Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 8
Vāsudevādi-pratimā-lakṣaṇa-vidhiḥ
Iconographic and Iconometric Procedure for Vāsudeva and the Vyūha Forms
मेढ्रे तथापरं कार्यं कट्यां सूत्रन्तथापरं मेखलाबन्धसिद्ध्यर्थं नाभ्यां चैवापरन्तथा
meḍhre tathāparaṃ kāryaṃ kaṭyāṃ sūtrantathāparaṃ mekhalābandhasiddhyarthaṃ nābhyāṃ caivāparantathā
De même, qu’une autre marque soit faite à la région génitale ; et de même qu’un cordon soit placé à la taille. Afin d’assurer correctement la mekhalā (ceinture), qu’une autre marque soit faite aussi au nombril.
Lord Agni (narrating the procedural instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Marking waist, navel, and genital region to correctly position mekhalā (girdle) and ensure proportional torso segmentation in icons.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Mekhalā-bandha siddhi: sūtra placements at meḍhra, kaṭi, nābhi","lookup_keywords":["mekhalā-bandha","kaṭi-sūtra","nābhi-māna","meḍhra-marking","pratimā-alaṅkāra"],"quick_summary":"Specifies where to place cords/marks at the genital region, waist, and navel so the girdle and torso divisions sit correctly on the icon."}
Concept: Alaṅkāra (ornament) must follow aṅga-pramāṇa (body measure) to preserve auspicious form.
Application: Ensures girdle/waist ornaments do not violate canonical anatomy, maintaining both aesthetics and ritual correctness.
Khanda Section: Vastu & Yantra-vidhi (Iconography/Diagrammatic construction instructions)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A standing icon is shown with cords marking the genital region, waist, and navel; a mekhalā is being positioned exactly along the waistline guided by the markings.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, bold figure outline with three horizontal cord marks at meḍhra, kaṭi, nābhi; artisan fitting a mekhalā; subdued temple-workshop background.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate mekhalā with gold leaf, cords subtly indicated as guide lines, rich jewel tones, sacred craftsmanship focus.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, diagrammatic torso with labeled nābhi/kaṭi/meḍhra bands, artisan placing the girdle, fine line precision.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed textile-like mekhalā being aligned on a model, cords and measurement notes on paper, refined studio setting."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tathāparaṃ → tathā + aparam; sūtrantathāparaṃ → sūtram + tathā + aparam; mekhalābandhasiddhyarthaṃ → mekhalā-bandha-siddhi-artham; caivāparantathā → ca + eva + aparam + tathā.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa adhyāya 44: alaṅkāra placement and aṅga-pramāṇa sequences (adjacent verses)
FAQs
It specifies precise bodily/positional reference-points (genitals, waist, navel) and the placement of a cord and girdle-fastening points as part of a formal construction/marking procedure.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical, step-by-step technical directions—here, standardized placement/measurement instructions used in ritualized design, diagramming, or iconographic procedure.
Correct placement and fastening are treated as essential for ritual correctness (śuddhi and siddhi), ensuring the procedure is performed without defect and thus yields its intended sanctifying result.