Listen now to the sacred account of how the divine liṅga and its pedestal are to be fashioned, as revealed in the ancient wisdom of the Agni Purāṇa. The measurements are precise and auspicious: the height of the liṅga is set at fourteen thousand and fourteen hundred units, with a width of eight fingers and a womb measuring nine single hands. When shaping it, one must carefully consider the corners—using threads to mark out half and quarter sections—so that the width is established at the center, and three divisions are placed accordingly in the middle. Above, the form is divided into eight sections, and the portion belonging to Śiva is twice that, while the region from the base to the top is dedicated to Brahmā, and the navel area is for Viṣṇu. Thus, the liṅga embodies the presence of the lord of beings, who transcends darkness and dwells in both the manifest and the unmanifest. In the arrangement of its five distinguishing marks, the head is said to be round. The head of the liṅga may take on various auspicious shapes: it may be like an umbrella, a rooster, or a crescent moon. Each of these forms possesses four variations, bestowing distinct spiritual results according to their type. The expanse of the head is carefully measured in proper proportions, with the foremost part divided into four, considering both breadth and height. Threads are used to mark these divisions, proportioned to their respective parts. By one part, the head is called the lotus; by omitting a part, the wide form is named. With three parts, the Śrīvatsa form arises; omitting the enemy’s part creates the split form. Of all these, the head that is perfectly equal on every side is considered the best, and the rooster-shaped head is revered as divine. In a liṅga of four parts, omitting two gives the head the quality of tin; for the beginningless one, the head is called the half-moon. From a portion at the end, with paired sections, the immortal mark is achieved in a single day. The full-moon, crescent, and lotus forms arise in order as two or three parts are omitted. Next, hear about the auspicious liṅga with four, three, or one face. The portion for worship is to be made as prescribed for mortals, for fire, and for the feet. Setting aside the sun-like form as before, six positions are to be fashioned: the elevation of the head, the forehead, and the nose come first. The face, chin, and neck follow, each with their proper portions, as well as arms and eyes shaped like buds, all according to the measure of the image. The face itself is made equal, occupying one-eighth of the breadth. After describing the four-faced liṅga, the text teaches the three-faced form: here, the ears and feet are more prominent, the forehead and other features are marked, and the two arms are made using four parts, omitting the fifth. The faces emerge by one-eighth of the breadth, and likewise, the single-faced liṅga is formed, with gentle eyes facing east. The forehead, nose, mouth, and neck are all fashioned, and the arms are made by a fifth part, or omitted if the image is without arms. The emergence of the faces is properly done by one-sixth of the breadth, and for all liṅgas with faces, the tin or rooster form is prescribed. Now, turning to the pedestal, the Blessed Lord explains: the pedestal’s length should equal that of the image, and its breadth should be half as much. Its height is to be half its length, or, if very broad, one third; the girdle is made by a third part. The hollow of the pedestal is measured accordingly, with a slight inclination to the north, and the outlet for the channel is a fourth of the breadth. The base’s breadth is made equal, and its extension is half that measure. The water channel is constructed as one third of the extension. The projection is made as before, using sixteen as the measure; the lower part is six units, the neck is two, and the throat three. Each remaining part is shaped individually, including the base and the exit. This band and pedestal are common to all images. The door of the image corresponds to the measurement of the temple door, and the radiance (prabhā) of the image is adorned with carvings of elephants and vyālas. The pedestal, too, should always be made as is fitting for Hari (Viṣṇu). For all the gods, the measurements declared by Viṣṇu are to be used; for all the goddesses, those given by Lakṣmī. The Blessed Lord then reveals the fivefold establishment: the image itself is the person; the pedestal is nature; Lakṣmī is the foundation; and yoga is the connection between them. Thus, installation is performed by those who desire to fulfill their wishes. The teacher draws out the sacred garbha-sūtra before the temple. The pavilion and its lower parts are constructed in measures of eight, sixteen, up to twenty, to accommodate bathing, the water pot, and half the ritual materials. The altar is made beautiful, using three and a half parts as measure, and is adorned with water pots, small jars, canopies, and more. After sprinkling everything with the sacred pañcagavya, all materials are arranged. The adorned teacher, meditating on Viṣṇu, worships his own self. With rings, bracelets, and similar ornaments, the image-bearers are established in each enclosure, by those accomplished in the ritual. Enclosures are made in square, half-square, circle, and lotus shapes. At the eastern gateway, the pippala, udumbara, and vaṭa trees are used. The beautiful plakṣa tree is placed first, with the subhadra and andaka trees for the gateway; sukarman and suhotra are chosen for the watery and gentle directions, and for the elevation. Having established five hastas, Syonā and Pṛthivī are worshipped. At the base of the gateway pillar, auspicious water pots with sprouting shoots are placed. Offerings are made above, and a Sudarśana wheel is fashioned. The banner is made with a measure of five hastas by the wise, and its breadth is set at sixteen aṅgulas. The best enclosure is built to a height of seven hastas. The colors are prescribed: dawn-fire, black, white, yellow, red, and again white, in proper order. The banner deities—Kumuda, Kumudākṣa, Puṇḍarīka, Vāmana, Śaṅkukarṇa, Sarvanetra, Sumukha, and Supratiṣṭhita—are worshipped beginning from the east, with offerings a crore times greater. The water pots are filled to the brim, round and like ripe fruit. One hundred and twenty-eight pots, undecorated but adorned with gold and cloth around the neck and filled with water, are placed outside the gateway, completing the auspicious preparations for the divine installation.