Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 14
Chapter 326 — देवालयमाहात्म्यम्
The Glory of Temples
सर्वयज्ञतपोदाने तीर्थे वेदेषु यत् फलं तत् फलं कोटिगुणितं स्थाप्य लिङ्गं लभेन्नरः
sarvayajñatapodāne tīrthe vedeṣu yat phalaṃ tat phalaṃ koṭiguṇitaṃ sthāpya liṅgaṃ labhennaraḥ
凡由一切祭祀、苦行与布施所得之功德（phala），以及由诸圣地朝礼与（研习/诵持）吠陀所得之功德——若人安立一座（湿婆）林伽，即得同等功德而增至一俱胝（crore）倍。
Lord Agni (narrating the Agni Purana’s ritual sections to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Motivating liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installation) as a high-merit public religious act; guiding patrons toward temple/shrine endowment.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Liṅga-Pratiṣṭhā Phala: Merit Beyond Yajña, Tapa, Dāna, Tīrtha, Veda","lookup_keywords":["liṅga-pratiṣṭhā","koṭi-guṇa-phala","yajña-tapas-dāna","tīrtha-phala","veda-phala"],"quick_summary":"Installing a Śiva-liṅga is declared to yield the combined merits of sacrifice, austerity, charity, pilgrimage, and Vedic study—multiplied immensely—thus elevating pratiṣṭhā as a premier dharmic act."}
Alamkara Type: Atiśayokti (hyperbolic exaltation of merit)
Concept: Public, enduring sacred acts (pratiṣṭhā) are framed as dharma with amplified phala, surpassing transient personal rites.
Application: Channel resources into establishing and maintaining a liṅga/shrine for community worship, alongside personal sādhanā.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Linga-pratishtha and Shaiva merit)
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Śānta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A patron and priests installing a Śiva-liṅga on a pedestal, with kumbha, kalasha, sacred threads, and offerings—suggesting that this single act outweighs many other meritorious deeds.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, consecration scene: priests in white dhoti performing abhiṣeka over a newly set black liṅga on pīṭha, lamps and temple pillars, ochre-red background, solemn sacred grandeur.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, richly ornamented shrine with gold-leaf arch; central liṅga on jeweled pedestal; donors and priests at sides; kalasha and conch; heavy gold detailing to convey ‘koṭi-guṇa’ magnificence.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional pratiṣṭhā tableau: labeled ritual items (kalaśa, pātra, pīṭha), neat arrangement, soft colors, focus on the act of setting the liṅga firmly and ritually.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed temple courtyard with craftsmen and priests placing a liṅga; patron overseeing; fine architectural lines, subdued palette, documentary realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सर्वयज्ञतपोदाने = सर्व-यज्ञ-तपो-दानॆ (समाहार-द्वन्द्वे सप्तमी एकवचन); लभेन्नरः = लभेत् + नरः (त् + न → न्न)
Related Themes: Agni Purana sections on pratiṣṭhā-vidhi and temple merit; Agni Purana dāna-mahātmyas comparing phalas
FAQs
It teaches the ritual principle of liṅga-sthāpana (installing/establishing a Śiva-liṅga) and states its exceptional merit compared to yajña, tapas, dāna, tīrtha, and Vedic observances.
It exemplifies the Purana’s compendium-style dharma and ritual manual content by quantifying comparative religious merit across multiple domains—sacrifice, asceticism, charity, pilgrimage, and Vedic practice—then prioritizing a specific temple/installation act.
The verse frames liṅga installation as a highly potent dharmic act whose पुण्य (merit) amplifies karmic benefit massively—described as the combined fruits of major religious disciplines multiplied many times.