Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 12
Chapter 65 — सभास्थापनकथनं
Account of Establishing an Assembly-hall
चतुःशालं सदा शस्तं सर्वदोषविवर्जितं एकभौमादि कुर्वीत भवनं सप्तभौमकं
catuḥśālaṃ sadā śastaṃ sarvadoṣavivarjitaṃ ekabhaumādi kurvīta bhavanaṃ saptabhaumakaṃ
เรือนจตุศาลา (catuḥśāla) เป็นที่สรรเสริญเสมอ เพราะปราศจากโทษทั้งปวง; ควรสร้างที่อยู่อาศัยตั้งแต่หนึ่งชั้นไปจนถึงเจ็ดชั้น
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purāṇa’s standard narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Prefer catuḥśāla (four-wing courtyard) plans to minimize defects; plan vertical expansion from one to seven storeys according to capacity and rules.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Catuḥśāla excellence and permissible storey range","lookup_keywords":["catuḥśāla","sarva-doṣa-vivarjita","ekabhūma","saptabhūmaka","storeys"],"quick_summary":"A catuḥśāla residence is praised as defect-free; houses may be built from one up to seven storeys, implying regulated vertical planning."}
Concept: Completeness and symmetry (four-sided enclosure) reduce doṣa; growth should be staged and rule-bound.
Application: Adopt courtyard-centric planning and phase construction storey-by-storey, ensuring structural and vāstu compliance at each level.
Khanda Section: Vāstu-śāstra (Architecture and House-Planning)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symmetrical four-wing courtyard house (catuḥśāla) shown in plan and a vertical cutaway showing 1 to 7 storeys as stacked levels.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style depiction of an ideal catuḥśāla courtyard home, birds-eye plan blended with narrative artisans, seven-tier elevation ghosted behind, Sanskrit labels for bhūmis","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold highlights on the central courtyard and four surrounding wings, ornate border, a stepped seven-storey silhouette in the background, auspicious motifs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style architectural plate: precise catuḥśāla floor plan with proportional grid, plus elevation diagram marking ekabhūma to saptabhūma, clean annotations","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a noble commissioning a courtyard mansion, architect presenting a plan and a seven-storey elevation scroll, detailed courtyard garden at center"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: catuḥśālaṃ → catuḥ-śālam; sarvadoṣavivarjitaṃ → sarva-doṣa-vivarjitam; ekabhaumādi → eka-bhauma-ādi; saptabhaumakaṃ → sapta-bhaumakam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 65 (gṛha-bheda and doṣa); Agni Purana vāstu sections on measurements/āyādi (recensional)
FAQs
It teaches Vāstu-vidyā: the recommended residential layout (catuḥśāla—four-winged courtyard house) and the permissible range of storeys for a dwelling (from one up to seven).
By prescribing concrete architectural norms—house typology and vertical planning—it shows the Agni Purāṇa functioning as a practical manual alongside its religious narratives, covering applied sciences like Vāstu-śāstra.
Choosing a layout described as “free from defects” is presented as aligning the home with auspicious order (śubha-vāstu), reducing inauspicious influences and supporting household well-being and dharmic living.