Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 12
Chapter 326 — देवालयमाहात्म्यम्
The Glory of Temples
लिङ्गार्चनाद्भुक्तिमुक्तिर्यावज्जीवमतो यजेत् वरं प्राणपरित्यागो भुञ्जीतापूज्य नैव तं
liṅgārcanādbhuktimuktiryāvajjīvamato yajet varaṃ prāṇaparityāgo bhuñjītāpūjya naiva taṃ
ຈາກການບູຊາລິງຄະ ເກີດທັງຄວາມສຸກໃນໂລກ ແລະ ມຸກຕິ (ຄວາມຫຼຸດພົ້ນ); ດັ່ງນັ້ນຄວນບູຊາຕະຫຼອດຊີວິດ. ດີກວ່າຄືການສະຫຼະລົມຫາຍໃຈ ກ່ອນຈະເສບສຸກໂດຍບໍ່ໄດ້ບູຊາພຣະອົງ—ບໍ່ຄວນເສບສຸກແບບນັ້ນເລີຍ.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s ritual sections)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Daily Śiva-liṅga worship as a lifelong discipline; prioritizing pūjā before personal enjoyment to align life with dharma and mokṣa-goals.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Liṅgārcana as Source of Bhukti and Mukti","lookup_keywords":["liṅgārcana","bhukti-mukti","nitya-pūjā","śaiva-upāsanā","tyāga-before-bhoga"],"quick_summary":"Liṅga-worship is taught as simultaneously granting worldly well-being and liberation; the verse frames non-worshipful enjoyment as spiritually inferior to even giving up life."}
Alamkara Type: Arthāntaranyāsa (reinforcement by a stronger alternative)
Concept: Bhakti-sādhana integrates bhukti and mukti; enjoyment without īśvara-smaraṇa is spiritually barren.
Application: Structure the day so that worship precedes consumption/pleasure; treat pūjā as non-negotiable like prāṇa itself.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Linga-archana and Shaiva worship injunctions)
Primary Rasa: Śānta
Secondary Rasa: Vīra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder before a simple Śiva-liṅga, pausing from meal/pleasure to offer water, flowers, and reverent salutations—signaling worship as the gateway to both prosperity and liberation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, a serene devotee in traditional attire worshipping a black stone liṅga with white tripuṇḍra marks, oil-lamp glow, calm śānta mood, minimal background, sacred austerity.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf haloed shrine niche with Śiva-liṅga on pedestal, devotee offering arghya, ornate arch and lamps, rich reds and greens, embossed gold detailing emphasizing the sanctity of pūjā over worldly indulgence.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, clean linework, instructional composition: devotee sets aside a plate of food, turns to liṅga with pañcopacāra items arranged neatly, soft pastel background, didactic clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate interior scene: a noble pauses before dining to worship a small liṅga on a low altar, fine textiles, delicate brushwork, subdued contemplative atmosphere, emphasis on ethical restraint."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: लिङ्गार्चनाद् = लिङ्ग-अर्चनात्; भुक्तिमुक्तिः = भुक्ति-मुक्तिः; यावज्जीवम् = यावत्-जीवम्; भुञ्जीतापूज्य = भुञ्जीत + अपूज्य; नैव = न + एव
Related Themes: Agni Purana Puja-vidhi sections on liṅga-arcana and nitya-karma; Agni Purana chapters on dāna and vrata-phala comparisons
FAQs
It prescribes nitya (lifelong) Liṅga-arcana as the practical discipline, and states a prohibition: do not partake of enjoyments/consumption without first performing worship.
It exemplifies the Purana’s ritual-technology layer (pūjā-vidhi): concise rules linking practice (Liṅga-arcana) to outcomes (bhukti/mukti) and ethical constraints on daily life (enjoyment conditioned by worship).
It frames worship as the rightful prerequisite for enjoying life’s fruits; neglecting it is treated as spiritually worse than death, emphasizing devotion, gratitude, and merit (puṇya) as the basis for prosperity and liberation.