Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 10
नगरादिवास्तुकथनं
Discourse on Vāstu for Cities and Related Settlements
या दशान्याश्चेति ख , ग , घ , ङ , ज च सूत्रपादत इति ग सूत्रपातत इति छ शक्रमेकं तथापत्यमिति झ रोगाहिमोक्षेति ख , छ च सोमरूप्यदितौ दितिमिति ख षडङ्गका इति ग गोष्ठस्थ इति छ मरीचिकाग्निमध्ये तु सविता द्विपदस्थितः सावित्री तदधो द्व्यंशे विवस्वान् षट्पदे त्वधः
yā daśānyāśceti kha , ga , gha , ṅa , ja ca sūtrapādata iti ga sūtrapātata iti cha śakramekaṃ tathāpatyamiti jha rogāhimokṣeti kha , cha ca somarūpyaditau ditimiti kha ṣaḍaṅgakā iti ga goṣṭhastha iti cha marīcikāgnimadhye tu savitā dvipadasthitaḥ sāvitrī tadadho dvyaṃśe vivasvān ṣaṭpade tvadhaḥ
“‘Dan sepuluh yang lain…’—demikian dibaca oleh manuskrip Kha, Ga, Gha, Ṅa dan Ja. ‘Dari arah kaki-sūtra’—demikian bacaan Ga; ‘dari arah tempat sūtra dilontar/diletakkan’—demikian bacaan Cha. ‘Yang satu ialah Śakra, demikian juga keturunannya’—demikian bacaan Jha. ‘(Untuk) pembebasan daripada penyakit dan daripada gangguan ular’—demikian bacaan Kha dan Cha. ‘Soma, berwujud keperakan; dalam Aditi (dan) dalam Diti’—demikian bacaan Kha. ‘Bersifat enam anggota (ṣaḍ-aṅga)’—demikian bacaan Ga. ‘Terletak di goṣṭha (kandang lembu)’—demikian bacaan Cha. Di tengah “api laksana sinar” (marīcikā-agni), Savitṛ ditempatkan dengan susunan dua-kaki; di bawahnya, dalam pembahagian dua bahagian, ialah Sāvitrī; dan di bawah lagi, dengan susunan enam-kaki, ialah Vivasvān.
Lord Agni (Agni Purāṇa’s primary narrator) speaking to Vasiṣṭha (standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Sūrya-maṇḍala visualization and mantra-nyāsa: mapping Savitṛ/Sāvitrī/Vivasvān into specified ‘pada’ placements; also preserves manuscript-variant readings for correct ritual recitation.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Sūrya-maṇḍala Nyāsa (Savitṛ–Sāvitrī–Vivasvān) with Pāṭha-bheda","lookup_keywords":["surya-mandala","Savitri","Vivasvan","maricika-agni","patha-bheda"],"quick_summary":"The passage combines textual variants (pāṭha-bheda) with a practical placement-instruction: Savitṛ in the marīcikā-agni center with a two-footed placement, Sāvitrī below in a two-part division, and Vivasvān below in a six-footed placement."}
Concept: Correct mantra and correct placement (nyāsa) depend on correct text (pāṭha); ritual efficacy is tied to philological accuracy and cosmological mapping.
Application: When performing Sūrya-maṇḍala pūjā/nyāsa, follow the specified center-and-below placements; consult manuscript tradition to avoid mis-recitation in bīja/epithet sequences.
Khanda Section: Jyotiṣa / Sūrya-maṇḍala (Solar iconography and mantra-nyāsa style placements)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Cosmic-region
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solar maṇḍala with a blazing ‘marīcikā-agni’ center containing Savitṛ; beneath it a band/compartment for Sāvitrī; beneath that a six-petaled/ six-footed station for Vivasvān; marginal notes showing manuscript variants (Kha/Ga/Cha/Jha).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, radiant sun-disc with flame-like rays (marīcikā-agni), Savitṛ seated at center, Sāvitrī in a lower register, Vivasvān in a six-petaled base, side margins with stylized manuscript-variant glyphs, warm reds and yellows","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-foiled sun mandala, Savitṛ with brilliant aureole at center, Sāvitrī below with ornate jewelry, Vivasvān on a six-petaled pedestal, decorative borders and small panels indicating variant readings","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, technical diagram of Sūrya-maṇḍala with labeled compartments, arrows indicating ‘two-pada’ and ‘six-pada’ placements, neat marginalia for Kha/Ga/Cha/Jha variants, clear instructional composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, a scholar-priest comparing manuscripts while pointing to a painted solar diagram, delicate rays around the sun, Savitṛ/Sāvitrī/Vivasvān placed in stacked compartments, fine calligraphy of variant notes"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Sūryakānt (if available in tradition)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दशान्याश्च → दश + अन्याः + च; रोगाहिमोक्षेति → रोगाहिमोक्ष + इति; दितिमिति → दितिम् + इति; मरीचिकाग्निमध्ये → मरीचिका + अग्नि + मध्ये; तदधो → तत् + अधः; द्व्यंशे → द्वि-अंशे; tvadhaḥ (IAST) → तु + अधः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 105 (Sūrya-maṇḍala/nyāsa continuation; earlier lists: 105.8–105.9)
FAQs
It gives a technical placement scheme (nyāsa/diagrammatic positioning) for Savitṛ, Sāvitrī, and Vivasvān using measured ‘two-foot’ and ‘six-foot’ placements, and preserves manuscript variant readings that affect how the placement is described.
Alongside theology, it records practical ritual-technical instructions (spatial placements and measured divisions) and even notes textual variants—showing the Purāṇa’s compendious style that blends worship-technology, mantra practice, and editorial transmission.
Correctly situating solar powers (Savitṛ/Sāvitrī/Vivasvān) in ritual visualization is presented as aligning the practitioner with solar order and purification, traditionally linked with protection and release from afflictions such as disease and snake-related harm.