Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 34
Chapter 38 — देवालयनिर्माणफलं
The Merit of Constructing a Temple
देवालयस्य स्वर्गी स्यान्नरकं न स गच्छति कुलानां शतमुद्धृत्य विष्णुलोकं नयेन्नरः
devālayasya svargī syānnarakaṃ na sa gacchati kulānāṃ śatamuddhṛtya viṣṇulokaṃ nayennaraḥ
దేవాలయానికి భక్తితో అంకితుడైనవాడు స్వర్గానికి అర్హుడవుతాడు; అతడు నరకానికి వెళ్లడు. తన వంశంలోని వంద తరాలను उद्धరించి వారిని విష్ణులోకానికి నడిపిస్తాడు।
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Encouraging regular temple devotion and service by stating soteriological benefits (svarga, avoidance of naraka, uplift of lineage, attainment of Viṣṇuloka).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Devalaya-bhakti Phala: Svarga, Naraka-nivṛtti, and Kula-uddhāra to Viṣṇuloka","lookup_keywords":["devalaya bhakti","svarga phala","naraka nivṛtti","kula uddhāra","viṣṇuloka"],"quick_summary":"Temple devotion is praised as leading to heaven and freedom from hell, with the devotee credited with uplifting a hundred generations and guiding them to Viṣṇu’s realm."}
Concept: Bhakti expressed through devalaya-sevā as a liberative practice with transgenerational merit.
Application: Maintain regular darśana, pūjā, dīpa, naivedya, and temple service; dedicate merit for ancestors/descendants (kula-hitārtha saṅkalpa).
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Devalaya-Mahatmya (Temple worship and merit)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee worships in a temple; behind him a luminous chain of ancestors rises upward, culminating in Viṣṇuloka imagery (Vaikuṇṭha).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, temple interior with lamp-lit sanctum, devotee in añjali, stylized ancestral figures ascending in tiers toward a Vaikuṇṭha cloud-palace with Viṣṇu, rich ornamental borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central Viṣṇu in Vaikuṇṭha with gold halo; lower register shows temple worship with dīpa and flowers; a golden genealogical tree motif representing ‘hundred generations’ uplifted.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, narrative split-scene: left—temple pūjā; right—pathway to Viṣṇuloka with ascending ancestors; delicate linework, soft colors, emphasis on devotional posture.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed temple courtyard with worship; above, a celestial register showing Vaikuṇṭha; a procession of translucent ancestor figures moving upward, fine architectural detail and subdued palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: syānnarakaṃ = syāt + narakam; śatamuddhṛtya = śatam + uddhṛtya; nayennaraḥ = nayet + naraḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Devalaya-mahātmya and pūjā-vidhi sections; Agni Purana: Viṣṇu-bhakti/stotra materials elsewhere in the text
FAQs
It teaches the phala (ritual result) doctrine of devalaya-sevā/temple devotion: temple-oriented worship is presented as a merit-producing practice that grants svarga and prevents naraka.
Alongside practical topics, the Agni Purana catalogues worship-vidhi and its measurable outcomes (phala-śruti). This verse is part of that compendium—summarizing temple devotion as a soteriological and karmic mechanism affecting both the individual and lineage.
It asserts that devotion to a temple not only secures the devotee’s favorable afterlife but also generates transgenerational merit—uplifting “a hundred” ancestral/descendant generations and aligning them with Viṣṇu’s realm.