Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 29
Liṅga-māna-ādi-kathana
Measurements and Related Particulars of the Liṅga
आढ्यादीनां त्रिधा स्थौल्याद्यवधूतं तदष्टधा अन्तरे वामवामे चेति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः स्थौल्याद् यववृद्ध्या तदष्टधा इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः त्रिधा हस्ताज्जिनाख्यञ्च युक्तं सर्वसमेन च
āḍhyādīnāṃ tridhā sthaulyādyavadhūtaṃ tadaṣṭadhā antare vāmavāme ceti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ sthaulyād yavavṛddhyā tadaṣṭadhā iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ tridhā hastājjinākhyañca yuktaṃ sarvasamena ca
‘ആഢ്യ’ മുതലായ ദേഹപ്രകാരങ്ങൾക്ക് ത്രിവിധ വിഭജനം ഉണ്ട്. സ്ഥൗല്യാദി മാനങ്ങളെ ആശ്രയിച്ച് ‘അവധൂത’ എന്ന പ്രകരം പിന്നെയും അഷ്ടവിധമാകുന്നു—ഒരു പാഠത്തിൽ ‘അന്തര, വാമ, വാമവാമ’ തുടങ്ങിയ ഉപഭേദങ്ങൾ; മറ്റൊരു പാഠത്തിൽ സ്ഥൗല്യത്തിൽ നിന്ന് യവ (ബാർലി ധാന്യം) വർധനമാനപ്രകാരം അത് അഷ്ടവിധമെന്ന് പറയുന്നു. അതുപോലെ ‘ജിനാഖ്യ’ അളവ് ഹസ്ത (കൈമാനം) അനുസരിച്ച് ത്രിവിധം; അത് സർവസമതാ അഥവാ പൂർണ്ണ അനുപാത-സാമ്യത്തോടെ പ്രയോഗിക്കണം.
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha, in the usual Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Constitutional/body-type classification and proportional measurement (hasta/jinā) for diagnosis, assessment, or standardizing bodily/figure measures in allied disciplines.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Body-Type Divisions (Āḍhya etc.), Avadhūta Eightfold Subtypes, and Jinā Measure","lookup_keywords":["āḍhya","avadhūta","sthūlya","yava measurement","jinākhya"],"quick_summary":"Gives a threefold division among body-types beginning with ‘āḍhya’ and an eightfold subdivision of the ‘avadhūta’ type, noting variant recensions; also states a threefold ‘jinākhya’ measure based on hasta, to be applied with proportional equivalence."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Pramāṇa (measurement) and lakṣaṇa (diagnostic marks) as foundations for reliable classification; acceptance of pāṭha-bheda (variant readings) within śāstric transmission.
Application: Document measurement standards and note textual variants when applying classifications in practice (clinical or artisanal), ensuring consistent proportionality.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Roga-nidana & Sharira-lakshana: body-types and constitutional classifications)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A physician-scholar with palm-leaf manuscript comparing body-types: well-nourished, corpulent, and wasted figures, with a measuring hand (hasta) and barley-grain (yava) scale shown as calibration; side-notes indicating alternate recensions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, three human figures representing āḍhya/medium/avadhūta, physician holding yava grains and a measuring cord, palm-leaf manuscript with marginal variant marks, flat iconic arrangement and earthy tones.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold accents on measuring instruments, central vaidya seated, three to eight small vignette panels showing avadhūta subtypes, decorative borders, clear hasta and yava symbols rendered like icons.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional chart aesthetic: labeled silhouettes for body-types, a hand-span ruler, yava-grain tick marks, neat callouts for ‘threefold’ and ‘eightfold’, soft colors and fine outlines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, atelier of scholars: one reads a manuscript with variant readings, another measures a subject’s arm-span, small bowls of barley grains used as units, detailed textiles and scientific instruments."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: āḍhyādīnām → āḍhya-ādīnām; sthaulyādyavadhūtaṃ → sthaulya-ādi-avadhūtam; tadaṣṭadhā → tat aṣṭadhā; hastājjinākhyañca → hastāt jina-ākhyam ca. Portions marked as manuscript notes (ङ/ख) treated as editorial and not morphologically analyzed.
Related Themes: Agni Purana āyurveda roga-nidāna and śarīra-lakṣaṇa sequences near 54.29; Agni Purana māna-pramāṇa/pratimā-lakṣaṇa passages where hasta/aṅgula modules recur
FAQs
It gives an Ayurvedic-style technical classification of bodily conditions/types (threefold and eightfold sub-divisions) and references standard anthropometric units (hasta and yava) for proportional assessment.
By preserving clinical/technical taxonomies and measurement theory (body-type divisions plus fine-grained units like yava and larger units like hasta), it shows the Agni Purana functioning as a compendium that includes medical-anthropometric knowledge alongside religious material.
Accurate bodily assessment and proportion (samatā) is presented as disciplined knowledge supporting right practice—helping ensure correct application of health-regimens and related observances, thereby aiding purity, balance, and dharmic living.