Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 18
Chapter 41 — शिलाविन्यासविधानं
The Procedure for Laying the Stones / Foundation Setting
मन्त्रेणानेन विन्यस्य इष्टका देशक्रमोत्तमः सम्युता इति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः अष्टाहुतीप्लथा पूर्णैर् आज्यमिति ग, घ, ङ, इति पुस्तकत्रयपाठः सोमाय च ग्रहाय चेति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः द्वादशार्णेन इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः गर्भाधानं ततः कुर्यान्मध्यस्थाने समाहितः
mantreṇānena vinyasya iṣṭakā deśakramottamaḥ samyutā iti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ aṣṭāhutīplathā pūrṇair ājyamiti ga, gha, ṅa, iti pustakatrayapāṭhaḥ somāya ca grahāya ceti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ dvādaśārṇena iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ garbhādhānaṃ tataḥ kuryānmadhyasthāne samāhitaḥ
ఈ మంత్రంతో ఇష్టకాలను విన్యసించి, స్థానక్రమానుసారం ఉత్తమంగా యథాస్థానంగా సమ్యక్గా సంయోజించాలి; అనంతరం సమాహితచిత్తంతో మధ్యస్థానంలో ‘గర్భాధాన’ అనే కర్మను చేయాలి। (పాఠాంతరంలో పూర్తి అష్టాహుతులతో ఆజ్యాహుతి, ‘సోమాయ చ గ్రహాయ చ’ అనే ఆహ్వానం, అలాగే ద్వాదశాక్షర మంత్రప్రయోగం కూడా పేర్కొనబడింది.)
Lord Agni (Agni Purana’s primary narrator) addressing the sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Outlines mantra-based brick placement by location-sequence and the subsequent central garbhādhāna rite, with variant readings on ājya oblations and specific invocations/formulas.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Mantra-vinyāsa of Iṣṭakās and Central Garbhādhāna (with variant pāṭhas)","lookup_keywords":["garbhādhāna","iṣṭakā-vinyāsa","aṣṭāhuti","ājya","dvādaśārṇa"],"quick_summary":"Place bricks with the prescribed mantra in correct spatial order, then perform garbhādhāna at the center; some recensions add eight ghee oblations, Soma/Graha invocations, and a twelve-syllable formula."}
Concept: Correct sequence plus focused attention (samāhita) activates the rite; textual variants indicate living transmission (pāṭha-bheda) without losing the core procedure.
Application: Follow the deśa-krama for placement; perform the central garbhādhāna with collected mind; if following a recension, include specified ājya oblations and formulas consistently.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Agni-vidhi (Iṣṭakā-nyāsa and Garbhādhāna rites in altar/temple construction)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A brick grid laid out in correct order; a priest recites mantras while placing bricks, then performs a central garbhādhāna rite with ghee offerings into fire, with manuscript variants noted on a palm-leaf text nearby.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, vedi with brick pattern, central glowing point, priest offering ājya into fire, palm-leaf manuscript with red markings indicating variant readings, rhythmic sacred setting","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold fire-flames and vessels, central garbhādhāna focus, bricks arranged symmetrically, ornate ritual implements, luminous sanctity","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional composition: numbered brick positions, priest chanting, eight small āhuti bowls shown, center labeled for garbhādhāna, clean diagram-like clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed ritual court with scholars consulting manuscripts, priest at central fire performing ghee oblations, geometric brick layout rendered precisely"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shree","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मन्त्रेणानेन = मन्त्रेण + अनेन; (पाठान्तर-टिप्पणी-भागः: ‘ङ/ग/घ/ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः…’ इत्यादि सम्पादकीय-निर्देशाः, श्लोकस्य मुख्य-वाक्य-रचनायां न गृहीताः); कुर्यान्मध्यस्थाने = कुर्यात् + मध्यस्थाने
Related Themes: Agni Purana 41 (agni-vidhi; iṣṭakā-nyāsa; garbhādhāna within pratiṣṭhā)
FAQs
It gives procedural ritual-technology for iṣṭakā-vinyāsa (placing altar/structure bricks in proper spatial sequence) and then performing garbhādhāna—depositing and consecrating the ‘womb’ element at the central point as part of foundation/altar sanctification.
Alongside theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical liturgical and architectural manuals—mantra-based brick-laying, specified oblation counts (aṣṭāhuti), and central-consecration rites—bridging Vedic homa practice with Vāstu/temple-construction protocols.
Correct mantra-guided placement and the central garbhādhāna consecration sacralize the structure/altar as a fit seat for deity and sacrifice, aiming at purification (śuddhi), ritual completeness (pūrṇatā), and merit (puṇya) through properly ordered worship.