Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 35
Chapter 64 — कूपादिप्रतिष्ठाकथनं
The Account of the Consecration of Wells and Other Water-Works
आराध्य देवतालिङ्गं दशहस्तं तु कूपके यूपं यज्ञीयवृक्षोत्थं मूले हैमं फलं न्यसेत्
ārādhya devatāliṅgaṃ daśahastaṃ tu kūpake yūpaṃ yajñīyavṛkṣotthaṃ mūle haimaṃ phalaṃ nyaset
เมื่อบูชาลึงค์ (สัญลักษณ์) ของเทพตามพิธีแล้ว พึงตั้งยूपะในหลุม (กูปกะ) ยาวสิบศอก ทำจากไม้ที่เหมาะแก่ยัญ และวาง ‘ผล’ ทองคำไว้ที่โคนเสา.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as the usual Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Specify yūpa material, length (ten hands), pit-installation (kūpaka), and the placement of a golden finial/offering at the base after worship of the deity’s emblem.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Kūpaka-vidhi: ten-hasta yūpa from yajñiya tree with golden phala at base","lookup_keywords":["kūpaka","daśa-hasta","yajñīya-vṛkṣa","yūpa","haima-phala"],"quick_summary":"Worship the deity’s emblem, install a ten-hands-long yūpa in the pit using proper sacrificial wood, and place a golden ‘fruit’/finial at the base as part of consecration."}
Concept: Auspiciousness through correct materials, measures, and offerings in sacred construction.
Application: Select ritually sanctioned wood, follow prescribed length, and complete installation with a symbolic precious offering.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Icon installation and ritual construction: yūpa/kūpaka-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pit (kūpaka) prepared near a water-centered ritual area; priests worship a liṅga/emblem, then lower a tall yūpa marked as ten-hasta; a small golden finial/fruit is placed at the base.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized kūpaka pit with ritual markings, priests offering flowers to a devatā-liṅga, yūpa being set upright, a gold-toned phala at the base, lotus and conch motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, heavy gold work on the haima-phala and ornaments, yūpa rendered with gilded accents, deity emblem with halo, rich reds and greens, temple-like framing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional composition: measure marks along the yūpa indicating ten-hasta, cross-section detail, pit socket shown, golden phala drawn precisely at base, calm ritual participants.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, artisans and priests collaborating, detailed wood grain of yajñiya tree post, small gold object at base, architectural courtyard and water vessel details."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shuddha Saveri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: देवतालिङ्गम् = देवता-लिङ्गम्; यज्ञीयवृक्षोत्थम् = यज्ञीय-वृक्ष-उत्थम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 64 (kūpaka/yūpa procedures; subsequent mantras and wrapping in 64.37)
FAQs
It gives a precise procedural rule for yajña-setup: worship the deity’s emblem, fix a ten-hasta yūpa into a prepared pit (kūpaka) using sacrificially appropriate wood, and place a golden phala at the base as an auspicious ritual deposit/finial-offering.
Beyond theology, it preserves applied ritual-technology—measurements (daśa-hasta), construction details (kūpaka socket), material specifications (yajñīya wood), and consecratory deposits (haima-phala)—showing the text’s coverage of practical liturgy and ritual architecture.
Correctly installing and consecrating the yūpa after worship aligns the rite with śāstric ordinance, supporting purity (śuddhi), efficacy of offerings, and the accrual of ritual merit (puṇya) through properly established sacrificial infrastructure.