Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 1
Chapter 40 — भूपरिग्रहो नाम
Bhū-parigraha) / अर्घ्यदानविधानम् (Arghya-dāna-vidhāna
इत्य् आदिमहापुराणे आग्नेये प्रतिष्ठायां भूपरिग्रहो नामोनचत्वारिंशोध्यायः अथ चत्वारिंशो ऽध्यायः अर्घ्यदानविधानं भगवानुवाच पूर्वमासित् महद्भूतं सर्वभूतभयङ्करं तद्देवैर् निहितं भुमौ स वास्तुपुरुषः स्मृतः
ity ādimahāpurāṇe āgneye pratiṣṭhāyāṃ bhūparigraho nāmonacatvāriṃśodhyāyaḥ atha catvāriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ arghyadānavidhānaṃ bhagavānuvāca pūrvamāsit mahadbhūtaṃ sarvabhūtabhayaṅkaraṃ taddevair nihitaṃ bhumau sa vāstupuruṣaḥ smṛtaḥ
ఇట్లు ఆదిమహాపురాణమైన అగ్నిపురాణంలోని ప్రతిష్ఠా-ఖండంలో ‘భూ-పరిగ్రహ’ అనే నలభైవ అధ్యాయం. ఇప్పుడు నలభైవ అధ్యాయం—అర్ఘ్యదాన విధానం. భగవానుడు పలికెను—పూర్వం సమస్త భూతాలకు భయంకరమైన మహాభూతం ఉండెను; దేవతలు దానిని భూమిపై నిక్షిప్తం చేసిరి; అది ‘వాస్తుపురుషుడు’గా స్మరింపబడును.
Bhagavān (Lord Agni as narrator in the Agni Purāṇa dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Pratishtha","practical_application":"Temple/site-planning begins by ritually ‘taking possession’ of land and acknowledging the Vastu-Purusha as the metaphysical ground-plan being before laying the mandala and starting consecration.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Origin of the Vastu-Purusha (Bhū-parigraha context)","lookup_keywords":["Vastu-Purusha","bhū-parigraha","pratiṣṭhā","mandala","devas laid on earth"],"quick_summary":"The text frames site-planning as grounded in the mythic Vāstu-Puruṣa: a formidable being subdued and fixed upon the earth by the gods, establishing the sacred logic for mandala-based construction and installation rites."}
Concept: Human construction must align with a pre-existing cosmic order embodied as Vāstu-Puruṣa; ritual legitimizes possession and transformation of land.
Application: Before building, perform bhū-parigraha/pratiṣṭhā preliminaries, treat the site as a living sacred body, and allocate spaces according to the mandala.
Khanda Section: Vastu & Pratishtha (Temple Architecture, Site-Planning, and Consecration Rites)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The gods pin down a gigantic, fearsome being upon the earth, transforming him into the Vāstu-Puruṣa whose body becomes a mapped grid for sacred construction.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, earthy mineral pigments, devas restraining a colossal Vāstu-Puruṣa laid supine on bhūmi, subtle mandala grid overlay on his body, sacred aura, stylized clouds and lotuses, traditional ornamentation","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central supine Vāstu-Puruṣa with embossed gold halo accents, devas in jeweled crowns pressing him to the earth, decorative border, rich reds and greens, icon-like symmetry","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, fine linework and soft shading, instructional overlay showing the 8x8 vāstu grid mapped onto the Vāstu-Puruṣa body, labels for directions/padas, calm ritual setting","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed landscape of a consecration site, devas and sages around a large figure laid on ground, precise geometry lines indicating the mandala, delicate textiles and architectural hints"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इत्य्→इति; नामोनचत्वारिंशोध्यायः→नाम ऊनचत्वारिंशः अध्यायः; चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः→चत्वारिंशः अध्यायः; भगवानुवाच→भगवान् उवाच; पूर्वमासित्→पूर्वम् आसीत्; तद्देवैर्→तत् देवैः; भुमौ→भूमौ (orthographic).
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Vāstu-maṇḍala and pratiṣṭhā sections (adjacent chapters on bhū-parīkṣā, maṇḍala-nyāsa, devatā-pada-vinyāsa)
FAQs
It introduces the Vāstu–Pratiṣṭhā framework: arghya-offering rules and the foundational Vāstu concept of Bhū-parigraha, grounded in the Vāstu-Puruṣa narrative used for sanctifying and claiming a building-site.
By shifting from mythic narration to applied ritual-technology—site acquisition, arghya protocol, and Vāstu-Puruṣa doctrine—this chapter exemplifies how the Agni Purāṇa compiles architecture, consecration rites, and practical liturgy alongside theology.
Recognizing and ritually “settling” the Vāstu-Puruṣa and honoring the site through arghya is presented as a purification and harmonization act, removing obstacles and ensuring auspiciousness for construction and installation rites.