Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 19
Chapter 38 — देवालयनिर्माणफलं
The Merit of Constructing a Temple
सकुलस्तस्य वै कर्ता विष्णुलोके महीयते षोडशागारकारी तु इति ग, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः स्वल्पेनैवेति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः स एव पुण्यवान् पूज्य इह लोके परत्र च
sakulastasya vai kartā viṣṇuloke mahīyate ṣoḍaśāgārakārī tu iti ga, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ svalpenaiveti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ sa eva puṇyavān pūjya iha loke paratra ca
त्या (गृहदान/निर्माण) कर्त्याचा संपूर्ण कुलासह विष्णुलोकात गौरव होतो. काही पाठांत ‘सोळा घरे करणारा’ असे, तर दुसऱ्या चिह्नित पाठांत ‘अल्पानेच’ असे आहे; तोच पुण्यवान व पूज्य—इहलोकीही आणि परलोकीही।
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s discourse frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Promotes housing charity and construction as a meritorious act benefiting one’s lineage; supports philanthropy such as building homes, shelters, rest-houses, or donating dwellings.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Gṛha-dāna / Bahu-gṛha-karaṇa (merit of building or gifting houses) and lineage honor","lookup_keywords":["ṣoḍaśāgāra","gṛha-kārī","sakula","viṣṇuloka","sv-alpena"],"quick_summary":"The house-builder/donor is honored in Viṣṇu’s world along with his lineage; variant readings stress either ‘sixteen houses’ or ‘even a small gift,’ highlighting both scale and sincerity as merit-generators."}
Concept: Dāna that creates stable shelter (gṛha) is a high social dharma; puṇya is portrayed as trans-generational (sakula).
Application: Support housing for the needy, pilgrims, and disaster-affected; treat construction ethics and maintenance as part of religious duty.
Khanda Section: Vāstu-Śāstra (House-building and merit of construction/charity)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A patron oversees the building or gifting of multiple houses; families receive keys or enter new dwellings, while a symbolic vision shows the patron honored with ancestors/descendants in Viṣṇu’s realm.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, row of newly built houses with tiled roofs, patron offering a house to a family, stylized lineage figures behind, Vishnu-world symbolism in upper register, bold outlines","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ceremonial house-gift scene with gold accents on doorframes, patron and recipients in festive attire, small Vaikuntha medallion above, rich ornamentation","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear architectural depiction of multiple houses (sixteen suggested by repetition), calm didactic composition, emphasis on donation gesture and documentation","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed neighborhood with multiple dwellings, patron distributing deeds, attendants recording, fine textiles and architecture, subtle celestial honor scene"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सकुलस्तस्य = सकुलः + तस्य; (पाठभेदसूचना ‘इति ग/ख...’ को श्लोकपाठ-टिप्पणी मानकर पदविश्लेषण में नहीं लिया गया।)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 38 (vāstu/house-building merit context)
FAQs
It states the phala (result) of gṛha-nirmāṇa/āgāra-dāna: constructing (or enabling the construction of) houses—especially in significant number—is treated as a high-merit act leading to honor in Viṣṇu’s realm.
It exemplifies the Purāṇa’s Vāstu and dāna-oriented instruction by linking practical civic welfare (housing/building) with religious merit (puṇya) and posthumous destiny (Viṣṇuloka).
The verse teaches that supporting habitation (building houses) generates enduring puṇya that elevates not only the donor/builder but also benefits the lineage, yielding honor in both worldly society and the afterlife.