Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 18
Chapter 42 — प्रासादलक्षणकथनं
Prāsāda-lakṣaṇa-kathana: Characteristics of the Temple/Prāsāda
स्कन्धभग्नं न कर्तव्यं विकरालं तथैव च ऊर्ध्वं च वेदिकामानात् कलशं परिकल्पयेत्
skandhabhagnaṃ na kartavyaṃ vikarālaṃ tathaiva ca ūrdhvaṃ ca vedikāmānāt kalaśaṃ parikalpayet
സ്കന്ധഭഗ്നം (തോൾ/കണ്ഠം പൊട്ടിയതുപോലെ) ആക്കരുത്; വികരാലം (വികൃതം) ആക്കുകയും അരുത്; വേദിയുടെ അളവനുസരിച്ച് മുകളിലേക്ക് കലശം അനുപാതത്തോടെ രൂപപ്പെടുത്തണം.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purana’s standard narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Puja-vidhi","practical_application":"Quality control in ritual construction and kalasha design: avoid defective ‘neck/shoulder’ forms and proportion the kalaśa upward according to the vedī’s measurements for stable, auspicious installation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Kalasha proportioning and defect-avoidance (skandha-bhaṅga, vikṛta-rūpa)","lookup_keywords":["kalaśa","vedikā-māna","skandha-bhaṅga","vikarāla","proportion"],"quick_summary":"Warns against broken/awkward neck-shoulder shaping and grotesque forms, and instructs that the kalaśa be proportioned in relation to the vedī’s measurements—linking aesthetics, stability, and ritual auspiciousness."}
Concept: Śobha (proper form) and doṣa-tyāga (avoidance of defects) as prerequisites for sacred efficacy.
Application: In making finials/pots for installation, reject cracked/awkward neck profiles and keep proportions tied to the base platform to ensure visual harmony and safe seating.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Vastu (Vedi–Kumbha–Kalasha Nirmana)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An artisan shapes a kalaśa finial/pot, rejecting a cracked-neck form and measuring the correct height from the vedī platform to ensure proper proportion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: sacred workshop with a vedī and a bright kalaśa, artisan comparing two forms—one defective, one ideal—emphasis on clean silhouette and auspicious setting.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: pūrṇa-kalaśa with gold-leaf brilliance atop a platform, clear ideal proportions, discarded misshapen pot shown aside, ornate devotional framing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional still-life—vedikā base with measurement marks, kalaśa profile drawn precisely, defective skandha-bhaṅga example crossed out, fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: atelier scene with potter/metalworker crafting a kalaśa, measuring against a platform, refined objects and textiles, defective piece set aside."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्कन्धभग्नं = स्कन्ध + भग्नम्; तथैव = तथा + एव; वेदिकामानात् = वेदिका + मानात्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 42 (vedī-kalaśa and installation-related measurements)
FAQs
It gives a practical construction rule for ritual implements: the kalasha and related altar-structure must not be deformed or structurally ‘broken,’ and the kalasha’s vertical proportions should be set in relation to the vedi’s measurements.
Beyond theology, it preserves technical standards of ritual design (pramāṇa/proportion) akin to Vāstu and temple/altar manuals—showing the Purana’s coverage of applied sacred engineering and liturgical correctness.
Correct proportion and non-defective construction are treated as prerequisites for ritual purity and efficacy; avoiding misshapen implements helps prevent ritual fault (doṣa) and supports auspicious, merit-bearing worship.