Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 18
Pratiṣṭhā-sāmagrī-vidhāna — Prescription of Materials and Conditions for Consecration
एकास्यं चतुरास्यं वा रौद्र्यां प्राच्युत्तरेथवा हास्तिको दशहस्तो वै मण्डपोर्ककरो ऽथवा
ekāsyaṃ caturāsyaṃ vā raudryāṃ prācyuttarethavā hāstiko daśahasto vai maṇḍaporkakaro 'thavā
On peut le façonner avec un seul visage ou avec quatre; sous une forme raudra (farouche), tourné vers l’est ou vers le nord. Il peut être à tête d’éléphant, ou bien à dix bras; ou encore tenant un maṇḍapa, ou l’éclat du soleil (arka).
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purana’s standard frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","practical_application":"Selecting and crafting deity forms for worship: specifying mukha-bheda (one/four faces), raudra aspect, orientation (east/north), special forms (elephant-headed), arm-count (ten-armed), and held attributes (maṇḍapa/arka).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Mūrti-lakṣaṇa: mukha-bheda, dik, raudra-rūpa, hastāyudha options","lookup_keywords":["mūrti-lakṣaṇa","ekāsya caturāsya","raudra","prācī/uttara-mukha","daśa-hasta hāstika"],"quick_summary":"The verse enumerates permissible iconographic variants—faces, orientation, mood (raudra), and arms/attributes—guiding correct image-making and ritual suitability."}
Concept: Form (rūpa), direction (dik), and affect (raudra) are functional in worship—iconography is a technology for invoking specific divine energies.
Application: Choose iconographic options aligned to the intended rite (protection, obstacle-removal, sovereignty, etc.) and install with correct orientation.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Murti-lakshana (Iconography and ritual specifications)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sculptor and priest examine a fierce deity image: either single-faced or four-faced, oriented east/north; variants show elephant-headed or ten-armed form, holding a miniature pavilion or blazing solar radiance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, raudra devatā with bold eyes, either one or four faces, ten arms in symmetrical spread, elephant head variant shown as alternate panel, blazing arka aura, temple interior palette with strong contours.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central raudra deity with gold halo and embossed ornaments, ten arms with stylized attributes including a small mandapa model and radiant sun-disc, rich reds, heavy jewelry detailing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, iconography plate-like composition: alternate variants (ekāsya/caturāsya; hāstika; daśa-hasta) arranged neatly, fine linework, soft shading, Sanskrit labels for direction (prācī/uttara).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, atelier scene with sculptor carving and priest consulting a manuscript, the deity image depicted with controlled ferocity, luminous arka aura, architectural mandapa model in hand, intricate textiles and tools."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्राच्युत्तरेथवा = प्राची-उत्तरे अथ वा; मण्डपोर्ककरोऽथवा = मण्डप-उर्क-करः अथवा
Related Themes: Agni Purana mūrti-lakṣaṇa and pratimā-vidhi chapters (iconographic catalogues); Agni Purana on pūjā-krama and nyāsa (ritual integration with form)
FAQs
It specifies permitted iconographic variants for a worship-image—number of faces/arms, fierce (raudra) mode, directional orientation (east/north), and emblematic hand-held attributes such as a maṇḍapa or arka—used in dhyāna, installation, and pūjā planning.
Beyond mythology, it preserves practical temple-arts knowledge: standardized murti-lakṣaṇa (iconographic taxonomy), including orientation and attribute rules—material relevant to ritual manuals, vāstu/temple design, and tantric-style visualization.
Correctly forming and orienting the deity-image is treated as ensuring ritual efficacy—supporting proper dhyāna and pūjā, aligning worship with scriptural norms, and thereby enhancing purity (śuddhi) and merit (puṇya).
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