Agni Purana

कठिन्या जप्तया स्प्टष्टे गोमूत्राकृतिरेखया। आरभ्यैकं त्रिकं यावत्त्रिचतुष्कावसानकं

By the firmness of recitation, by a clear line resembling cow urine, beginning from one, then three, up to the end of three and fourfold groups.

मरुद् व्योम मरुद्वीजैश्चतुः षष्टिपदे तथा। अक्षाणां पतनात् स्पर्शाद्विषमादौ शुभादिकं

With Maruts, space, and Marut-borns, in sixty-four steps likewise; from the fall or touch of dice, at the beginning of odd numbers, auspiciousness and the like are determined.

एकत्रिकादिमारभ्य अन्ते चाष्टत्रिकं तथा। ध्वजाद्यायाः समा हीना विषमाः शोभनादिदाः

Beginning from a single or triple group, and at the end with eight and three likewise; for banners and the like, the deficient are inauspicious, the uneven give auspiciousness and so on.

आइपल्लवितैः काद्यैः षोडशस्वरपूर्व्वगैः। आद्यैस्तैः सस्वरैः काद्यैस्त्रिपुरानाममन्त्रकाः

With ā, i, pa, lla, vi, and others, and with the sixteen preceding vowel sounds; with those initial sounds and their vowels, the mantras of the three cities are formed.

ह्रीं वीजाः प्रणवाद्याः स्युर्न्नमोऽन्ता यत्र पूजने। मन्त्रा विंशतिसाहस्राः शतं षष्ठ्यदिकं ततः

The seed syllable hrīṃ and those beginning with praṇava, ending with namas in worship; the mantras number twenty thousand, then one hundred and sixty more.

आं ह्रीं मन्त्राः सरस्वत्याश्चण्डिकायास्तथैव च। तथा गौर्य्याश्च दुर्गाया आं श्रीं मन्त्राः श्रियस्तथा

The mantras āṃ and hrīṃ are for Sarasvatī and Caṇḍikā likewise; so also for Gaurī and Durgā, and the mantras āṃ and śrīṃ are for Śrī.

तथा क्षौं कौं मन्त्राः सूर्य्यस्य आं हौं मन्त्राः शिवस्य च। आं गं मन्त्रा गणेशस्य आं मन्त्राश्च तथा हरेः

Likewise, the mantras kṣauṃ and kauṃ are for Sūrya; āṃ and hauṃ are for Śiva; āṃ and gaṃ are for Gaṇeśa; and āṃ mantras are also for Hari.

शतार्द्धैकाधिकैः काद्यैस्तथा षोडशभिः स्वरैः। काद्यैस्तैः सस्वरैराद्यैः कान्तैर्म्मन्त्रास्तथाखिलाः

With one hundred and fifty-one initial sounds, and likewise with sixteen vowels; with those initial sounds and vowels, all mantras are thus formed.

रवीशदेवीविष्णूनां खब्धिदेवेन्द्रवर्त्तनात्। शतत्रयं षष्ट्यधिकं प्रत्येकं मण्डलं क्रमात्। अभिषिक्तो जपेद् ध्यायेच्छिष्यादीन् दीक्षयेद्‌गुरुः

For the Sun, Īśa, the Goddess, and Viṣṇu, by the movement of the letters, Indra, and others, three hundred and sixty for each circle in order; the teacher, having been consecrated, should recite, meditate, and initiate disciples.

ईश्वर उवाच प्रतिष्ठां सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि क्रमात् सङ्‌क्षेपतो गुह। पीठं शक्तिं शिवो लिङ्गं तद्योगः स शिवाणुभिः

Īśvara said: I shall now briefly and sequentially explain the installation, O Guha: the seat, the power, Śiva, the liṅga, and their union with the Śiva-atom.

प्रतिष्ठायाः पञ्च भेदास्तेषां रूपं वदामि ते। यत्र ब्रह्मशिलायोगः सा प्रतिष्ठा विशेषतः

There are five kinds of installation; I shall tell you their forms: where there is union with the Brahma-stone, that is especially called installation.

स्थापनन्तु यथायोगं पीठ एव निवेशनं। प्रतिष्ठाभिन्नपीठस्य स्थितस्थापनमुच्यते

Establishing according to proper method is the placing of the seat; the establishment of a seat not separate from the installation is called fixed establishment.

उत्थापनञ्च सा प्रोक्ता लिङ्गोद्धारपुरःसरा। यस्या तु लिङ्गमारोप्य संस्कारः क्रियते बुधैः

And the raising up is said to be that which is preceded by the removal of the liṅga; in which, after raising the liṅga, consecration is performed by the wise.

आस्थापनं तदुद्दिष्टं द्विधा विष्णवादिकस्य च । आसु सर्व्वासु चैतन्यं नियुञ्जीत परं शिवम्

That establishment, as described, is of two kinds for Viṣṇu and others; in all of these, one should invoke the supreme, auspicious consciousness.

यदाधारादिभेदेन प्रासादेष्वपि पञ्चधा। परीक्षामथ मेदिन्याः कुर्य्यात्प्रासादकाम्यया

When, due to differences such as the foundation and so on, there are five types even among temples, then, desiring to build a temple, one should examine the earth.

शुक्लाज्यगन्धा रक्ता च रक्तगन्धा सुगन्धिनी । पीता कृष्णा सुरादनधा विप्रादीनां मही क्रमात्

White, clarified butter-scented; red, red-scented and fragrant; yellow, black, unscented by liquor—such are the soils for priests and others, in order.

पूर्व्वेशोत्तरसर्वत्र पूर्वा चैषां विशिष्यते । आखाते हास्तिके यस्याः पूर्णे मृदधिका भवेत्

In the east, north, and everywhere, the eastern soil is especially praised; in the pit, if it is full and yields much clay, it is best.

उत्तमान्तां महीं विद्यात्तोयाद्यैर्वा समुक्षितां। अस्थ्यङ्गारादिभिर्दुष्टामत्यन्तं शोधयेद् गुरुः

One should know the earth as excellent up to the lowest, or washed with water and the like; if corrupted by bones, charcoal, and so on, the teacher should thoroughly purify it.

नगरग्रामदुर्गार्थं गृहप्रासादकारणं । खननैर्गोकुलावासैः कर्षणैर्वा मुहुर्मुहुः

For the purpose of city, village, or fortress, or for building houses and temples, by repeated digging or plowing with cattle, one should prepare the ground.

मण्डपे द्वारपूजादि मन्त्रतृप्त्यवसानकं । कर्म्म निर्वर्त्याघोरास्त्रं सहस्रं विधिना यजेत्

In a pavilion, after door worship and the like, and the completion of the rite with mantras, one should perform a thousand offerings with the Aghora weapon, according to the rule.

समीकृत्योपलिप्तायां भूमौ संशोधयेद्दिशः। स्वर्णदध्यक्षतै रेखाः प्रकुर्वीत प्रदक्षिणं

Having leveled and plastered the ground, one should purify the directions; with gold, curds, and unbroken grains, one should draw lines in a clockwise direction.

मध्यादीशानकोष्ठस्थे पूर्णकुम्भे शिवं यजेत्। वाचस्तुमभ्यर्च्य तत्तोयैः सिञ्चेत् कुद्दालकादिकं

In the center, in the northeast corner, having placed a full pot, one should worship Śiva; after honoring the officiant, one should sprinkle the digging tools with that water.

वाह्ये रक्षोगणानिष्ट्वा विधिना दिग्बलिं क्षिपेत्। भूमिं संसिच्य संस्नाप्य कुद्दालाद्यं प्रपूजयेत्

Having ritually appeased the hosts of demons outside, one should offer oblations to the quarters; sprinkling and bathing the ground, one should worship the digging tools and the rest.

अन्यं वस्त्रयुगच्छन्नं कुम्भं स्कन्धे द्विजन्मनः। निधाय गीतवाद्यादिब्रह्मघोषसमाकुलं

Another pot, covered with a pair of cloths, is placed on the shoulder of a twice-born; accompanied by singing, music, and the sound of Brahmins.

पूजां कुम्भे समाहृत्य प्राप्ते लग्नेऽग्निकोष्ठके। कुद्दालेनाभिषिक्तेन मध्वक्तेन तु खानयेत्

Having completed the worship of the pot, when the auspicious moment for the fire-pit arrives, one should dig with a consecrated spade, moistened with honey.

नैर्ऋत्यां क्षेपयेन्मृत्स्नां खाते कुम्भजलं क्षिपेत्। पुरस्य पूर्व्वसीमान्तं नयेद् यावदभीप्सितं

One should place the earth in the southwest, and pour the water from the pot into the pit; then lead it to the desired eastern boundary of the site.

अथ तत्र क्षणं स्थित्वा भ्रामयेत् परितः पुरं। सिञ्चन् सीमान्तचिह्णानि यावदीशानगोचरं

Then, standing there for a moment, one should walk around the site, sprinkling the boundary markers as far as the northeast region extends.

अर्घ्यदानमिदं प्रोक्तं तत्र कुम्भपरिभ्रमात्। इत्थं परिग्रहं भूमेः कुर्व्वीत तदनन्तरं

This offering of arghya is prescribed there, after circling with the pot; thus, one should take possession of the land thereafter.

कर्करान्तं जलान्तं वा शल्यदोषजिघांसया। खानयेद् भूः कुमारीं चेद् विधिना शल्यमुद्धरेत्

If the earth is gravelly or watery, in order to remove defects or impurities, one should dig the earth; if there is a foreign object, a maiden should remove it according to the rule.