Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 20
Vāsudevādi-pratimā-lakṣaṇa-vidhiḥ
Iconographic and Iconometric Procedure for Vāsudeva and the Vyūha Forms
उच्छ्राया द्व्यङ्गुलं चाग्रे करवीरोपमाः स्मृताः मुकुटोपरि इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः तथा गोजी इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः अन्तरं चक्षुषोः कार्यं चतुरङ्गुलमानतः
ucchrāyā dvyaṅgulaṃ cāgre karavīropamāḥ smṛtāḥ mukuṭopari iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ tathā gojī iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ antaraṃ cakṣuṣoḥ kāryaṃ caturaṅgulamānataḥ
À l’avant, sa saillie est dite de deux aṅgulas, semblable au bouton du karavīra (laurier-rose). (Une leçon de manuscrit marqué ajoute : «au-dessus du diadème»; une autre leçon marquée porte «gojī».) L’écart entre les deux yeux doit être de quatre aṅgulas.
Lord Agni (in dialogue instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, as typical for Agni Purāṇa teachings)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Gives front-projection shaping guidance (karavīra-bud likeness) and fixes inter-ocular spacing, crucial for lifelike yet canonical facial construction in icons.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Karavīra-upamā projection and netra-antara māna","lookup_keywords":["ucchrāya","karavīra-upamā","netra-antara","catur-aṅgula","pratimā"],"quick_summary":"Specifies a two-aṅgula frontal projection shaped like an oleander bud and prescribes four-aṅgula spacing between the eyes, supporting standardized facial depth and symmetry."}
Alamkara Type: Upama
Concept: Technical analogy (upamā) as a cognitive tool for precise making.
Application: Use familiar botanical forms to standardize 3D shaping while maintaining measured spacing for facial balance.
Khanda Section: Shilpa-shastra / Pratima-lakshana (Iconography and measurements)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: samanya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Close-up of a sculpted brow/forehead or frontal facial projection shaped like an oleander bud; a ruler marks 2 aṅgulas projection; eyes shown with a 4 aṅgula gap; side vignette shows karavīra flower bud as reference.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, artisan comparing karavīra bud to the raised frontal contour on a deity face, strong outlines, botanical reference drawn nearby, inter-eye spacing marked clearly","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, richly ornamented face with gold crown, subtle raised frontal contour highlighted, karavīra bud motif in corner, eyes spaced per canon, gold embossing accents","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, didactic composition: diagram of facial front projection (2 aṅgulas) with karavīra bud silhouette overlay; frontal eyes with 4 aṅgula spacing, neat labels","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, studio scene with botanical study of oleander bud beside a facial sketch; precise measurement notes for projection and eye spacing in margins"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dvyaṅgulaṃ cāgre → dvi-aṅgulam ca agre; mukuṭopari → mukuṭa-upari (avyayībhāva); caturaṅgulamānataḥ → catur-aṅgulam ānataḥ. Editorial notes (kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ, gojī) treated as separate padas.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 44.17-44.19 (facial modules and projections)
FAQs
It gives precise śilpa-śāstra proportions for a sacred image—front projection (2 aṅgulas) and the canonical distance between the eyes (4 aṅgulas).
Beyond theology, it preserves practical standards of temple art and iconometry (mūrti-pramāṇa), showing the Agni Purāṇa as a compendium that includes technical disciplines like śilpa-śāstra and vastu.
Correct proportions are traditionally held to ensure the deity-image is ritually valid and aesthetically auspicious, supporting proper worship (arcana) and the devotee’s merit through accurate sacred craftsmanship.