Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 11
Chapter 65 — सभास्थापनकथनं
Account of Establishing an Assembly-hall
याम्ये शालैकशालं तु प्रत्यक्शालमथापि वा एकशालद्वयं शस्तं शेषास्त्वन्ये भयावहाः
yāmye śālaikaśālaṃ tu pratyakśālamathāpi vā ekaśāladvayaṃ śastaṃ śeṣāstvanye bhayāvahāḥ
Au sud, on recommande une maison à une seule salle (ekaśālā) ou même une salle tournée vers l’ouest (pratyakśālā). Une paire d’unités à une seule salle (ekaśālā-dvaya) est également approuvée ; les autres dispositions, dit-on, sont périlleuses.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Choose safe house-hall arrangements for south-side plots; approve ekaśālā/pratyakśālā/ekaśālā-dvaya and reject other risky configurations.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Approved southern-side śālā arrangements","lookup_keywords":["yāmya","ekaśālā","pratyakśālā","ekaśālā-dvaya","bhayāvaha"],"quick_summary":"For southern orientation, single-hall and west-facing hall types are commended; a pair of single-hall units is also acceptable, while other layouts are warned as dangerous."}
Concept: Right arrangement (yukti) in built space prevents harm; wrong combinations are ‘bhayāvaha’ (risk-bearing).
Application: In site-approval, whitelist the stated plan-types for yāmya-side houses and treat others as vāstu-doṣa candidates requiring correction/avoidance.
Khanda Section: Vāstu-śāstra (House-planning and directional suitability)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Three small plan sketches: ekaśālā, pratyakśālā (west-facing hall), and ekaśālā-dvaya, with a bold ‘approved’ mark; other complex layouts faded and labeled ‘bhayāvaha’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style instructional panel with three approved house-plan icons (ekaśālā, pratyakśālā, ekaśālā-dvaya) on the yāmya side, Sanskrit labels, other plans dimmed as inauspicious, earthy pigments","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style framed set of three approved vāstu diagrams with gold accents, directional arrows, ‘śasta’ highlighted, rejected plans shown in the margin with subdued tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style technical sheet: neat line drawings of the three śālā types, compass directions, annotations in Devanagari, a caution note for ‘anyāḥ bhayāvahāḥ’","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a vāstu-ācārya teaching students, pointing to three plan diagrams on a board, south direction emphasized, rejected layouts crossed out, detailed interior atelier"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shree","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śālaikaśālaṃ → śāla-eka-śālam; pratyakśālamathāpi → pratyak-śālam atha api; śeṣāstvanye → śeṣāḥ tu anye; bhayāvahāḥ → bhaya-āvahāḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 65.10–12 (śālā-bheda approvals and defects)
FAQs
It gives Vāstu-śāstra guidance on which śālā (house/hall) configurations are considered suitable when placed/arranged with reference to the southern quarter, approving ekaśālā, pratyakśālā, and a double ekaśālā.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves applied technical knowledge—here, architectural and directional rules of Vāstu—showing its scope across practical sciences used in domestic and civic life.
By recommending ‘śasta’ (approved) layouts and warning that other types are ‘bhayāvaha’ (inauspicious), it frames dwelling design as ethically and karmically consequential—supporting well-being, stability, and avoidance of misfortune.