Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 12
Chapter 53 — Liṅga-lakṣaṇa
Characteristics and Proportions of the Śiva-liṅga and Piṇḍikā
ऊर्ध्वञ्च पञ्चमाद्भागाद् भ्राम्य रेखां प्रलम्बयेत् भागमेकं परित्यज्य सङ्गं कारयेत्तयोः
ūrdhvañca pañcamādbhāgād bhrāmya rekhāṃ pralambayet bhāgamekaṃ parityajya saṅgaṃ kārayettayoḥ
À partir de la cinquième division, on doit se tourner vers le haut et abaisser une ligne perpendiculaire. En laissant de côté une division, on réalise ensuite la jonction (connexion) de ces deux lignes.
Lord Agni (instructional narration to Vasiṣṭha, consistent with Agni Purana’s dialogic frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Geometric construction for layout and icon/temple drafting: drawing a perpendicular from a specified division and forming a junction after omitting one unit—used in plan-making, moulding profiles, and proportional grids.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Rekhā-pramāṇa: Perpendicular drop from the fifth division and junction rule","lookup_keywords":["rekhā-pramāṇa","pralamba-rekhā","pañcama-bhāga","saṅga","geometric-construction"],"quick_summary":"Instructs a drafting operation: from the fifth marked division, turn upward and drop a perpendicular; omit one division and then connect the two lines—yielding a standardized corner/junction in the design grid."}
Concept: Rekhā (line) and pralamba (perpendicular) as generators of form; order arises from rule-based construction.
Application: Use perpendiculars and controlled offsets to maintain orthogonality and symmetry in plans and elevations.
Khanda Section: Vastu / Shilpa-shastra (Rekha-pramana: geometric construction and line-drawing methods)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A drafting board with a segmented baseline; from the fifth mark a vertical perpendicular is drawn; one segment is skipped, and then a connecting line forms a precise junction, like a corner detail in a temple plan.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized architect drawing a perpendicular on a palm-leaf plan, bold black lines, fifth-division highlighted, traditional border motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, sacred workshop scene with drafting tools (stylus, cord, straightedge), gold highlights on the plan’s key junction, rich ornamental frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, diagram-forward composition: baseline with five divisions, perpendicular drop, omitted unit shown as gap, final junction line emphasized; fine linework and soft washes.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, architect at low desk drawing right angles with straightedge, plan annotated with small numerals, meticulous geometry and textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ūrdhvam+ca→ūrdhvañca; pañcamāt+bhāgāt→pañcamādbhāgād (final -t + bh- → -dbh-); kārayet+tayoḥ→kārayettayoḥ
Related Themes: Agni Purana 53 (rekhā-pramāṇa and māna rules); Agni Purana Vāstu sections on maṇḍala, rekha, and measurement instruments
FAQs
A practical Vāstu/Śilpa instruction: how to locate a point by dividing a measure into parts, turning upward, drawing a perpendicular (pralamba), and forming a precise junction after omitting one unit.
It shows the Agni Purana preserving applied technical sciences alongside theology—here, architectural geometry and drafting rules used for layouts, proportions, and structural planning.
Accurate measurement and correct junctions are treated as dhārmic correctness in sacred building: precision in Vāstu is linked to auspiciousness, stability, and the proper embodiment of sacred order in constructed space.