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
នៅជាយល្អប្រសើរទាំងពីរនៃលិង្គ ចាប់ពីទ្វារកម្រិតជើង (padadvāra) ត្រូវបង្កើតគ្រឿងលម្អខាងចំហៀង; ដោយលះចោលប្រាំមួយឯកតាលម្អ នោះលំនាំវល្លិដែលនៅសល់ ត្រូវរៀបចំដូចគ្នាសម្រាប់ព្រះហរិ (វិષ્ણុ) ផងដែរ។
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.