Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 30
Liṅga-māna-ādi-kathana
Measurements and Related Particulars of the Liṅga
पञ्चविंशतिलिङ्गानि नाद्ये देवार्चिते तथा पञ्चसप्तभिरेकत्वाज्जिनैर् भक्तैर् भवन्ति हि
pañcaviṃśatiliṅgāni nādye devārcite tathā pañcasaptabhirekatvājjinair bhaktair bhavanti hi
ഇരുപത്തിയഞ്ച് ലിംഗങ്ങളെ ഏകമായിട്ടാണ് എണ്ണുന്നത്; അതുപോലെ നാദ്യ (പവിത്ര സ്നാനസ്ഥലം)യിൽ ദേവാരാധന ചെയ്താലും. അഞ്ചും ഏഴും എന്ന കൂട്ടങ്ങളാൽ ഉളവാകുന്ന ഏകത്വം മൂലം, ജിതേന്ദ്രിയ ഭക്തർക്കു അവ യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ ഒന്നായിത്തന്നെ പ്രതീതിയാകുന്നു.
Lord Agni (in instruction to Vasiṣṭha, the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Guidance for pilgrimage-worship accounting: understanding equivalences/collective unity of liṅga worship and tīrtha-arcana for accruing merit and focused devotion.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Merit-Equivalence: Twenty-Five Liṅgas as One; Unity by Five-and-Seven Groupings","lookup_keywords":["pañcaviṃśati liṅga","tīrtha arcana","nāḍya","pañca-sapta","ekatva"],"quick_summary":"States a ritual equivalence where twenty-five liṅgas are reckoned as one, and similarly deity-worship at a sacred bathing place is unified; through five-and-seven groupings, devotees attain a sense of oneness in worship and merit."}
Concept: Ekatva (unity) in worship: multiplicity of forms/sites can be ritually and devotionally integrated into one act for the disciplined devotee.
Application: Perform worship with concentrated mind and ethical self-control (jitendriya), treating multiple shrines/acts as one integrated offering rather than scattered ritualism.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Linga/Deva-archana and merit of worship)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A riverside tīrtha with a row of many Śiva-liṅgas; devotees perform abhiṣeka, while a symbolic diagram shows ‘25 = 1’ and groupings of five and seven merging into a single radiant liṅga.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, river-ghāṭa scene with multiple liṅgas under simple shrines, devotees pouring water and bilva leaves, a central glowing liṅga representing unity, earthy palette and stylized waves.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central large golden-haloed liṅga, surrounding 25 small liṅgas in a mandala-like arrangement, devotees with lamps and vessels, gold work emphasizing ‘ekatva’.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional composition: counted liṅgas arranged in 5x5 grid, arrows showing consolidation into one, side vignette of tīrtha worship at a bathing place, fine lines and labels.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed riverside pilgrimage: groups of five and seven devotees around clusters of liṅgas, a learned priest indicating a tally board ‘25→1’, delicate architecture and water rendering."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pañcaviṃśatiliṅgāni treated as dvigu; pañcasaptabhirekatvājjinair → pañca-saptabhiḥ ekatvāt jinaiḥ (visarga/lopa and consonant sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana pūjā-vidhi and liṅga-arcana sections near 54.30; Agni Purana tīrtha-māhātmya style passages elsewhere (if present in the compilation)
FAQs
It teaches a ritual principle of equivalence: multiple liṅgas (here, twenty-five) and worship performed in a tīrtha/bathing-place setting may be treated as a single unified act/fruit for a devoted, disciplined practitioner—i.e., how puṇya is ‘counted’ through prescribed groupings.
It exemplifies the Agni Purāṇa’s catalog-like treatment of worship protocols—quantifying ritual outcomes, defining equivalences, and integrating tīrtha-practice with temple worship—alongside its many other domains (law, polity, medicine, aesthetics).
The verse stresses that disciplined devotion (sense-conquest) yields unity of merit: many external forms of worship can culminate in a single concentrated karmic/spiritual fruit when performed with proper method and bhakti.