Agni Purana

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.

सबाह्यन्तैश्च संस्कृत्य पञ्चगव्येन शोधयेत्। प्रोक्षयेद्दर्भतोयेन नदीतीर्थोदकेन च

Having purified it inside and out, he should cleanse it with pañcagavya; he should sprinkle it with water from darbha grass and with water from river fords.

होमार्थे स्थण्डिलं कुर्य्यात् सिकतामिः समन्ततः। सार्द्धहस्तप्रमाणं तु चतुरस्रं सुशोभनम्

For the purpose of the offering, he should prepare an altar of sand all around, measuring half a cubit, square, and very beautiful.

अष्टदिक्षु यथान्यासं कलशानाप विन्यसेत्। पूर्वाद्यानष्टवर्णेन अग्निमानीय संस्कृतम्

He should arrange the pots in the eight directions as appropriate, bring the consecrated fire with the eight-syllabled mantra beginning with 'pūrva', and place it.

त्वमग्नेद्युभिरिति गायत्र्या समिधो हुनेत्। अष्टार्णेनाष्टशतकं आज्यं पूर्णा प्रदापयेत्

Reciting 'tvam agne dyubhir' with the Gāyatrī meter, he should offer the kindling; with the eight-syllabled mantra, he should offer clarified butter one hundred and eight times.

शान्त्युदकं आम्रपत्रैः मूलेन शतमन्त्रितम्। सिञ्चेद्देवस्य तन्मूर्दिध्न श्रीश्च ते ह्यनया ऋचा

He should sprinkle sanctifying water, infused with one hundred mantras, using mango leaves and their stems, upon the deity's head, reciting 'śrīś ca te' with this verse.

ब्रह्मयानेन चोद्धृत्य उत्तिष्ठ ब्रह्मणस्पते। तद्विष्णोरिति मन्त्रेण प्रासादाभिमुखं नयेत्

Lifting up with the Brahma-mantra, he should say, 'Arise, O Lord of Speech,' and, with the mantra 'tad viṣṇoḥ', lead it facing the temple.

शिविकायां हरिं स्थाप्य भ्रामयीत पुरादिकम्। गीतवेदादिशब्दैश्च प्रासादद्वारि धारयेत्

Placing Hari in a palanquin, he should carry him around the city, accompanied by singing, Vedic recitation, and other sounds, and then set him at the temple entrance.

स्त्रीभिर्विप्रैर्मङ्गलाष्टघटै संस्नापयेद्धरिम्। ततो गन्धादिनाभ्यर्च्य मूलमन्त्रेण देशिकः

With women and Brahmins, using eight auspicious pots, he should bathe Hari; then, worshipping with sandal and other offerings, the teacher should recite the root-mantra.

अतो देवेति वस्त्राद्यामष्टाङ्गार्घ्यं निवेद्य च। स्थिरेलग्ने पिण्डिकायां देवस्य त्वेति धारयेत्

Then, saying 'ato deve', he should offer cloth and other eightfold arghya; at an auspicious moment, he should place the deity on the pedestal, reciting 'devasya tva'.

ओं त्रेलोक्यविक्रान्ताय नमस्तेस्तु त्रिविक्रम। संस्थाप्या पिण्डिकायान्तु स्थिरं कुर्य्याद्विचक्षणः

Reciting 'Om, homage to Trivikrama, who strides the three worlds,' the wise should firmly establish the deity on the pedestal.