Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 5
Chapter 246 — वास्तुलक्षणम्
Characteristics of Building-sites / Vāstu
दक्षिणेन विवस्वांश् च मित्रः पश्चिमतस् तथा उदङ्महीधरश् चैव आपवत्सौ च वह्निगे
dakṣiṇena vivasvāṃś ca mitraḥ paścimatas tathā udaṅmahīdharaś caiva āpavatsau ca vahnige
ದಕ್ಷಿಣದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿವಸ್ವಾನ್, ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಪಶ್ಚಿಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಿತ್ರನು. ಉತ್ತರದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಹೀಧರನು; ಮತ್ತು ಅಗ್ನಿ-ಕೋಣದಲ್ಲಿ, ಹೇ ಅಗ್ನಿಯೇ, ಆಪವತ್ಸನೂ ನಿಯೋಜಿತನಾಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Directional deity assignment for nyāsa and vāstu-maṇḍala: mapping specific deities to south/west/north and the fire-quarter for ritual protection and spatial zoning.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Dik-devatā placements: Vivasvān (south), Mitra (west), Mahīdhara (north), Āpavatsa (Agni-quarter)","lookup_keywords":["dikpāla-nyāsa","Vivasvān","Mitra","Mahīdhara","Āpavatsa","vāstu directions"],"quick_summary":"Assigns named deities to directions for ritual and architectural orientation: Vivasvān to the south, Mitra to the west, Mahīdhara to the north, and Āpavatsa to the fire-quarter. Used in nyāsa, protective rites, and vāstu zoning."}
Concept: Cosmic forces are organized through dik (direction) correspondences; spatial alignment is a practical theology.
Application: During vāstu-nyāsa or planning, invoke/assign these deities to their quarters to maintain auspicious balance and protection.
Khanda Section: Jyotisha / Dikpala-Nyasa and Mandala-Devata (Directional Deities in ritual placement)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A compass-like mandala with labeled quarters: south marked Vivasvān (sun), west Mitra, north Mahīdhara (earth-supporting), and the fire-quarter marked Āpavatsa; priest performs nyāsa around a site-plan.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: circular directional diagram around a square vāstu plan; stylized deity emblems—sun disk for Vivasvān, friendly royal figure for Mitra, mountain/earth bearer for Mahīdhara, water-and-fire motif for Āpavatsa; bold outlines, temple aesthetic.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ornate directional mandala with gold leaf on cardinal markers; deity symbols in each quarter; rich reds and greens; central plan diagram framed with traditional motifs.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: precise instructional compass with quarters labeled; small vignettes of each deity’s emblem; clean layout suitable for teaching dik-nyāsa.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: refined diagrammatic scene with a scholar-priest indicating directions on a parchment map; quarters tinted; delicate icon-emblems for each deity; architectural site in background."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: udaṅmahīdharaś caiva → udak mahīdharaḥ ca eva; caiva → ca eva. ‘vahnige’ is retained as given; interpreted as locative singular of vahni, though the passage may have variant readings.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa: vāstu-maṇḍala devatā lists continuing in the same chapter; Agni Purāṇa: śānti/nyāsa procedures where dik-devatās are invoked
FAQs
It assigns specific deities to specific directions (south, west, north, and the fire-quarter) for use in ritual nyāsa/mandala arrangement.
It preserves a technical catalog of ritual-directional correspondences (dik-devatā mapping), a practical reference used alongside mantra, mandala, and temple/altar procedures.
Correct directional placement is taught as a means to harmonize the rite with cosmic order (ṛta), supporting purity, protection, and the intended efficacy (siddhi) of worship.