Agni Purana

हृषीकेशं दक्षिणायां पद्मनाभं तु गुल्फके। दामोदरं पादयोश्च हृदयादिषडङ्गकम्

Place Hṛṣīkeśa on the right side, Padmanābha on the ankle, Dāmodara on the feet; these are the six limbs beginning with the heart.

एतत् साधारणं प्रोक्तमादिमूर्त्तेस्तु सत्तम। अथवा यस्य देवस्य प्रारब्धं स्थापनं भवेत्

This is said to be the general method for the primordial form, O noble one; or, for whichever deity's installation is undertaken.

तस्यैव मूलमन्त्रेण सजीवकरणं भवेत्। यस्या मूर्त्तेस्तु यन्नाम तस्याद्यं चाक्षरं च यत्

For that deity, with its own root mantra, the enlivening should be performed; whatever is the name of the form, its first syllable as well.

तत् स्वरैर्द्वादशैर्भेद्यं ह्यङ्गानि परिकल्पयेत्। हृदयादीनि देवेश मूलञ्च दशमाक्षरम्

That should be divided with twelve vowels, and the limbs should be arranged; O Lord of gods, the heart and others, and the ten-syllable root.

यथा देवे तथा देहे तत्त्वानि विनियोजयेत्। चक्राव्जमण्डले विष्णुं यजेद्गन्धादिना तथा

As in the deity, so in the body, the principles should be assigned; in the lotus circle, worship Viṣṇu with fragrance and so forth.

पूर्व्ववच्चासनं ध्यायेत्सगात्रं सपरिच्छदम्। शुभञ्चक्रं द्वादशारं ह्यपरिष्टाद्विचिन्तयेत्

As before, meditate on the seat, with its limbs and attendants; contemplate the auspicious twelve-spoked wheel surrounding it.

त्रिनाभिचक्रं द्विनेमि खरैस्तच्च समन्वितम्। पृष्ठदेशे ततः प्राज्ञः प्रकृत्यादीन्निवेशयेत्

The three-naveled wheel, with two rims, furnished with spokes; then, in the rear region, the wise should place the primordial elements and so on.

पूजयेदारकाग्रेषु सूर्य्यं द्वादशधा पुनः। कलाषोडशसंयुक्तं सोमन्तत्र विचिन्तयेत्

Worship the sun at the tips of the rays, twelvefold again; contemplate the moon there, joined with sixteen digits.

सबलं त्रितयं नाभौ चिन्तयेद्देशिकोत्तमः। पद्माञ्च द्वादशदलं पद्ममध्ये विचिन्तयेत्

The best teacher should contemplate the threefold strength in the navel; and the twelve-petaled lotus, meditating at its center.

तन्मध्ये पौरुषीं शक्ति ध्यात्वाभ्यर्च्य च देशिकः । प्रतिमायां हरि न्यस्य तत्र तं पूजयेत् सुरान्

In its center, the teacher should meditate on the masculine power, worship it, and in the image place Hari, then worship the gods there.

गन्धपुष्पादिभिः सम्यक् साङ्गं सावरणं क्रमात्। द्वादशाक्षरवीजैस्तु केशवादीन् समर्च्चयेत्

With fragrance, flowers, and so forth, properly, with limbs and enclosures in order; with twelve-syllable seed mantras, worship Keśava and the others.

द्वादशारे मण्डले तु लोकपालादिकं क्रमात्। प्रतिमामर्च्चयेत् पश्चाद्‌गन्धपुष्पादिभिर्द्विजः

In the twelve-spoked circle, worship the guardians of the world and others in order; then worship the image with fragrance, flowers, and so forth, O twice-born.

पौरुषेण तु सूक्तेन श्रिया सूक्तेन पिण्डिकाम्। जननादिक्रमात् पञ्चाज्जनयेद्वैष्णवानलम्

With the Pauruṣa hymn and the Śrī hymn, worship the pedestal; in order from the origin, generate the Vaiṣṇava fire in five ways.

हुत्वाग्निं वैष्णवैर्म्मन्त्रैः कुर्य्याच्छान्त्युदकं बुधः। तत् सिक्त्वा प्रतिमामूद्‌र्ध्नि वह्निप्रणयनं चरेत्

Having offered oblations into the fire with Vaiṣṇava mantras, the wise should perform the rite of peace-water; after sprinkling that on the top of the image, he should proceed with the bringing of the fire.

दक्षिणेग्निं हुतमिति कुण्डेग्निं प्रणयेद् बुधः। अग्निमग्नीति पूर्वे तु कुण्डेग्निं प्रणयेद्बुधः

The wise should bring the fire from the southern altar, saying 'The fire has been offered'; previously, he should bring the fire from the altar, saying 'We invoke the fire.'

उत्तरे प्रणयेदग्निमग्निमग्नी हवामहे। अग्निप्रणयने मन्त्रस्त्वमग्ने ह्यग्रिरुच्यते

In the north, he should bring the fire, reciting 'We invoke the fire'; in the bringing of the fire, the mantra declares, 'You, O Agni, are indeed called Agni.'

पलाशसमिधानान्तु अष्टोत्तरसहस्रकम्। कुण्डे कुण्डे होमयेच्च व्रीहीन् वेदादिकैस्तथा

One should offer into each altar one thousand and eight palāśa wood sticks as fuel, and likewise offer rice and other grains with Vedic mantras.

साज्यांस्तिलान् व्याहृतिभिर्मूलमन्त्रेण वै घृतम्। कुर्य्यात्ततः शान्तिहोमं मधुरत्रितयेन च

With the vyāhṛtis and the root mantra, he should offer clarified butter mixed with sesame seeds; then he should perform the rite of peace-offering with the three sweet substances.

द्वादशार्णैः स्पृशेत् पादौ नाभिं हृन्मस्तकं ततः। घृतं दधि पयो हुत्वा स्पृशेन्मूर्द्धन्यथो ततः

With twelve sacred formulas, he should touch the feet, navel, heart, and head; having offered ghee, curds, and milk, he should then touch the head.

स्पृष्ट्वा शिरोनाभिपादांश्चतस्रः स्थापयेन्नदीः । गङ्गा च यमुना गोदा क्रमान्नाम्ना सरस्वती

After touching the head, navel, and feet, he should establish the four rivers: Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, and, in order by name, Sarasvati.

दहेत्तु विष्णुगायत्र्या गायत्रया श्रपयेच्चरुम्। होमयेच्च बलिं दद्यादुत्तरे भोजयेद् द्विजान्

He should burn (oblations) with the Viṣṇu-Gāyatrī, offer the cooked rice with the Gāyatrī, perform the offering, give the bali, and in the north, feed the twice-born.

सामाधिपानां तुष्ट्यर्थं हेम गां गुरवे ददेत्। दिकपतिभ्यो बलिं दत्त्वा रात्रौ कुर्य्याच्च जागरम्

For the satisfaction of the guardians of the directions, he should give gold and a cow to the teacher; having given bali to the guardians of the quarters, he should keep vigil at night.

ब्रह्मगीतादिशब्देन सर्वभागधिवासनात्

By the sound of 'Brahma-gīta' and other chants, all portions are sanctified.

भगवानुवाच पिण्डिकास्थापनार्थन्तु गर्भागारं तु सप्तधा। विभजेद् ब्रह्मभागे तु प्रतिमां स्थापयेद् बुधः

The Blessed Lord said: For the purpose of establishing the pedestal, the inner sanctum should be divided into seven parts; in the portion of Brahma, the wise should install the image.

देवमानुषपैशाचभागेषु न कदायन। ब्रह्मभागं परित्यज्य किञ्चदाश्रित्य चाण्डज

One should never place it in the portions of the gods, humans, or spirits; abandoning the portion of Brahma, even a little, is to be avoided.

देवमानुषभागाभ्यां स्थाप्या यत्नात्तुपिण्डिका । नपुंसकशिलायान्तु रत्नन्यासं समाचरेत्

The pedestal should be installed with care in the portions of the gods and humans; in the case of a neuter stone, one should perform the placing of gems.

नारसिंहेन हुत्वाथ नत्नयासं च तेन वै। व्रीहीन् सत्नांस्त्रिधातूँश्च लोहादींश्चन्दनादिकान्

Having offered oblations with the Nārasiṃha mantra, one should then place the gems, rice, threads, the three metals, iron and the like, and sandalwood and other substances.

पूर्वादिनवगर्त्तेषु न्यसेन् मध्ये यथारुचि। अथ चेन्द्रादिमन्त्रैश्च गर्त्तो गुग्‌गुलुनावृतः

In the nine pits beginning from the east, he should place them, and in the center as desired; then, with mantras beginning with Indra, the pit should be covered with guggulu.

रत्नन्यासविधिं कृत्वा प्रतिमामालभेद्गुरुः। सशलाकैर्द्दर्भपुञ्जैः सहदेवैः समन्वितैः

Having performed the rite of placing the gems, the teacher should touch the image with darbha grass sticks, together with the gods and their attendants.