Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 23

नगरादिवास्तुकथनं

Discourse on Vāstu for Cities and Related Settlements

Devanagari script

सामान्यानाथ गृहं वक्ष्ये सर्वेषां सर्वकामदं एकद्वित्रिचतुःशालमष्टशालं यथाक्रमात्

Transliteration

sāmānyānātha gṛhaṃ vakṣye sarveṣāṃ sarvakāmadaṃ ekadvitricatuḥśālamaṣṭaśālaṃ yathākramāt

Translation

บัดนี้เราจักกล่าวถึงผังเรือนแบบทั่วไป (ใช้ได้แก่ทุกคน) ซึ่งกล่าวกันว่าให้ผลสมปรารถนาทุกประการแก่ชนทั้งปวง คือ แบบหนึ่งศาลา สองศาลา สามศาลา สี่ศาลา และแปดศาลา ตามลำดับ.

Word by Word

• sāmānyānām: of ordinary (people)
• sāmānyānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāmānya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; ‘of common (people)’

• atha: now/then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Discourse particle (अनन्तरार्थक/प्रारम्भक अव्यय)

• gṛham: house
• gṛham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• vakṣye: I shall describe
• vakṣye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• sarva-kāma-dam: granting all desires
• sarva-kāma-dam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + da (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from √dā/दा ‘to give’)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; उपपद-तत्पुरुष ‘giver of all desires’

• eka-dvi-tri-catuḥ-śālam: the one-, two-, three-, and four-halled (types)
• eka-dvi-tri-catuḥ-śālam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (संख्या) + dvi (संख्या) + tri (संख्या) + catuḥ (संख्या) + śāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; enumerative compound indicating 1/2/3/4-śāla types

• aṣṭa-śālam: the eight-halled (type)
• aṣṭa-śālam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (संख्या) + śāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; द्विगु ‘eight-halled’

• yathā-kramāt: in order, successively
• yathā-kramāt: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular in avyayībhāva sense; adverbial ‘in due order’

Speaker

Lord Agni (instructional narration to the sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Selecting a house typology (1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 8-hall) suited to household size, function, and desired outcomes.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Sāmānya (general-purpose) gṛha types by śālā count","lookup_keywords":["sāmānya-gṛha","ekashālā","dviśālā","catuḥśālā","aṣṭaśālā"],"quick_summary":"Introduces a standard, broadly applicable house-plan series classified by the number of halls/courts (śālā), presented as sequential typologies."}

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gṛhastha-life is supported by orderly space; ‘sarvakāmadam’ frames architecture as enabling dharma-artha-kāma (and indirectly mokṣa).

Application: Choose a scalable plan-type that matches resources and household needs while maintaining canonical order.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Vāstu-śāstra (Gṛha-nirmāṇa / House-planning and architectural typologies)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A comparative plate showing five house footprints labeled ekashālā, dviśālā, triśālā, catuḥśālā, and aṣṭaśālā in sequence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, five schematic house-plans arranged like a teaching panel, earthy pigments, bold outlines, Sanskrit captions, a master-builder (sthāpati) instructing students.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, ornate gold frame around a central ‘sarvakāmadam’ house-plan chart, each śālā-type in a medallion, rich maroons and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean architectural drawings with fine lines and soft washes, sequential typology chart with measurement marks and labels.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, architectural folio with multiple plan-diagrams, craftsmen presenting the chart to a patron seated in a pavilion."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: sāmānyānātha (as transmitted) taken as sāmānyānām + atha; ekadvitricatuḥśālam → eka-dvi-tri-catuḥ-śālam; yathākramāt → yathā-kramāt.

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 105 (gṛha-nirmāṇa typologies following pura-vinyāsa)

Characters & Entities

• Agni Purana
• Vāstu-śāstra
• Gṛha (house)
• Śālā (hall/wing)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It introduces Vāstu-vidyā classification of residential layouts by the number of śālās (halls/wings/structural units): 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 8-śālā house-types, to be explained sequentially for practical planning.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

By shifting from purely theological narration to applied knowledge—here, architectural taxonomy and planning—showing the Agni Purāṇa’s coverage of technical sciences (Vāstu) alongside ritual, dharma, and other disciplines.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

The verse frames correct house design as auspicious and ‘sarvakāmada’—supportive of prosperity and desired life-goals—implying that orderly, dharmic space-planning aligns the household with beneficial results.