Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 33
Chapter 41 — शिलाविन्यासविधानं
The Procedure for Laying the Stones / Foundation Setting
देवागारं करोमीति मनसा यस्तु चिन्तयेत् तस्य कायगतं पापं तदह्ना हि प्रणश्यति
devāgāraṃ karomīti manasā yastu cintayet tasya kāyagataṃ pāpaṃ tadahnā hi praṇaśyati
Barangsiapa dalam batin hanya berniat, “Aku akan membangun rumah suci bagi Dewa,” maka dosa yang melekat pada tubuhnya lenyap pada hari itu juga.
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Ethical-ritual teaching: even the mental resolve (saṅkalpa) to build a temple is purificatory and destroys bodily sin that day.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Merit of temple-building intention (Deva-gara saṅkalpa)","lookup_keywords":["devagara","sankalpa","papa-kshaya","manasa","devalaya-nirmana"],"quick_summary":"A sincere mental intention to build a deity’s temple is itself a purifying act, said to destroy accrued bodily sin immediately."}
Concept: Saṅkalpa-śakti: intention as morally efficacious; inner resolve initiates purification even before external action.
Application: Cultivate sincere resolve toward dharmic projects; formalize it as a saṅkalpa and follow through with means and planning.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devālaya-nirmāṇa (Temple construction merit and purification)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee sits in contemplation, hands in añjali, mentally resolving to build a temple; a faint visionary outline of a shrine appears behind, symbolizing immediate purification.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, serene devotee in meditation posture, stylized haloed temple silhouette emerging, muted sacred palette, lotus motifs, ornate border","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, devotee with folded hands before a small deity lamp, golden aura forming a temple outline, rich gold work emphasizing purity and merit","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, calm interior scene with a devotee making saṅkalpa, palm-leaf note of intention, subtle temple blueprint in background, clean lines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate chamber scene: devotee contemplating with prayer beads, an architect’s plan scroll nearby, translucent temple vision, fine detailing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: deva+āgāraṃ→devāgāraṃ; karomi+iti→karomīti; yaḥ+tu→yastu; tad+ahnā→tadahnā
Related Themes: Agni Purana 41 (devalaya-nirmana praise passages)
FAQs
It teaches the ritual principle that even mental resolve (saṅkalpa) to build a devālaya is a meritorious act, producing immediate purificatory fruit.
It exemplifies the text’s coverage of practical religious culture—temple building, its ritual rationale, and its stated karmic results—alongside the Purana’s many other applied disciplines.
It asserts that sincere intention toward a sacred work like temple construction can swiftly destroy bodily sin (kāyagata pāpa), emphasizing the power of dharmic resolve.