Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 43
Liṅga-māna-ādi-kathana
Measurements and Related Particulars of the Liṅga
वदनं चिवुकं ग्रीवा युगभागैर् भुजाक्षिभिः कराभ्यां मुकुलीकृत्य प्रतिमायाः प्रमाणतः
vadanaṃ civukaṃ grīvā yugabhāgair bhujākṣibhiḥ karābhyāṃ mukulīkṛtya pratimāyāḥ pramāṇataḥ
Selon les mesures canoniques d’une icône, le visage, le menton et le cou doivent être proportionnés par unités de «yuga»; de même les bras et les yeux. Les mains seront façonnées en forme de bouton (mukula, fermées), conformément aux justes proportions de l’icône.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purāṇa’s didactic narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Icon-makers use these yuga-based proportional units to lay out the mukha (face), civuka (chin), griva (neck), arms, eyes, and to form hands in a closed/bud-like configuration consistent with the icon’s pramana.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Yuga-pramāṇa for Face–Neck–Arms and Mukulī-hasta Formation","lookup_keywords":["pratimā-pramāṇa","yuga-bhāga","mukulī-hasta","civuka","grīvā"],"quick_summary":"Defines proportional allocation (yuga-units) for key head/neck/limb features and prescribes bud-like closed hands to maintain canonical harmony in the image."}
Concept: Rūpa-sāmya (harmonious proportion) as a condition for auspicious, ritually fit imagery
Application: Use fixed units and standardized hand-forms to avoid doṣa (iconographic faults) and ensure temple-installation suitability.
Khanda Section: Shilpa-shastra (Pratima-lakshana / Iconometry and image-making canons)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sculptor measures a partially carved icon: marking yuga-units on face, chin, neck, arms, and eyes; hands shown closed like a bud (mukulī).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, artisan in traditional attire measuring a deity icon with marked proportional grids, emphasis on calm eyes and bud-like hands, earthy reds/ochres, flat perspective, sacred workshop ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, icon-making scene with gold-leaf highlights on measuring lines and ornaments, sculptor holding measuring cord, pratimā with clearly proportioned face-neck-arms, rich jewel tones, ornate border","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, instructional diagram-like depiction of pratimā proportions using yuga units, clean linework, soft shading, labeled facial parts and mukulī-hasta, workshop setting","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, atelier scene with master sculptor and assistants, fine detailing of measurement tools and proportional marks on the icon, delicate architecture backdrop, subdued palette with precise linework"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yugabhāgair → yuga-bhāgaiḥ; bhujākṣibhiḥ → bhuja-akṣibhiḥ (dvandva); pramāṇataḥ is tasil-avyaya from pramāṇa.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 54 (Pratimā-lakṣaṇa/pramāṇa sections)
FAQs
It teaches pratimā-pramāṇa (iconometric proportioning): how to size the face, chin, neck, arms, and eyes using yuga-based units, and how to shape the hands in a mukulī (bud-like/closed) configuration according to canonical sculpture rules.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purāṇa preserves practical śilpa-śāstra—technical standards for temple icons—showing its coverage of applied arts (iconography, measurement systems, craft procedures) alongside ritual and doctrine.
Correct proportions and prescribed hand-forms are treated as ensuring the icon’s ritual fitness (pratiṣṭhā-yogyatā), supporting proper worship and the intended devotional merit by aligning the image with śāstric order.