Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 60

Adhivāsana-vidhi

Procedure for Preliminary Consecration in Vāstu–Pratiṣṭhā / Īśāna-kalpa

Devanagari script

रेखात्रयेण सम्बद्धं कारयेत् पृष्टदेशगं रत्नजे लक्षणोद्धारो यवौ हेमसमुद्भवे

Transliteration

rekhātrayeṇa sambaddhaṃ kārayet pṛṣṭadeśagaṃ ratnaje lakṣaṇoddhāro yavau hemasamudbhave

Translation

พึงทำเครื่องหมายมงคลไว้ที่บริเวณหลัง โดยเชื่อมด้วยเส้นสามเส้น สำหรับสิ่งที่เกิดจากรัตนะให้พิจารณากำหนดเครื่องหมายมงคล; ส่วนที่เกิดจากทองคำกำหนดเครื่องหมายชื่อ ‘ยวะ’ ไว้

Word by Word

• रेखात्रयेण: with the three lines
• रेखात्रयेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेखा + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; ‘रेखात्रय’ = three lines

• सम्बद्धम्: connected/linked
• सम्बद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + बन्ध् (धातु) → सम्बद्ध (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifying an implied object (e.g., रेखा/चिह्नम्)

• कारयेत्: should have (it) made / should cause (it) to be done
• कारयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense ‘to cause to be made’ (णिच्-अर्थ)

• पृष्ठदेशगम्: situated on the back region
• पृष्ठदेशगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृष्ठ + देश + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पृष्ठदेश’ (back-region) + ‘ग’ (going/located)

• रत्नजे: in/for the gem-born (object)
• रत्नजे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्न + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative); ‘born of gem/precious substance’

• लक्षणोद्धारः: the extraction of the marks (mark-recovery)
• लक्षणोद्धारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण + उद्धार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘extraction/bringing out of marks’

• यवौ: two barley(-grains)
• यवौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; ‘two barley-grains’ (measure/shape reference)

• हेमसमुद्भवे: in/for that which arises from gold
• हेमसमुद्भवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative); ‘arisen from gold’

Speaker

Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: लक्षणोद्धारः = लक्षण + उद्धारः; रेखात्रयेण is a dvigu compound (त्रय-). No major external sandhi beyond standard vowel coalescence in compounds.

Characters & Entities

• Agni Purana
• Ratna (gem)
• Hema (gold)
• Rekhā (lines)
• Yava (barley-grain mark)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It gives a technical rule from Ratna-parīkṣā/Lakṣaṇa-śāstra: how to recognize or inscribe auspicious markings—specifically a mark connected with three lines on the back region, and the ‘yava’ (barley-grain) sign for items associated with gold.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana preserves applied knowledge such as gem-and-metal lore, omenology, and craft guidelines—showing how ritual, material culture, and technical identification (lakṣaṇa) were systematized.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Correct identification and use of auspicious marks is treated as a way to ensure śubhatva (beneficial outcomes) in ritual or auspicious use of valuables, minimizing doṣa (inauspiciousness) and supporting merit through proper observance.