Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 44
वागीश्वरीपूजा
The Worship of Vāgīśvarī
लिङ्गस्य पार्श्वयोर्भद्रे पदद्वारमलोपनात् तत्पार्श्वशोभाः षड्लोप्य लताः शेषास् तथा हरेः
liṅgasya pārśvayorbhadre padadvāramalopanāt tatpārśvaśobhāḥ ṣaḍlopya latāḥ śeṣās tathā hareḥ
लिङ्ग के शुभ पार्श्वों में, पदद्वार (पाद-स्तर के द्वार) से आरम्भ करके पार्श्व-शोभाएँ बनानी चाहिए; उनमें से छह इकाइयाँ छोड़कर शेष लता-आकृतियाँ हरि (विष्णु) के लिए भी उसी प्रकार सजाई जाएँ।
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Guidelines for arranging decorative side-ornaments around a liṅga (and similarly for Viṣṇu contexts), including a rule to omit six units and distribute remaining creeper motifs from a base doorway reference.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Liṅga Pārśva-śobhā: Latā-alaṅkāra with Ṣaḍ-lopa Rule","lookup_keywords":["liṅga pārśva","padadvāra","pārśva-śobhā","ṣaḍ-lopa","latā-alaṅkāra"],"quick_summary":"Defines how to start ornament placement from the padadvāra level, omit six decorative units, and arrange the remaining creeper motifs; the same compositional logic is extended to Hari-related ornamentation."}
Concept: Auspiciousness (bhadra) in sacred images is maintained by regulated omission and balanced distribution, not by maximal decoration.
Application: In carving/painting programs, follow omission rules to preserve canonical proportions and visual rhythm.
Khanda Section: Vastu-Shastra & Murti-Lakshana (Linga/Temple Iconography and Ornamentation)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sculptor’s elevation drawing of a liṅga-shrine wall: padadvāra at the base, side panels filled with vine (latā) ornaments, with six marked segments intentionally left blank/omitted; a parallel panel labeled for Hari.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural palette, artisan painting vine scrolls on either side of a liṅga niche, six gaps left unpainted as per rule, warm lamp-lit temple corridor.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, embossed gold vine scrollwork flanking a central liṅga emblem, six deliberate blank cartouches, a secondary Viṣṇu panel with matching vine rhythm, jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional sheet: elevation with numbered ornament units, six crossed out (lopa), remaining latā motifs drawn in fine lines, labels for liṅga and Hari variants.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a karkhāna (atelier): master draftsman marks six omitted units on a decorative border plan, assistants fill remaining vine arabesques, meticulous detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pārśvayorbhadre → pārśvayoḥ bhadre; padadvāramalopanāt → pada-dvāram a-lopanāt; ṣaḍlopya → ṣaṭ lopya.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 319 (liṅga/viṣṇu ornament and layout rules)
FAQs
It gives a technical iconographic rule for decorating the liṅga’s side-ornaments: starting from the base/foot-level feature (padadvāra), arrange side embellishments and creeper motifs with a specified omission of six decorative units.
Beyond theology, it preserves applied Vāstu/Mūrti-śāstra—precise sculptural and architectural detailing—showing the Agni Purāṇa’s coverage of practical temple design standards alongside religious doctrine.
Correct iconographic arrangement is treated as dharmic precision in worship spaces; properly formed sacred symbols and ornaments support ritual purity, auspiciousness (bhadra), and the intended devotional efficacy of the installation.