Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 16
Chapter 45 — Piṇḍikā-Lakṣaṇa
Characteristics and Measurements of the Pedestal/Plinth
वामे वित्त्वं स्त्रियौ पार्श्वे शुभे चामरहस्तके दीर्घघोणस्तु गरुडश् चक्राङ्गाद्यानथो वदे
vāme vittvaṃ striyau pārśve śubhe cāmarahastake dīrghaghoṇastu garuḍaś cakrāṅgādyānatho vade
À gauche se tient la personnification de la richesse ; sur les côtés se trouvent deux femmes de bon augure tenant des chāmara (chasse-mouches). Garuḍa, au bec allongé, est représenté comme la monture ; puis je décrirai le disque (cakra) et les autres emblèmes.
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","practical_application":"Designing a Vaiṣṇava icon tableau: placement of Śrī/wealth personification, attendant women with cāmara, Garuḍa mount features, and preparation to specify cakra and other emblems for worship-ready images.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Vaiṣṇava parivāra: Śrī (wealth), cāmara-bearers, Garuḍa, and emblems","lookup_keywords":["Śrī (wealth)","cāmara","Garuḍa","cakra","parivāra-devatā"],"quick_summary":"Specifies the left-side placement of wealth personified, flanking auspicious women holding fly-whisks, and Garuḍa as mount with an elongated beak—forming the standard iconographic ensemble before detailing the discus and other symbols."}
Concept: Ritual correctness through iconographic order (nyāsa-like placement of parivāra and symbols).
Application: Temple artists and priests align image composition with śāstric placement so worship (darśana, upacāra) is considered valid and auspicious.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Murti-lakshana (Iconography of deities and attendant symbols)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A central Vaiṣṇava deity composition: Śrī stands/sits to the left; two women on either side wave cāmara; Garuḍa below or behind as mount with a long beak; space reserved for cakra and other emblems.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Vaishnava deity with Śrī on left, two cāmara-bearers flanking, Garuḍa with elongated beak at base, bold outlines, flat decorative background with temple motifs","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central Viṣṇu with gold-leaf ornaments, Śrī on left, cāmara attendants, Garuḍa richly decorated, shimmering gold on emblems area, ornate arch and halo","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, balanced iconographic diagram feel, clear placement of Śrī and attendants, Garuḍa rendered with distinctive beak, soft colors and fine linework","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly divine assembly composition, attendants with fly-whisks, Garuḍa mount detailed feathers and long beak, architectural pavilion setting"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Madhyamavati","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चामरहस्तके = च + अमरहस्तके; दीर्घघोणस्तु = दीर्घघोणः + तु; गरुडश् = गरुडः (विसर्ग-सन्धिः); अथो = अथ + उ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 45 (sections on Lakṣmī and attendant figures); Agni Purana 45-46 (transition to emblems and śālagrāma forms)
FAQs
It gives murti-lakṣaṇa (iconographic) placement rules: wealth on the left, two attendant women with cāmaras at the sides, and Garuḍa as the mount—used for correct temple image design and worship setup.
Beyond mythology, it codifies practical standards for sacred art and temple practice (iconography, attendants, mounts, emblems), showing the text’s coverage of ritual-technical disciplines alongside theology.
Correct iconographic form is treated as preserving śāstric validity of worship; properly established symbols and attendants support focused devotion and are believed to enhance the ritual’s merit (puṇya) and efficacy.