Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 30
Liṅga-māna-ādi-kathana
Measurements and Related Particulars of the Liṅga
पञ्चविंशतिलिङ्गानि नाद्ये देवार्चिते तथा पञ्चसप्तभिरेकत्वाज्जिनैर् भक्तैर् भवन्ति हि
pañcaviṃśatiliṅgāni nādye devārcite tathā pañcasaptabhirekatvājjinair bhaktair bhavanti hi
ลึงค์ยี่สิบห้าถูกนับเป็นหนึ่งเดียว และเช่นเดียวกันเมื่อบูชาเทพ ณ นาฑยะ คือท่าน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ด้วยความเป็นเอกภาพที่เกิดจากการจัดเป็นหมู่ห้าและหมู่เจ็ด ลึงค์เหล่านั้นจึงเป็นหนึ่งเดียวโดยแท้สำหรับผู้ภักดีผู้ชนะอินทรีย์
Lord Agni (in instruction to Vasiṣṭha, the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Guidance for pilgrimage-worship accounting: understanding equivalences/collective unity of liṅga worship and tīrtha-arcana for accruing merit and focused devotion.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Merit-Equivalence: Twenty-Five Liṅgas as One; Unity by Five-and-Seven Groupings","lookup_keywords":["pañcaviṃśati liṅga","tīrtha arcana","nāḍya","pañca-sapta","ekatva"],"quick_summary":"States a ritual equivalence where twenty-five liṅgas are reckoned as one, and similarly deity-worship at a sacred bathing place is unified; through five-and-seven groupings, devotees attain a sense of oneness in worship and merit."}
Concept: Ekatva (unity) in worship: multiplicity of forms/sites can be ritually and devotionally integrated into one act for the disciplined devotee.
Application: Perform worship with concentrated mind and ethical self-control (jitendriya), treating multiple shrines/acts as one integrated offering rather than scattered ritualism.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Linga/Deva-archana and merit of worship)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A riverside tīrtha with a row of many Śiva-liṅgas; devotees perform abhiṣeka, while a symbolic diagram shows ‘25 = 1’ and groupings of five and seven merging into a single radiant liṅga.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, river-ghāṭa scene with multiple liṅgas under simple shrines, devotees pouring water and bilva leaves, a central glowing liṅga representing unity, earthy palette and stylized waves.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central large golden-haloed liṅga, surrounding 25 small liṅgas in a mandala-like arrangement, devotees with lamps and vessels, gold work emphasizing ‘ekatva’.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional composition: counted liṅgas arranged in 5x5 grid, arrows showing consolidation into one, side vignette of tīrtha worship at a bathing place, fine lines and labels.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed riverside pilgrimage: groups of five and seven devotees around clusters of liṅgas, a learned priest indicating a tally board ‘25→1’, delicate architecture and water rendering."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pañcaviṃśatiliṅgāni treated as dvigu; pañcasaptabhirekatvājjinair → pañca-saptabhiḥ ekatvāt jinaiḥ (visarga/lopa and consonant sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana pūjā-vidhi and liṅga-arcana sections near 54.30; Agni Purana tīrtha-māhātmya style passages elsewhere (if present in the compilation)
FAQs
It teaches a ritual principle of equivalence: multiple liṅgas (here, twenty-five) and worship performed in a tīrtha/bathing-place setting may be treated as a single unified act/fruit for a devoted, disciplined practitioner—i.e., how puṇya is ‘counted’ through prescribed groupings.
It exemplifies the Agni Purāṇa’s catalog-like treatment of worship protocols—quantifying ritual outcomes, defining equivalences, and integrating tīrtha-practice with temple worship—alongside its many other domains (law, polity, medicine, aesthetics).
The verse stresses that disciplined devotion (sense-conquest) yields unity of merit: many external forms of worship can culminate in a single concentrated karmic/spiritual fruit when performed with proper method and bhakti.