In the sacred lands of Kurukṣetra, Gayā, and similar holy places, as well as near the banks of revered rivers, the wise are instructed to establish the city with Brahmā at its very center. To the east, the seat of Indra is considered auspicious, radiating his divine presence. In the southeast, a temple dedicated to Agni and Agneya should be built, while in the south, shrines for the Mothers, the Bhūtas, and Yama, lord of death, are to be established. The southwest is reserved for Caṇḍikā, as well as for the ancestors, demons, and other beings. Moving to the west, a temple for Nairṛta and Varuṇa is to be placed, and in the northwest, one for Vāyu and the Nāga. The north is designated for Soma and the cave of the Yakṣa, and in the northeast, shrines for Caṇḍīśa, Maheśa, and Viṣṇu are to be founded. After establishing the temple in the east, a smaller shrine should be constructed, but the knowledgeable should take care never to make this new structure equal to or greater than the main temple. A boundary, twice the size of both temples and corresponding to their height, must be left between them. On purified ground, the land should be acquired, and the wise should construct another temple without crowding or oppressing the existing ones. Up to the boundary of the enclosure wall, offerings must be made to the spirits—grains, turmeric powder, fried grains, curd, and parched flour. Parched flour is to be scattered in all eight directions, accompanied by the eight-syllable mantra, to appease the Rākṣasas and Piśācas who dwell upon the earth. The purpose of these rites is to invite all such beings to depart, for the devotee intends to establish the abode of Hari, the Lord. The ground is then prepared by ploughing and breaking it with cows, sanctifying the earth. The scriptures even describe the minutest measurements: eight atoms make what is called a chariot-dust; eight chariot-dusts form a trasareṇu; eight of these make a hair-tip, and eight hair-tips make a louse. Eight lice equal a middle-sized barley grain; eight barley grains make an aṅgula, or finger’s breadth; twenty-four aṅgulas make a kara, or hand; and a hand joined with four aṅgulas is called a lotus-hand. At this point, the Blessed Lord speaks, recounting a primordial event. In ancient times, a formidable being, terrifying to all creatures, was confined by the gods within the earth, and is now known as the Vāstupuruṣa. When a plot is divided into sixty-four squares, the Lord is established at the half of each corner. There, oblations of ghee and rice grains are offered, and at the next square, offerings are made to Parjanya. To Jayanta, who is situated on the lotus and at the two-footed square with a banner, offerings are given, and to Mahendra in a single compartment. The Sun is worshipped in every square with red offerings. Vitāna receives oblations at the half-square, Satya at the square with abundant ghee, and Vyoma at the half-square of the corner with bird flesh. Vahni, the fire, is offered ghee with a ladle at the half-square; Pūṣan receives parched grain in a single square; Vitatha is honored with gold in the second square, and Gṛhakṣata with churning sticks. Dharmmeśa is worshipped with meat and rice in each of two squares, Gandharva at the two-footed square with fragrant substances and bird tongues. Mṛga, the deer, is established singly at the half-square and offered blue cloths. The Ancestors are honored at the half-square with thin rice, and at the square with tooth-wood sticks. The Gatekeeper receives offerings in two squares, and Sugrīva with barley. Puṣpadanta is offered blades of kuśa grass, and Varuṇa in a single square with lotuses. The Asura is worshipped in the second square with surā liquor; Śeṣa at the square with ghee and water; Pāpa at the half-square with barley; and Disease in the middle with cakes. Nāga is offered nāga flowers at the square, Bhakṣya is given food, Bhallāṭa receives mung-bean rice, and Soma is worshipped at the square as well. The Sage is offered honey, milk-rice, and lotus-stalk in two squares; Diti is given sesame cakes at one half and again at the other half. Āpa is honored with fried cakes below Īśa, who receives milk at the square, and below that, Āpa is offered curd in a single square. Marīci is worshipped with fried cakes in the four eastern compartments; Savitṛ with red flowers; and below Brahmā, in the corner compartment, water with kuśa grass is offered to Sāvitrī. Vivasvat and Aruṇa are honored with sandalwood at the four-footed squares. Below the Rakṣas, in the corner compartment, cooked food is offered to Indra at night; Indrajaya is honored in the corner compartment with rice cooked in ghee. In the four-footed squares, sweet rice is given to Indra; below Vāyu, in the corner, Rudra is offered cooked meat. Below that, in the corner compartment, Yakṣa is given half a fruit; Mahīdhara receives meat and black gram at the four-footed squares. In the middle of these squares, Brahmā is honored with sesame and rice, and Skanda with black gram, clarified butter, and thin rice gruel. Putana is offered red leaves, vidari, kandarpa, and palodana; Jambhaka receives ampala bile, flesh, and blood. The sinful pilipincha is given bile, blood, bones, garlands, and blood. Ishadi and others are offered blood and flesh, but if these are unavailable, unbroken offerings are given instead. To the groups of Rakṣasa mothers, Piśācas, the ancestors, and the guardians of the field, offerings are made as desired. Without performing these offerings and the necessary heating rites, one should not proceed to construct palaces or similar edifices. In the place of Brahmā, Hari, Lakṣmī, and the Gaṇa are to be worshipped, followed by Maheshvara, the lord of the site, together with Varddhani, the pot, and Brahmā in the center of the pot, along with the lords of the directions. Once the full oblation has been given, auspicious words are spoken, and reverent bows are made. Then, taking the karkari tool, one circumambulates the mandala in the proper manner. Along the path of the sacred thread, the streams of water are let to flow, and along this previously described path, the seven seeds are sown. Excavation begins along this path, and a pit is dug in the center, the size of a hand. Clay is applied below to a space four aṅgulas wide, and worship is performed there, meditating on four-armed Viṣṇu and offering arghya from the pot. The trench is filled with the karkari and adorned with white flowers, and the best south-turning one is filled with seeds and earth, completing the sacred preparations for the divine abode.