Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 17
Pratiṣṭhā-sāmagrī-vidhāna — Prescription of Materials and Conditions for Consecration
हस्ताद् द्वादशसोपानात् कुर्यान्मण्डमग्रतः चतुरस्रं चतुर्द्वारं स्नानार्थन्तु तदर्धतः
hastād dvādaśasopānāt kuryānmaṇḍamagrataḥ caturasraṃ caturdvāraṃ snānārthantu tadardhataḥ
Devant l’escalier à douze marches, en partant de la mesure d’un hasta, on doit construire un maṇḍapa, une estrade. Il sera carré et muni de quatre entrées. Toutefois, pour l’usage du bain, on le fera de la moitié de cette mesure.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the usual Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Designing a tirtha/bathing ghat or ritual bathing facility: specifying stair count, placement of a front pavilion, square plan with four entrances, and reduced dimensions for bathing-specific structure.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Tīrtha-snāna-ghāṭa: dvādaśa-sopāna and caturdvāra maṇḍa","lookup_keywords":["snāna-vidhi","dvādaśa-sopāna","caturasra","caturdvāra","maṇḍa/maṇḍapa"],"quick_summary":"A twelve-stepped approach is paired with a square, four-doored pavilion in front; the bathing structure is prescribed at half the measure, indicating functional scaling for ritual use."}
Concept: External order (measured space) supports internal purification (snāna) in dharmic practice.
Application: Build bathing facilities with safe steps, controlled entry/exit, and scaled dimensions to match ritual function and crowd movement.
Khanda Section: Vastu-shastra / Tirtha-Snana-Vidhi (Sacred Bathing Architecture and Ritual Layout)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sacred ghat with twelve steps descending to water; in front stands a square pavilion with four doorways; a smaller bathing enclosure is shown at half-scale, with pilgrims preparing for snāna.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized riverbank ghat with twelve clear steps, square caturdvāra pavilion frontally shown, devotees with water pots, strong outlines and warm tones.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gilded pavilion edges, symmetrical four-door mandapa, shimmering water, devotees in ritual attire, ornate border emphasizing sacred architecture.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, precise architectural rendering of steps and plan, labeled measurements (hasta, half-measure), calm palette, instructional clarity with minimal ornament.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed riverside scene with stepped ghat, pavilion with four arches, figures bathing, fine architectural perspective and delicate water detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हस्ताद् = हस्तात्; द्वादशसोपानात् (द्विगु); कुर्यान् मण्डम् = कुर्यात् मण्डम्; स्नानार्थम् तु = स्नान-अर्थम् तु; तदर्धतः = तत्-अर्धतः (अव्ययीभाव)
Related Themes: Agni Purana sections on tīrtha-māhātmya and snāna-phala (where present); Agni Purana Vāstu measurements for maṇḍapa/vedī (adjacent verses)
FAQs
It gives Vāstu-style specifications for a bathing approach structure: a twelve-stepped stairway with a square pavilion/platform in front, designed with four entrances, and a reduced (half) dimension specifically for bathing use.
Beyond theology, it preserves practical design norms—measurements, geometry (square plan), circulation (four entrances), and functional scaling—for tirtha/ghāṭa bathing infrastructure, showing the text’s coverage of applied ritual architecture.
By prescribing a proper, orderly bathing layout, it supports snāna as a regulated act of purification; correct arrangement of the bathing space is treated as aiding cleanliness, ritual propriety, and the merit associated with sacred bathing.