Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 25
Chapter 42 — प्रासादलक्षणकथनं
Prāsāda-lakṣaṇa-kathana: Characteristics of the Temple/Prāsāda
तत्तुरीयेणेति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः नैरृत्यां रामकं वायौ वामनं वासुदेवकं ईशे प्रासादरचना देया वस्वर्ककादिभिः द्वारस्य चाष्टमाद्यंशं त्यत्का बेधो न दोषभाक्
tatturīyeṇeti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ nairṛtyāṃ rāmakaṃ vāyau vāmanaṃ vāsudevakaṃ īśe prāsādaracanā deyā vasvarkakādibhiḥ dvārasya cāṣṭamādyaṃśaṃ tyatkā bedho na doṣabhāk
“Dengan bagian keempat”—demikian varian bacaan pada naskah bertanda. Di barat‑daya (nairṛtya) tetapkan tipe Rāmaka; di barat‑laut (vāyu) tipe Vāmana, serta tipe Vāsudevaka. Di timur‑laut (īśāna) rancangan prāsāda hendaknya dibuat menurut modul Vasu, Arka, dan seterusnya. Jika bagian seperdelapan pertama dari ambang pintu dikesampingkan lalu dibuat lubang/tembusan (bedha), hal itu tidak menimbulkan cacat (doṣa).
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha, per the Agni Purāṇa’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Temple site-planning and prāsāda typology allocation by quarters; guidance on doorway fractions and permissible openings to avoid vāstu/ritual defects.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Prāsāda-yojana by quarters; doorway aṣṭamāṃśa and non-doṣa bedha","lookup_keywords":["prāsāda-lakṣaṇa","Rāmaka","Vāmana","Vāsudevaka","dvāra aṣṭamāṃśa"],"quick_summary":"Assign specific prāsāda plan-types to specific quarters and lay out measures by standard modules (Vasu, Arka, etc.). Doorway rules: excluding the first eighth-part, making an opening/piercing does not create a vāstu/ritual defect."}
Concept: Ritual-architecture concordance: correct proportion and placement avert doṣa and sustain auspiciousness.
Application: Architect/priest uses quarter-allocation and doorway fraction rules during design and renovation to prevent vāstu faults.
Khanda Section: Vāstu-Śāstra / Prāsāda-Lakṣaṇa (Temple Architecture and Site-Planning)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A temple plan diagram divided into quarters, labeling Rāmaka in southwest, Vāmana in northwest, Vāsudevaka type, and a measurement series (Vasu, Arka, etc.); a doorway shown with the first eighth-part marked off and a permissible opening beyond it.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural aesthetic applied to a vāstu diagram: prāsāda plan with directional deities faintly indicated, quarter labels (nairṛtya, vāyavya, īśāna), doorway fraction highlighted, traditional red-ochre palette and ornamental borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore-style framed architectural schematic: gold-highlighted doorway and measurement modules, stylized temple elevation inset, rich colors, embossed borders, quarter-wise plan types annotated","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional layout: grid plan, compass directions, labeled prāsāda types (Rāmaka, Vāmana, Vāsudevaka), doorway aṣṭamāṃśa marked with fine lines, architect with palm-leaf manuscript and measuring cord","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of an architect and priest reviewing a temple blueprint, compass and measuring rope, plan divided into quarters, doorway fraction illustrated, detailed workshop setting with instruments"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ‘cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ’ resolved as cihnita + pustaka + pāṭhaḥ. ‘vasvarkakādibhiḥ’ resolved as vasvarkaka-ādibhiḥ. ‘cāṣṭamādyaṃśam’ resolved as ca + aṣṭama-ādya-aṃśam. ‘tyatkā’ read as tyaktvā (contextual correction).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 42 (Prāsāda-lakṣaṇa chapter context); Agni Purana 43 (Prāsāda-devatā-sthāpana follows)
FAQs
It gives Vāstu/Prāsāda-vidyā rules: assigning specific temple plan-types to particular directions (SW, NW, NE) and a technical doorway rule—excluding the first one-eighth portion, an opening/piercing (bedha) does not count as a दोष (architectural/ritual defect).
Beyond theology, it preserves applied architectural standards—directional zoning, named prāsāda typologies, and proportional constraints—showing the Agni Purāṇa functioning as a compendium of practical sciences (Vāstu-śāstra) alongside religious instruction.
In temple-building, avoiding doṣa is tied to ritual purity and auspiciousness: correct directional placement and non-defective openings are treated as ensuring the sanctity and beneficial spiritual effects of the prāsāda for patrons and worshippers.