Varaha Purana 183.4: Adhyaya 183, Shloka 4
Installation of a Clay Icon (Mṛnmayārcā) and the Ritual Protocol of Worship
Uttara Bhāga · Pratimā–Arcana Vidhi (Materials for Icon Construction)
काष्ठानामप्यलाभे तु मृण्मयीं तत्र कारयेत् ॥ शैलजां वा ततो भूमे मम कर्मपरायणः ॥
kāṣṭhānām apy alābhe tu mṛṇmayīṃ tatra kārayet || śailajāṃ vā tato bhūme mama karmaparāyaṇaḥ ||
kAShThAnAmapyalAbhe tu mRRinmayIM tatra kArayet || shailajAM vA tato bhUme mama karmaparAyaNaH
अगर लकड़ी भी नहीं मिलती तो मिट्टी की मूर्ति बनाओ। या फिर पत्थर की बनाओ। धरती, जो मेरे काम में लगा हो वो ऐसा करेगा।
Sandhi Notes
- काष्ठानामप्यलाभे→काष्ठानाम्+अपि+अलाभे
- compound adjective शैलज (शैल+ज)
Varāha
Attentive/curious
What should a devotee do if standard materials for an icon are unavailable—what substitutes are acceptable?
Devotion is not blocked by material scarcity; intention and continuity of worship matter, with sanctioned material alternatives.
If resources are limited, commission or craft a clay/stone icon and continue prescribed worship rather than postponing indefinitely.
Addresses Bhūmi while giving graded material options for making Varāha’s icon under scarcity.
When wood is unavailable, make a clay icon; alternatively, make a stone icon—material substitution is permitted for the devoted practitioner.
Maintaining worship through permissible substitutes preserves ritual continuity and merit; neglect due to scarcity is implicitly discouraged.
Varāha Purāṇa 183.3 (make an image first); Varāha Purāṇa 183.5 (metals)
FAQs
It documents a hierarchy of materials for icon production and acknowledges pragmatic adaptation—useful for understanding historical craft practices and ritual economies.
No location is named; the focus is on material availability rather than sacred geography.
To maintain continuity of practice without excess, adapting responsibly to available resources.
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