Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 32
Vāsudevādi-pratimā-lakṣaṇa-vidhiḥ
Iconographic and Iconometric Procedure for Vāsudeva and the Vyūha Forms
भ्रूदैर्घ्याच्चतुरङ्गुला इति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः द्विपर्वोङ्गुष्ठकः कार्यः शेषागुल्यस्त्रिपर्विकाः सर्वासां पर्वणोर्धेन नखमानं विधीयते
bhrūdairghyāccaturaṅgulā iti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ dviparvoṅguṣṭhakaḥ kāryaḥ śeṣāgulyastriparvikāḥ sarvāsāṃ parvaṇordhena nakhamānaṃ vidhīyate
“สี่อังคุละจากความยาวคิ้ว”—ดังปรากฏในคัมภีร์ฉบับที่มีเครื่องหมายกำกับ. นิ้วหัวแม่มือพึงทำให้มีสองข้อ ส่วนนิ้วอื่นให้มีสามข้อ; และขนาดเล็บของทุกนิ้วกำหนดให้เท่ากับครึ่งหนึ่งของหนึ่งข้อ.
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic teachings)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Defining finger-joint and nail proportions for accurate iconometry and consistent sculptural hands.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Aṅguṣṭha-dviparva & Nakha-pramāṇa (Variant Reading Noted)","lookup_keywords":["dviparva-aṅguṣṭha","triparva-aṅguli","nakha-pramāṇa","bhrū-dairghya","pāṭha-bheda"],"quick_summary":"Specifies joint-count: thumb with two joints, other fingers with three; nails are half a joint. Notes a textual variant about a four-aṅgula measure tied to eyebrow length."}
Concept: Śāstra-pramāṇa with awareness of pāṭhabheda (recensional variants).
Application: When crafting/teaching, preserve the received standard while documenting variant readings for informed practice.
Khanda Section: Vastu-vidya / Pratima-Lakshana (Iconography and measurement rules)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sculptor consults a marked manuscript showing variant readings while carving a deity’s hand with correct joint and nail proportions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, artisan with palm-leaf manuscript, close-up of hand with joints indicated, muted greens/ochres, temple workshop setting.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold highlights on manuscript edges and tools, deity hand being sculpted, joints subtly segmented, rich reds.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, diagrammatic hand with two-jointed thumb and three-jointed fingers, nails half-joint, annotations in Devanagari.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scribe pointing to a marginal note (pāṭhabheda) in a codex, sculptor measuring finger segments with calipers."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भ्रूदैर्घ्याच्चतुरङ्गुलाः = भ्रू-दैर्घ्यात् + चतुर्-अङ्गुलाः; द्विपर्वोङ्गुष्ठकः = द्वि-पर्व-अङ्गुष्ठकः; शेषागुल्यस्त्रिपर्विकाः = शेष-अगुल्यः + त्रि-पर्विकाः; पर्वणोर्धेन = पर्वणोः + ऊर्धेन.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 44 (Pratimā-lakṣaṇa: aṅga-pramāṇa sequences)
FAQs
It gives śilpa/vaastu iconometric rules: how to construct the hand—thumb with two joints, other fingers with three joints, and nail-size as half a joint—using the aṅgula-based proportional system.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical craft-knowledge (śilpa-śāstra) for image-making and temple arts, detailing precise anatomical proportions used by sculptors and painters.
Accurate proportions are traditionally held to ensure the deity-image is ritually fit (yogya) for installation and worship, supporting correct devotion and the merit (puṇya) associated with properly made icons.