Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 24
Chapter 246 — वास्तुलक्षणम्
Characteristics of Building-sites / Vāstu
उत्तरेण शुभः प्लक्षो वटः प्राक् स्याद् गृहादितः उदुम्वरश् च याम्येन पश्चिमे ऽश्वत्थ उत्तमः
uttareṇa śubhaḥ plakṣo vaṭaḥ prāk syād gṛhāditaḥ udumvaraś ca yāmyena paścime 'śvattha uttamaḥ
Sa hilaga, mapalad ang punong plakṣa; sa silangan ng bahay ay nararapat ang punong vaṭa (banyan); sa timog ang udumbara; at sa kanluran, ang dakilang aśvattha (banal na punong igos).
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, as per the common Agni Purana narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vastu","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Directional planting around a house: place specific sacred trees in prescribed quarters to harmonize vāstu, shade, microclimate, and ritual auspiciousness.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Vṛkṣa-sthāpana Dik-nirdeśa (Plakṣa–Vaṭa–Udumbara–Aśvattha)","lookup_keywords":["plakṣa","vaṭa","udumbara","aśvattha","dik-nirdeśa"],"quick_summary":"Assign sacred trees to cardinal directions around the home—north plakṣa, east vaṭa, south udumbara, west aśvattha—serving both auspicious symbolism and environmental planning."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Human dwelling is aligned with cosmic directions through living markers (vṛkṣa), integrating ecology with ritual order.
Application: Plan landscaping as part of vāstu: plant and preserve directionally appropriate trees rather than treating greenery as merely decorative.
Khanda Section: Vastu-shastra (Griha-vastu & Vriksha-sthapana)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A house plan shown with four directions, each side marked by a specific sacred fig tree: north plakṣa, east banyan, south udumbara, west aśvattha.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized house with compass-like directions, four distinct ficus trees placed around, each with characteristic leaves, decorative borders with lotus and vine motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, symmetrical directional layout with gold-highlighted foliage, the four trees rendered as auspicious guardians around a central home, ornate frame and halo-like aureoles on trees.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, semi-diagrammatic instructional scene: labeled directions and trees, gentle colors, fine botanical detailing to distinguish plakṣa/vaṭa/udumbara/aśvattha.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, garden-courtyard perspective with four trees around a pavilion-like house, meticulous leaf patterns and spatial depth, floral border with calligraphic cartouches for directions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: syād = syāt (before voiced consonant); udumvaraś ca = udumbaraḥ + ca (visarga sandhi: ḥ + c → ś c); paścime 'śvatthaḥ = paścime + aśvatthaḥ (avagraha).
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Vāstu sections on dik, vāstu-puruṣa, and gṛha-parisara prescriptions
FAQs
It gives a Vāstu rule for planting specific sacred fig-family trees in specific cardinal directions around a house to promote auspiciousness.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves practical environmental and architectural prescriptions—here, household Vāstu and landscape planning through directional tree placement.
By aligning the home’s surroundings with auspicious trees and directions, the householder is said to support harmony, sanctity, and beneficial karmic outcomes in domestic life.