Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 43
Chapter 64 — कूपादिप्रतिष्ठाकथनं
The Account of the Consecration of Wells and Other Water-Works
एकाहं स्थापयेत्तोयं तत्पुण्यमयुतायुतं विमाने मोदते स्वर्गे नरकं न स गच्छति
ekāhaṃ sthāpayettoyaṃ tatpuṇyamayutāyutaṃ vimāne modate svarge narakaṃ na sa gacchati
ผู้ใดจัดตั้งการให้น้ำแม้เพียงวันเดียว ย่อมได้บุญนับไม่ถ้วนดุจอายุตะเป็นอเนก เขาย่อมรื่นรมย์ในสวรรค์บนวิมาน และไม่ไปสู่นรก
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the common Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Establish a water-supply (jala-sthāpana)—even for one day—such as a water-stand, pot, trough, or maintained well access; treat it as a high-merit public service.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"One-day jala-sthāpana and its heavenly reward","lookup_keywords":["jala-sthapana","ekaha","punya-phala","svarga-vimana","naraka-nivritti"],"quick_summary":"Providing water even briefly is extolled as generating immense merit, promising heavenly enjoyment and protection from hell—an emphatic incentive for public hydration charity."}
Alamkara Type: Phala-śruti with Atishayokti
Concept: Lokopakāra (public benefit) is spiritually potent; small-duration service can carry vast karmic weight when it relieves suffering.
Application: Adopt micro-vows: sponsor a day of water service during festivals, heatwaves, or pilgrimages; maintain continuity through community rotation.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Dāna & Tīrtha/Ritual Merit Instructions)
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A water-stand set up for a day: a shaded pavilion with pots and ladles where travelers drink; above, a symbolic celestial vimāna motif indicates the promised reward.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, roadside water pavilion with palm-leaf roof, large earthen pots, travelers and animals drinking, donor figure replenishing water, faint celestial vimāna in upper register, earthy tones and sacred calm.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate water pavilion with gold accents on vessels, donor offering water to pilgrims, stylized vimāna in the sky with gold leaf, rich temple-town setting.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional depiction of a one-day water service: shaded stand, covered pots, ladle, queue of travelers, emphasis on cleanliness and replenishment schedule, fine linework.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed caravan road scene with a water booth, attendants serving water, travelers resting, a small luminous celestial chariot in the sky as allegory, intricate landscape."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्थापयेत्तोयं→स्थापयेत् + तोयम्; तत्पुण्यमयुतायुतं→तत्-पुण्यम् + अयुत-अयुतम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: jala-dana praise within dana-dharma; Agni Purana: phala-śruti style passages promising svarga for public charity
FAQs
It prescribes toya-sthāpana (arranging/providing water, e.g., a water-pot, trough, or water-station) even for one day as a dāna-based ritual act that yields exceptionally high puṇya.
It exemplifies the Purāṇa’s practical dharma-encyclopedia style: alongside theology, it records actionable public-benefit rites (dāna, provisioning water) and their stated karmic results (svarga, vimāna, avoidance of naraka).
The verse frames water-provision as a high-impact merit act: it multiplies puṇya “countlessly,” grants heavenly enjoyment (vimāna in svarga), and is said to prevent descent to naraka.