Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 11
Chapter 53 — Liṅga-lakṣaṇa
Characteristics and Proportions of the Śiva-liṅga and Piṇḍikā
अधोभागं त्रिधा कृत्वा त्वर्धमेकं परित्यजेत् व्रजेदात्यन्तिकमिति ग, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः अष्टधा तद्द्वयं कृत्वा ऊर्ध्वभागत्र्यं त्यजेत्
adhobhāgaṃ tridhā kṛtvā tvardhamekaṃ parityajet vrajedātyantikamiti ga, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ aṣṭadhā taddvayaṃ kṛtvā ūrdhvabhāgatryaṃ tyajet
Après avoir divisé la partie inférieure en trois, on doit retrancher une moitié ; ainsi l’on parvient à la mesure « ultime » (c’est-à-dire la finale, la plus raffinée) — ainsi lit-on la variante « ga » dans le manuscrit marqué. (Autre option :) après avoir divisé ce couple en huit parts, on retranche trois parts de la portion supérieure.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha (contextual attribution)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Deriving refined/ultimate proportional measures for weapon components (e.g., bow-limb segments, grip, arrow-shaft divisions) through fractional division and controlled subtraction; also reflects manuscript-variant procedural options.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Fractional division method for attaining the ‘ultimate’ (ātyantika) measure (variant readings)","lookup_keywords":["ātyantika-māna","tridhā-bhāga","aṣṭadhā-vibhāga","śeṣa-tyāga","pāṭha-bheda"],"quick_summary":"Gives a stepwise fractional rule: divide the lower portion into three and discard half to reach an ‘ultimate’ measure; an alternate manuscript procedure divides into eight and discards three upper parts—useful for fine calibration of technical dimensions."}
Weapon Type: Bow/archery implements (implied by Dhanurveda context)
Concept: Yukti (methodical reasoning) in applied science; multiple valid procedures may coexist via pāṭha-bheda.
Application: When crafting or calibrating, document the chosen rule-set and apply it consistently across the whole weapon/system to preserve proportional integrity.
Khanda Section: Dhanurveda (Archery & Weapon-Science) / Shastra-vidhi (Technical instructions)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A weaponsmith/archery-master marks a bow-stave or measuring board, dividing the lower segment into three, then striking out half; beside it, an alternate diagram shows division into eight and removal of three upper parts, with marginal note ‘ga’ variant.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dhanurvidyā teacher with bow-stave and marked divisions, bold lines showing tridhā and aṣṭadhā partitions, traditional palette and ornamental frame.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, master craftsman holding a bow and a measuring board, gold accents on tools and borders, two small inset panels depicting the two alternative division rules.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional layout: segmented bar diagrams labeled 3 parts and 8 parts, teacher pointing with stylus, subdued colors and fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature workshop scene, artisan measuring a bow limb with a ruler, assistant holding a tablet with fractional diagrams, delicate calligraphy noting the variant reading."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: adhaḥ+bhāgam→adhobhāgam; tu+ardham→tvardham; vrajet+ātyantikam→vrajedātyantikam; tat+dvayam→taddvayam; ūrdhva+bhāga+trayam→ūrdhvabhāgatryam. Note: ‘ga, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ’ is an editorial note, not analyzed as pada.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 53 (technical pramāṇa rules adjacent to Vāstu/Śilpa and Dhanurveda instructions); Agni Purana Dhanurveda chapters on bow/arrow measures and construction
FAQs
A proportional division-and-omission rule: the verse gives a stepwise method of subdividing a ‘lower’ and ‘upper’ portion and discarding specified fractions to obtain a final (ātyantika) refined measure—typical of Dhanurveda-style technical calibration.
It preserves highly technical, almost algorithmic procedural language (including variant readings), showing the Agni Purana’s scope beyond mythology into applied sciences like weapon/archery methodology and quantitative proportional rules.
Primarily practical rather than devotional: its significance lies in disciplined, correct technique (śāstra-niyama). In the Purāṇic frame, mastery of prescribed method is itself a form of dharma through faithful adherence to śāstric instruction.