Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 5
Chapter 38 — देवालयनिर्माणफलं
The Merit of Constructing a Temple
विमुक्ता नारकैर् दुःखैः कर्तुः कृष्णस्य मन्दिरं ब्रह्महत्यादिपापौघघातकं देवतालयं
vimuktā nārakair duḥkhaiḥ kartuḥ kṛṣṇasya mandiraṃ brahmahatyādipāpaughaghātakaṃ devatālayaṃ
Для покровителя (учредителя) храм Кришны — божественное святилище, сокрушающее потоки грехов, начиная с брахмахатьи, и освобождающее от адских страданий.
Lord Agni (traditionally narrating the Agni Purana) to sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Positions establishing Kṛṣṇa’s temple as a major expiatory act (prāyaścitta-like) that counters grave sins and fear of naraka, encouraging patrons to fund and maintain shrines.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Kṛṣṇa-mandira as deva-ālaya that destroys mahāpāpa and naraka-duḥkha","lookup_keywords":["krishna-mandira","brahmahatya","mahapapa","narka-duhkha","deva-alaya"],"quick_summary":"Kṛṣṇa’s temple is praised as a divine sanctuary that destroys torrents of sins, even those beginning with brahma-hatyā, and frees the patron from hellish suffering. The teaching elevates temple establishment as a supreme purificatory dharma."}
Concept: Iṣṭāpūrta (public religious works) can function as powerful pāpa-kṣaya; devotionally grounded acts are portrayed as overriding even severe karmic burdens.
Application: Channel repentance into constructive dharma: establish/restore temples, endow daily worship, feed pilgrims, and maintain sanctuaries as ongoing atonement and community benefit.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devatālaya-mahātmya (Temple worship and merit of sacred shrines)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Infernal realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A Kṛṣṇa temple standing as a radiant refuge; dark naraka imagery recedes as the patron establishes the shrine; sins depicted as dissolving shadows.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, luminous Kṛṣṇa shrine with protective aura, figures fleeing a dark lower band symbolizing naraka, patron offering lamps, dramatic contrast of colors in traditional flat style","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central Kṛṣṇa in sanctum with heavy gold aura, below a subdued panel of naraka fading away, gold embossing emphasizing ‘refuge’ and ‘purification’ motifs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic composition: left side naraka suffering in muted tones, right side temple establishment and worship in bright tones, clear narrative separation","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, architectural focus on the newly founded temple, symbolic dark cloud of sin dispersing, refined patron portraiture, subtle infernal vignette at margin"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"solemn","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: nārakair = nārakaiḥ; brahmahatyādipāpaughaghātakam = brahmahatyā-ādi-pāpa-ogha-ghātakam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Prāyaścitta-like merit claims in dāna/vrata sections; Agni Purana: Devalaya-mahātmya passages on pāpa-kṣaya
FAQs
It teaches the ritual principle of devatālaya-mahātmya: establishing or supporting a temple (especially for Kṛṣṇa) is an act that functions as a powerful purifier, removing even grave sin-accumulations.
It exemplifies the Agni Purana’s coverage of practical dharma—temple-building, patronage, and worship—linking sacred architecture and ritual action to karmic outcomes (sin-destruction and liberation from naraka).
The verse states that devotion expressed through creating or honoring Kṛṣṇa’s temple yields exceptional expiatory merit, destroying even severe sins and freeing the patron from hellish suffering.