Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 29
Chapter 66: साधारणप्रतिष्ठाविधानम्
The Procedure for General Consecration
इष्टकासेतुकारी च गोलोके मार्गकृद्गवां नियमव्रतकृद्विष्णुः कृच्छ्रकृत्सर्वपापहा
iṣṭakāsetukārī ca goloke mārgakṛdgavāṃ niyamavratakṛdviṣṇuḥ kṛcchrakṛtsarvapāpahā
ผู้ใดสร้างเสตุด้วยอิฐ (สะพาน/คันกั้น) และผู้ใดทำทางให้โคในโคโลกะ; ผู้ปฏิบัตินิยมและวรต; ผู้เป็นภักตะแห่งพระวิษณุ; และผู้ประกอบพรตชำระบาปกฤจฉระ—ย่อมเป็นผู้ทำลายบาปทั้งปวง.
Lord Agni (in the Agni Purana’s primary narration, instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Merit-making through infrastructure (causeways/paths), disciplined vows, Viṣṇu-bhakti, and formal expiation (kṛcchra) for sin-removal.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Puṇya-karmas for Sarva-pāpa-kṣaya (Setu, Mārga, Vrata, Viṣṇu-bhakti, Kṛcchra)","lookup_keywords":["iṣṭakā-setu","mārga","goloka","niyama-vrata","kṛcchra"],"quick_summary":"Building bridges/causeways and cattle-paths, observing vows, devotion to Viṣṇu, and performing kṛcchra expiation are grouped as powerful means for destroying sins."}
Concept: Sin is attenuated by (1) loka-saṅgraha service, (2) niyama/vow discipline, (3) īśvara-bhakti, and (4) prāyaścitta austerity.
Application: Combine ethical public works with personal restraint and devotional practice; use kṛcchra as formal expiation when required by dharma.
Khanda Section: Dana–Vrata–Prayashchitta (Meritorious acts, vows, and expiations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Type: Sacred Realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A brick causeway/bridge under construction; a clearly marked cattle-path through pasture; a vow-observer practicing restraint; a devotee offering to Viṣṇu; and an ascetic performing kṛcchra austerity—shown as a sequence of panels culminating in ‘sin washed away’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, multi-panel narrative: setu with brickwork, cows on a dedicated path, vrata practitioner with water pot and rosary, Viṣṇu shrine with lamp, kṛcchra ascetic in austere posture, symbolic purification river motif","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold accents on Viṣṇu and ritual items, donor-builder scenes with ornate borders, cows and pastoral Goloka imagery, devotional panel glowing, expiation panel subdued but dignified","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional storyboard layout, labeled actions (setu, mārga, vrata, bhakti, kṛcchra), fine lines and soft washes, emphasis on procedure and ethical intent","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, realistic bridge construction and pastoral cattle track, separate vignette of devotee at Viṣṇu temple, ascetic austerity scene, delicate landscape and architectural detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मार्गकृद्गवाम् = मार्गकृत् + गवाम्; नियमव्रतकृद्विष्णुः = नियमव्रतकृत् + विष्णुः; कृच्छ्रकृत्सर्वपापहा = कृच्छ्रकृत् + सर्वपापहा.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 66 (dāna/vow/expiation cluster)
FAQs
It lists specific prāyaścitta and dharmic acts—public welfare works (building bridges/paths), niyama–vrata observance, Vaiṣṇava devotion, and the Kṛcchra penance—as means for purification and merit.
It compiles multiple domains of dharma in one place: social welfare (infrastructure for travel/cattle), ritual discipline (vrata/niyama), sectarian devotion (Viṣṇu-bhakti), and formal expiation systems (Kṛcchra), showing the Purana’s catalog-like coverage of practice and results.
The verse teaches that both inward discipline (vows, penance, devotion) and outward service (creating safe passage/paths) generate strong puṇya and function as sarva-pāpa-hara—removing accumulated karmic impurities.