Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 4
Chapter 106 — नगरादिवास्तुः
Vāstu Concerning Towns and Related Settlements
येनेभादि सुखं गच्छेत् कुर्याद् द्वारं तु षट्करं छिन्नकर्णं विभिन्नञ्च चन्द्रार्धाभं पुरं न हि
yenebhādi sukhaṃ gacchet kuryād dvāraṃ tu ṣaṭkaraṃ chinnakarṇaṃ vibhinnañca candrārdhābhaṃ puraṃ na hi
เพื่อให้ช้างและสัตว์พาหนะอื่น ๆ ผ่านได้โดยสะดวก พึงทำประตูให้มีขนาดหกกร (หกศอก). แต่ในนครไม่ควรมีประตูที่เป็น ‘ฉินนกรณะ’ (บกพร่องที่ด้านข้าง), ‘วิภินนะ’ (แตกแยก/ปริ), หรือมีรูปครึ่งจันทร์.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purāṇa narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Specify functional gate dimensions for heavy traffic (elephants) and avoid inauspicious/structurally defective gate shapes (cut-eared, split, half-moon) in city design.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"City-Gate Measure and Prohibited Gate-Forms (Dvāra-doṣa)","lookup_keywords":["ṣaṭkara-dvāra","gaja-gamana","dvāra-doṣa","chinnakarṇa","candrārdha"],"quick_summary":"Make the gate wide enough (six-fold measure) for elephants and traffic; avoid defective or ill-omened gate profiles such as cut-sided, split, or half-moon shaped."}
Concept: Auspicious form and functional adequacy are inseparable in sacred-civic architecture; defects invite harm and disorder.
Application: Adopt minimum clearances for major traffic and reject weak/inauspicious geometries in critical thresholds like gates.
Khanda Section: Vastu-shastra (Town-planning and architectural omens)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A massive city gate measured out by architects with a rod/cord, an elephant passing comfortably through; nearby, rejected gate sketches show cut-sided, split, and half-moon profiles crossed out.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, craftsmen measuring a grand gate, elephant procession entering, side panel with three inauspicious gate shapes depicted as warnings, bold outlines and traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate gateway with gold work, elephant and attendants passing, artisan holding measuring staff, small medallions showing prohibited gate shapes, rich decorative borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, technical illustration feel: measurement marks on the gate, clear depiction of elephant clearance, diagram strip of forbidden profiles labeled chinnakarṇa, bhinna, candrārdha.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, realistic fort gate with engineers and scribes, elephant caravan entering, marginal sketches of rejected gate designs, fine architectural detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yena + ibha-ādi → yenebhādi; vibhinnaṃ + ca → vibhinnañca; candra + ardha + ābham → candrārdhābham.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Vāstu passages on śubha/aśubha-lakṣaṇa (good/bad marks); Agni Purana durga/dvāra construction guidelines
FAQs
It gives a Vāstu-śāstra rule for city-gates: specify a practical width (six ‘kara’ units) to allow large traffic like elephants, and avoid structurally/omen-wise defective forms (split, damaged sides, half-moon-shaped gates).
Beyond theology, it preserves applied technical knowledge—urban infrastructure standards, measurement-based design, and omen-avoidance criteria—showing the Agni Purāṇa’s coverage of civil architecture and governance-adjacent planning.
In Vāstu thought, correct proportions and avoidance of दोष (defects) protect the settlement’s auspiciousness, safety, and prosperity; defective gates are treated as inauspicious markers that can invite obstacles and misfortune.