Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 2
Chapter 45 — Piṇḍikā-Lakṣaṇa
Characteristics and Measurements of the Pedestal/Plinth
त्यक्त्वा पङ्क्तिद्वयं चाधस्तदूर्ध्वं यत्तु कोष्ठकम् सार्धाङ्गुलं तथायाममिति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः मणिविद्याधराविति घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः चतुःषष्टिपदामिति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः समन्तादुभयोः पार्श्वे अन्तस्थं परिमार्जयेत्
tyaktvā paṅktidvayaṃ cādhastadūrdhvaṃ yattu koṣṭhakam sārdhāṅgulaṃ tathāyāmamiti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ maṇividyādharāviti gha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ catuḥṣaṣṭipadāmiti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ samantādubhayoḥ pārśve antasthaṃ parimārjayet
താഴെ രണ്ടു വരികളും മുകളിൽ രണ്ടു വരികളും ഒഴിവാക്കി, എഴുത്ത്-കോഷ്ടകം ഒന്നര വിരൽ ഉയരത്തിൽ ഒരുക്കണം. ഇരുവശങ്ങളിലും ചുറ്റുമുള്ള ഇടക്കാല ശൂന്യസ്ഥലം പരിശ്രമത്തോടെ വൃത്തിയാക്കി മിനുക്കണം.
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Manuscript page-layout: ruling koṣṭhakas (writing-cells), setting line-gaps and margins, and preparing the writing surface for legible copying and durable preservation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Koṣṭhaka-pramāṇa and lekhana-mārga (manuscript ruling and margin cleaning)","lookup_keywords":["koṣṭhaka","pustaka-lekhana","pankti-dvaya","sārdhāṅgula","mārjana"],"quick_summary":"Keep two blank lines above and below, rule a writing-cell of 1.5 aṅgulas in height, and clean/smooth the inner margins and intervening spaces evenly on both sides for a neat manuscript."}
Concept: Śuddhi (clean preparation) and pramāṇa (measurement) as prerequisites for reliable transmission of knowledge.
Application: Standardize page-ruling and cleaning so copying errors reduce and manuscripts remain readable across generations.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Chandas & Lekhana/Manuscript conventions)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A scribe prepares a palm-leaf/bhojapatra folio: leaving blank lines, ruling rectangular koṣṭhakas with a stylus and measuring with finger-breadths, then smoothing margins and gaps.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, warm earthy palette, temple-lamp ambience; a seated scribe with stylus and measuring aṅgula marks on a manuscript folio, ruled koṣṭhakas visible, assistants cleaning margins; crisp linework, traditional ornaments.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style with gold work; central scribe figure on a low wooden desk, manuscript folio with ruled cells and blank line bands, decorative border with subtle gold embossing, rich reds and greens, emphasis on sacred learning.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, delicate shading; instructional scene showing measurement of 1.5 aṅgula koṣṭhaka height, two blank lines above/below, careful margin cleaning; labeled tools (stylus, ruler) in classical Indian setting.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, fine detail; atelier scene with a munshi ruling a manuscript page into koṣṭhakas, leaving blank line spaces, attendants polishing margins; architectural interior, patterned textiles, precise geometry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: cādhastadūrdhvaṃ = ca + adhaḥ + tad + ūrdhvam; yattu = yat + tu; samantādubhayoḥ = samantāt + ubhayoḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 45 (Sāhitya-śāstra: lekhana/koṣṭhaka conventions)
FAQs
It gives a practical scribal/layout rule: leave two lines above and below, set a koṣṭhaka (ruled writing-cell) to about 1.5 aṅgulas, and clean/smooth the inner spaces and margins for proper manuscript preparation.
Beyond theology, it preserves technical guidance on chandas and manuscript/page formatting—showing the Purana’s coverage of literary sciences, measurement standards, and real-world documentation practices.
By promoting careful, clean, and standardized transmission of sacred and scholarly texts, it supports the meritorious act of preserving dharma-knowledge without corruption or negligence.