Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 2

Chapter 101 — प्रासादप्रतिष्ठा (Prāsāda-pratiṣṭhā): Consecration and Installation of the Temple

Devanagari script

आधारशक्तितः पद्मे विन्यस्ते प्रणवेन च स्वर्णाद्ये कतमोद्द्भतं पञ्चगव्येन संयुतं

Transliteration

ādhāraśaktitaḥ padme vinyaste praṇavena ca svarṇādye katamoddbhataṃ pañcagavyena saṃyutaṃ

Translation

Apabila tempat duduk teratai ditegakkan bermula dengan Ādhāra-śakti, dan dipasang dengan Praṇava (Oṃ), maka di atas emas dan seumpamanya hendaklah diletakkan dasar ritual, yang terhasil daripada “Katama” (bahan suci tertentu), digabungkan dengan pañcagavya.

Word by Word

• ādhāra-śaktitaḥ: according to the supporting power
• ādhāra-śaktitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial ablative in -tas (तसिल्/तस्), ‘according to the supporting power/capacity’

• padme: in/on the lotus (diagram/seat)
• padme: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• vinyaste: when/after it is placed
• vinyaste: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ni-√as (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular, Neuter agreeing with ‘padme’: ‘when placed’/‘in the placed (state)’

• praṇavena: with the praṇava (Oṃ)
• praṇavena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• svarṇa-ādye: in/among gold and the like
• svarṇa-ādye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in gold etc.’ (i.e., among gold and other materials)

• katama: which (one)
• katama: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: katama (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; interrogative ‘which (one) among many’

• udbhātam: produced/raised
• udbhātam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-√bhā (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ‘raised/produced’

• pañca-gavyena: with pañcagavya
• pañca-gavyena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + gavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; ‘with pañcagavya (five cow-products)’

• saṃyutam: combined/mixed
• saṃyutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√yuj (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; qualifying the (implied) substance

Speaker

Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: śānta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: katamoddbhataṃ → katama udbhātam; verse is elliptical; several neuter adjectives likely qualify an implied ‘dravyaṃ’/‘kumbham’ etc.

Characters & Entities

• Ādhāra-śakti
• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Padma (lotus-seat)
• Pañcagavya
• Swarna (gold)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It outlines a ritual sequence: establish the lotus-seat via Ādhāra-śakti, perform installation with the Praṇava (Oṃ), and prepare/place an auspicious base on gold (or similar) using a sanctified mixture combined with pañcagavya.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond mythology, it preserves precise procedural details of consecration and worship—covering nyāsa concepts (Ādhāra-śakti), mantra usage (Praṇava), and ritual substances (gold, pañcagavya)—showing the text’s coverage of practical liturgy and material culture.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Using the Praṇava and pañcagavya frames the act as purification and sanctification: it ritually stabilizes the worship-seat and renders the materials fit for divine presence, thereby supporting merit (puṇya) and reducing ritual impurity.