Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 45
Chapter 59 — अधिवासनकथनं
Adhivāsana: The Rite of Inviting and Stabilizing Hari’s Presence
तन्मध्ये पौरुषीं शक्तिं ध्यात्वाभ्यर्च्य च दिशिकः प्रतिमायां हरिं न्यस्य तत्र तं पूजयेत् सुरान्
tanmadhye pauruṣīṃ śaktiṃ dhyātvābhyarcya ca diśikaḥ pratimāyāṃ hariṃ nyasya tatra taṃ pūjayet surān
Dans ce lieu ou diagramme rituel, l’officiant doit méditer la Śakti Pauruṣī (puissance personnelle et immanente), lui rendre un culte, puis installer Hari (Viṣṇu) dans l’icône; cela fait, qu’il l’honore en ce lieu avec les dieux de son entourage.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Pratima-pratiṣṭhā/āvāhana: internal śakti-dhyāna followed by nyāsa of Hari into the icon and worship of the deity with attendant devatās.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pauruṣī-śakti-dhyāna and Hari-nyāsa in the icon","lookup_keywords":["pauruṣī śakti","hari-nyāsa","pratiṣṭhā","āvāhana","deva-arcana"],"quick_summary":"Meditate on the indwelling Pauruṣī power, worship it, then install Viṣṇu into the image and complete worship including the divine retinue."}
Concept: Śakti as the inner enabling power for devatā-āveśa (ritual embodiment) in the icon.
Application: Perform dhyāna and worship of śakti before nyāsa/āvāhana to stabilize the consecration and avoid ‘empty’ ritualism.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Pratima-pratishtha and Deva-archana procedures)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A priest before a consecration diagram, meditating on an inner radiant śakti, then touching the Viṣṇu icon in nyāsa, followed by offering worship with attendant deities around.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat bold colors, priest in white dhoti performing nyāsa on a standing Viṣṇu idol, subtle haloed śakti-figure in the heart-lotus motif, surrounding devatās in circular arrangement, lamp-lit sanctum ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf, central Viṣṇu pratīmā with ornate arch, priest performing āvāhana/nyāsa gesture, gold-highlighted aura, small attendant gods in panels around, rich reds and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, delicate linework, instructional depiction of ritual steps: dhyāna posture, then hand-to-icon nyāsa, then offerings; labeled implements (kalasha, flowers, incense)","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed shrine interior, officiant installing Hari into the icon, attendants holding trays of flowers and incense, symmetrical composition with retinue figures around the sanctified space"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तन्मध्ये = तत् + मध्ये; ध्यात्वाभ्यर्च्य = ध्यात्वा + अभ्यर्च्य; (IAST diśikaḥ as given); no further mandatory sandhi splits.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa 59 (pratiṣṭhā/arcana sequence); Agni Purāṇa sections on mantra-nyāsa and āvaraṇa-pūjā (within pūjā-vidhi corpus)
FAQs
It teaches a precise worship-sequence: (1) meditate on and worship the indwelling Pauruṣī-Śakti, (2) perform nyāsa to install Hari (Viṣṇu) into the icon, and (3) worship the installed deity together with the attendant devas.
By preserving procedural liturgy—dhyāna, arcana, nyāsa, and retinue-worship—it documents applied temple/household ritual technology alongside the Purāṇa’s broader coverage of many disciplines.
The verse emphasizes that worship becomes efficacious when divine power is invoked (Śakti-dhyāna) and the deity is ritually established (nyāsa), making the offering a direct act of devotion to the present deity and its divine entourage.