Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 35
Chapter 92 — प्रतिष्ठाविधिकथनम्
Narration of the Consecration / Installation Procedure
नन्दा भद्रा जया पूर्णा अजिता चापराजिता मुशलैर् मुद्गराहतैर् इति ङ वर्धनीयुक्तमिति ग , ङ च यजमानार्चित इति घ नवरुद्राद्यैर् इति घ पाषाणानामित्यादिः, पञ्चमीर्मता इत्य् अन्तः श्लोकद्वयात्मकपाठो ग पुस्तके नास्ति विजया मङ्गलाख्या च धरणी नवमी शिला
nandā bhadrā jayā pūrṇā ajitā cāparājitā muśalair mudgarāhatair iti ṅa vardhanīyuktamiti ga , ṅa ca yajamānārcita iti gha navarudrādyair iti gha pāṣāṇānāmityādiḥ, pañcamīrmatā ity antaḥ ślokadvayātmakapāṭho ga pustake nāsti vijayā maṅgalākhyā ca dharaṇī navamī śilā
Les (pierres sacrées) sont nommées Nandā, Bhadrā, Jayā, Pūrṇā, Ajitā et Aparājitā. (Dans certaines recensions, on note:) «frappées par des pilons et des marteaux»; (ailleurs:) «dotées d’une efficacité qui accroît la croissance»; (ailleurs:) «vénérées par le yajamāna (l’officiant du sacrifice)»; (ailleurs:) «(vénérées) avec les Neuf Rudra et autres»; et «des pierres…»—telles sont les leçons variantes. Dans le manuscrit ‘ga’, le passage interne de deux vers se terminant par “pañcamīrmatā” est absent. (En outre,) Vijayā—également appelée Maṅgalā—et Dharaṇī sont comptées comme la neuvième pierre.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) addressing Sage Vasiṣṭha (standard frame); this verse itself preserves editorial/recensional notes in some editions
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Devata-pratiṣṭhā and protective worship using named sacred stones (śilā) and their handling/qualification notes; also supports textual criticism via variant readings.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Śilā-Nāma and Pratiṣṭhā Notes: Nandā–Aparājitā; Vijayā/Maṅgalā; Dharaṇī","lookup_keywords":["śilā","pratiṣṭhā","Nandā Bhadrā Jayā","Aparājitā","navarudra"],"quick_summary":"Lists protective sacred stones used in installation rites and records variant readings about their striking, efficacy, and worship context; also notes manuscript omission and additional ninth-stone names."}
Concept: Material sacralization: inert stone becomes ritually potent through naming, testing, and worship; victory/unyielding qualities are invoked as protective principles.
Application: In pratiṣṭhā, select/test stones (strike-test), consecrate with prescribed worship (yajamāna, Rudra-parivāra), and assign protective names/roles in placement.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devata-pratishtha (Ritual worship and installation; protective deities and sacred stones)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Temple installation scene: artisans and priest examine and strike stones with pestle/hammer, then worship them with offerings; stones are labeled Nandā, Bhadrā, Jayā, Pūrṇā, Ajitā, Aparājitā, plus Vijayā/Maṅgalā and Dharaṇī as an added set.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, consecration courtyard, priest with lamp and flowers before arranged stones, artisans holding wooden pestle and hammer, Rudra-parivāra hinted as small attendant deities, bold outlines and ritual symmetry","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, pratiṣṭhā altar with gold-foiled ritual vessels, stones depicted as sacred icons with name-bands, priest and yajamāna in rich attire, heavy ornamentation and auspicious glow","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional consecration tableau: stone-testing with mudgara, then archana; clear depiction of tools and sequence, soft colors, manuscript-like clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, workshop-meets-shrine scene: craftsmen testing stones, a pandit reading from a manuscript noting variants, detailed architecture and textiles, subdued incense haze"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: cāparājitā = ca aparājitā; mudgarāhatair = mudgara-āhataiḥ. The middle portion contains manuscript/annotation markers (ṅa/ga/gha etc.) and is treated as editorial, not padāni of the śloka.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 92 (Devata-pratiṣṭhā / śilā-nāma sequences)
FAQs
It lists and classifies specific named sacred stones (śilās) used in ritual contexts, indicating their recognized auspicious identities (e.g., Nandā, Bhadrā, Jayā) and noting ritual associations such as worship by the yajamāna and invocation with the Nine Rudras.
Beyond giving ritual nomenclature, it preserves multiple recensional readings and manuscript notes, showing how the Agni Purana functions as a compendium that transmits both ritual taxonomies and the living textual tradition (variant pāṭhas) across manuscripts.
By identifying and properly venerating ritually recognized śilās (as auspicious, victorious, invincible forms) and aligning worship with Rudra-group invocations, the practitioner is directed toward protective merit (rakṣā), auspiciousness (maṅgala), and success-oriented consecration outcomes.