Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 81
Adhivāsana-vidhi
Procedure for Preliminary Consecration in Vāstu–Pratiṣṭhā / Īśāna-kalpa
एकशः प्रतिभागेषु ब्रह्मविष्णुहराधिपान् विन्यस्य मूर्तिमूर्तीशान् पूर्वादिक्रमतो यथा
ekaśaḥ pratibhāgeṣu brahmaviṣṇuharādhipān vinyasya mūrtimūrtīśān pūrvādikramato yathā
ตามลำดับที่ถูกต้องเริ่มจากทิศตะวันออก ให้จัดวางทีละส่วนในแต่ละช่อง คือเจ้าแห่งภาคทั้งหลาย—พรหม วิษณุ และหระ—พร้อมด้วยรูปภาวะของท่านและพระผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งรูปทั้งปวง ตามที่บัญญัติไว้
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Ritual mandala/altar-space division and directional placement (nyāsa) of Brahmā–Viṣṇu–Hara and Īśa in prescribed order for pūjā.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Dik-krama nyāsa of Brahmā–Viṣṇu–Hara with Mūrtis and Mūrtīśa","lookup_keywords":["nyāsa","mandala divisions","dik-krama","brahmā viṣṇu hara","mūrtīśa"],"quick_summary":"Install the presiding deities and their forms into the mandala’s divisions sequentially from the East, maintaining the prescribed directional order for effective ritual structure."}
Concept: Cosmic functions (creation-preservation-dissolution) are stabilized in ritual space through ordered directional nyāsa.
Application: When drawing/visualizing the mandala, assign each deity to its allotted segment starting from East; use this as the backbone for subsequent mantra-japa and upacāras.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Murti-nyasa and Mandala-krama (Iconography & Ritual Placement)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual mandala divided into compartments; a priest indicates placements from the East, installing Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Hara, and the Lord of forms in successive sections with small deity emblems.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural depiction of a pūjā-maṇḍala on temple floor, clear compartment divisions, stylized deity emblems for Brahmā Viṣṇu Hara, priest in traditional attire pointing east-first sequence","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, ornate mandala with gold accents on deity emblems, Brahmā Viṣṇu Hara placed in compartments, rich decorative border, ritual vessels nearby","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional clarity: labeled directions (E,S,W,N), neat compartment grid, priest performing nyāsa gestures, small icon panels for each deity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a ritual scene on a folio: geometric mandala on ground, attendants, precise directional layout, delicate deity symbols in compartments, calligraphic direction labels"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ब्रह्मविष्णुहराधिपान् → ब्रह्म + विष्णु + हर + अधिपान्; मूर्तिमूर्तीशान् → मूर्ति + मूर्तीशान्; पूर्वादिक्रमतो → पूर्व + आदि + क्रमतः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 96 (pūjā-vidhi: maṇḍala-krama, nyāsa)
FAQs
It teaches devatā-vinyāsa/nyāsa: the method of installing specific deities (Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Hara/Īśāna) into designated sections of a ritual space or mandala, following a fixed directional order beginning from the East.
Beyond mythology, it preserves practical liturgical and architectural-ritual procedure—how icons/deities are arranged in subdivided sacred space—linking Purāṇic teaching with applied temple worship, mandala design, and consecration protocols.
Correct directional placement and orderly nyāsa are treated as ensuring ritual purity and efficacy: the worship becomes properly aligned with cosmic order (dik-krama), supporting auspiciousness, protection, and the intended merit (puṇya) of the rite.