.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves applied technical sciences—here, shilpa-shastra standards for designing and carving temple icons with canonical proportions.
Correct proportions are treated as part of ritual correctness: a properly measured sacred image supports valid worship (pūjā) and is believed to sustain auspiciousness and merit through accurate form.