The gods, filled with delight and reverence, bowed before the Unborn One, the Supreme Being. With joy, they welcomed him, and from his presence arose the celestial sword Nandaka, renowned among the gods. Hari, the Lord Viṣṇu, took up this sword. Grasping it slowly, he drew forth a blade of deep blue hue, adorned with a jeweled hilt. In that moment, the mighty being with a hundred arms manifested. A fierce battle ensued. The demon, wielding his formidable mace, drove the gods away. But Viṣṇu, with the divine sword Nandaka, struck down the demon, severing his limbs upon the earth. Wherever the sacred blade touched, the demon’s limbs fell and transformed into iron. Having vanquished the demon, Hari, ever compassionate, granted him a boon: he bestowed upon him a pure and auspicious form, decreeing that he would become a weapon on earth. Through Hari’s grace, even Brahmā himself, without hindrance, worshipped Hari, the Supreme Lord. Brahmā performed sacrifices in his honor. Then, the sixfold qualities of swords were described. Those weapons born from the anvil and hammer, pleasing to the eye, are considered auspicious. Swords that can cut through flesh are called Ārṣika, strong and originating from the Sūrpāraka region. Those from Vaṅga are sharp and resilient, and those from the Aṅga region are also renowned for their sharpness. A sword measuring one and a half fingers in width is declared the best; half that width is considered middling, and anything less should not be worn. The finest sword is long and emits a sweet, melodious sound, like the jingling of bells. Its bearing is deemed excellent. Swords with tips shaped like lotus petals or circles are praised; those resembling an oleander leaf, carrying the fragrance of clarified butter, and shining with the radiance of the sky are especially esteemed. Auspicious marks on swords are those that are even and finger-length; uneven marks, or those with the color of a cuckoo or owl, are inauspicious. One should not gaze upon one’s reflection in a sword, nor touch its blade when impure. Its price or origin should not be spoken of at night, nor should it be placed upon the head. Then Agni spoke, describing the characteristics of gems. These are the jewels to be worn by men: diamond, emerald, ruby, sapphire, and pearl. Also included are indranīla (a kind of sapphire), great sapphire, cat’s eye, topaz, moonstone, sunstone, crystal, and pulaka. There are also karketana, pushparāga, jyotīrasa, crystal, royal cloth, and auspicious royal metal. Saugandhika, ganja, conch, Brahma metal, gomeda, rudhirākṣa, and bhallātaka are mentioned as well. Dust, emerald, tuttha, sesame, pīlu, coral, and mountain diamond are among the precious substances. The serpent-gem and the excellent diamond-gem are prized, as are ṭiṭṭibha, piṇḍa, bhrāmara, and utpala. Jewels adorned with gold, such as Śrī and Jaya, possess inner brilliance, purity, and excellent form. Gems that are impure, lack luster, are broken, or contain gravel should not be worn. The best gems are those fit for setting in a vajra. A true vajra is described as one that passes through water, is unbreakable, flawless, six-angled, rainbow-like, light, radiant like the sun, and auspicious. It shines like the bright half of the moon, is smooth, lustrous, pure, and adorned with fine, gold-dust-like emerald dots. Padmarāga gems, born of crystal, are vividly colored and extremely pure. Jātavaṅga gems arise from the Kuruvinda stone. Pearls produced from fragrant sources are reddish; those from shells are the best among the pure, and those from conch are even superior. Pearls arising from elephant tusks, pots, boars, and fish are excellent; those from bamboo and snakes are the best, and the pearl from a serpent is supreme. Next, Agni described the marks of the Vāstu-puruṣa and the many types suited for Brāhmaṇas and others: white, red, yellow, and black, in that order. The most suitable land is that where ghee, blood, food, and liquor are abundant in fragrance, and which is sweet, astringent, and sour in taste, each in its order. Land covered with kuśa grass, reeds, sky, or dūrvā grass is to be chosen. After honoring the Brāhmaṇas, one should prepare the site, which has already been excavated. Sixty-four squares should be made, with Brahmā placed in the center as a fourfold division. In the east, the lord of the house is assigned, along with Aryaman. To the south is Vivasvat, to the west Mitra, to the north Mahīdhara and Āpavat, and Vahviga at the corners. Sāvitra and Savitṛ are in the southwest, Jayendra in the northwest, Rudra and Vyādhi in the northwest, and at the eastern entrance, Koṇaga and Vahi. Mahendra, Ravi, Satya, and Bhṛśa are in the east and south; Gṛhakṣata, Aryaman, Dhṛti, Gandharvas, and Varuṇa are in the west. Puṣpadanta, Asuras, Varuṇa, and Yakṣa are also present. In the northeast are Bhallāṭa and Soma, Aditi, and Dhanada. Nāga and Karagraha are in the northeast; eight deities are remembered in each direction, and the two deities placed there are called the lords of the house. Parjanya is the first deity, the second is Karagraha; Mahendra, Ravi, Satya, Bhṛśa, and Gagan are also present. Roga is principal in the northwest; in the south are Puṣpa and Vittada. Gṛhakṣata, Yasa, Bhṛśa, Gandharva, Nāga, and Paitṛka are also present. In the northeast are Dauvārika, Sugrīva, Puṣpadanta the asura, water, yakṣmā, disease, and dryness; in the north is Nāgarājaka. Foremost among all are Bhallāṭa, Śaśin, Aditi, and Kuvera; Nāga and Hutāśa are excellent, and Śakra and Sūrya are in the east. In the south is Gṛhakṣata and Puṣpa; in the northeast, Sugrīva is supreme; at the northern gate is Puṣpadanta, and Bhallāṭa is Puṣpadantaka. Having worshipped the arrangement of stones and bricks with mantras, one should perform the rites for the gods, invoking Nanda, Nandaya, and Vāsiṣṭha, along with the Vasus and their progeny together. Thus are the sacred arrangements and auspicious characteristics described, as revealed by the divine seers.