Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 18
Chapter 326 — देवालयमाहात्म्यम्
The Glory of Temples
त्रिसप्तकुलमुद्धृत्य देवागारकृदर्थभाक् मृत्काष्ठेष्टकशैलाद्यैः क्रमात् कोटिगुणं फलम्
trisaptakulamuddhṛtya devāgārakṛdarthabhāk mṛtkāṣṭheṣṭakaśailādyaiḥ kramāt koṭiguṇaṃ phalam
ເມື່ອໄດ້ຊ່ວຍກູ້ພົງສາວົງສາຂອງຕົນສາມເທື່ອເຈັດຊົນ (ລວມ 21 ຊົນ) ແລ້ວ ຜູ້ສ້າງເທວະວິຫານຈະເປັນຜູ້ຮັບບຸນກຸສົນ; ແລະຖ້າສ້າງຕາມລຳດັບດ້ວຍດິນ, ໄມ້, ອິດ, ຫີນ ແລະອື່ນໆ ຜົນບຸນຈະເພີ່ມຂຶ້ນທີລະຂັ້ນ ຈົນເຖິງລ້ານເທົ່າ (ໂກຕິ).
Lord Agni (traditionally instructing Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Guidance for patrons/builders: constructing a devagriha yields escalating merit depending on building material quality and durability; motivates investment in lasting sacred architecture.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Merit Scale for Temple Construction by Materials","lookup_keywords":["devagara","devalaya-nirmana","vastu-phala","ishtaka-shaila","koti-guna-phala"],"quick_summary":"Temple-building is said to uplift 21 generations; merit increases stepwise with superior materials—clay, wood, brick, stone—reaching up to crore-fold fruit."}
Concept: Dāna through public sacred works (devālaya) yields transgenerational puṇya; durability and excellence amplify karmic fruit.
Application: Prefer long-lasting materials and proper construction for temples as a form of high-impact charity benefiting lineage and community.
Khanda Section: Vāstu-Śāstra / Deva-gṛha (Temple Architecture and Construction Merit)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sequence tableau of temple construction: first a simple clay shrine, then wooden structure, then brick temple, then stone temple—each more grand—while ancestors (21 generations) are shown being lifted or blessed by the merit.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, four-panel progression of devāgāra materials (clay, wood, brick, stone), priests performing rites, ancestors depicted in stylized tiers receiving blessings, rich ochres and reds, sacred architectural motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central stone temple with gold-highlighted vimana elements, side vignettes of clay/wood/brick stages, ancestors in haloed rows above, heavy ornamentation and devotional grandeur.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional architectural progression with labeled materials, craftsmen at work, clean lines showing structural differences, priests with kalasha, calm didactic mood.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed construction site with artisans, carts of bricks and stone, timber frames, a patron overseeing, ancestors shown in cloud band above, fine architectural rendering and narrative sequencing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: trisaptakulamuddhṛtya → tri-sapta-kulam + uddhṛtya; mṛtkāṣṭheṣṭakaśailādyaiḥ → mṛt-kāṣṭha-iṣṭaka-śaila-ādyaiḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 326 (Devālaya-māhātmya); Agni Purana Vāstu/Śilpa sections on temple building (general)
FAQs
It teaches a Vāstu/temple-building principle of graded merit: constructing a devāgāra (temple) yields increasing spiritual fruit depending on the durability and sanctity of materials—progressing from clay and wood to brick and stone.
By quantifying results (phala) for an applied discipline—sacred architecture (Vāstu)—it exemplifies how the Agni Purana catalogues practical arts alongside theology, giving material-specific guidelines tied to dharma and merit.
Building a temple is presented as a lineage-liberating act (benefiting 21 generations), with merit magnified—up to koṭi-guṇa—when the shrine is made from progressively more enduring materials.