Agni Purana

पाषाणानां शिलाः कार्य्या इष्टकानां तदर्द्धतः। प्रासादेऽश्मशिलाः शैले इष्टका इष्टकामये

The stones should be made of rock, and for bricks, half that size; in a stone temple, use stone slabs; in a brick temple, use bricks.

अङ्किता नववक्त्राद्यैः पङ्कजाः पङ्कजाङ्किताः। नन्दाभद्राजया रिक्ता पूर्णाख्या पञ्चमी मता

Marked with nine faces and other symbols, lotuses are marked with lotuses; Nanda, Bhadra, Jaya, Rikta, and Pūrṇā are considered the fifth.

आसां पद्मो महापद्मः शङ्खोऽथ मकरस्तथा। समुद्रश्चेति पञ्चामी निधिकुम्भाः क्रमादधः

Of these, the lotus, great lotus, conch, makara, and ocean are the five; these are the treasure pots, placed in order below.

नन्दा भद्रा जया पूर्णा अजिता चापराजिता। विजया मङ्गलाख्या च धरणी नवमी शिला

Nanda, Bhadra, Jaya, Pūrṇā, Ajitā, Aparājitā, Vijayā, Maṅgalā, and Dharaṇī are the nine stones.

सुभद्रश्च विभद्रश्च सुनन्दः पुष्पनन्दकः । जयोऽथ विजयश्चैव कुम्भः पूर्णस्तथोत्तरः

Subhadra, Vibhadra, Sunanda, Puṣpanandaka, Jaya, Vijaya, Kumbha, Pūrṇa, and Uttara are the others.

नवानान्तु यथासङ्ख्यं निधिकुम्भा अमी नव। आसनं प्रथमं दत्त्वा ताड्योल्लिख्य शराणुना

These nine treasure pots are to be placed in order; having first placed the seat, one should mark and strike them with an arrow.

सर्वासामविशेषेण तनुत्रेणावगुण्ठनं । मृद्भिर्गोमयगोमूत्रकषायैर्गन्धवारिणा

All of them, without distinction, should be covered with three cloths, with earth, cow dung, cow urine, decoctions, and fragrant water.

अस्त्रेण हूंफडन्तेन मलस्नानं समाचरेत्। विधिना पञ्चगव्येन स्नानं पञ्चामृतेन च

With the weapon-mantra 'hūṃ phaṭ', one should perform the cleansing bath; then, according to the rite, bathe with pañcagavya and with pañcāmṛta.

गन्धतोयान्तर कुर्य्यान्निजनामाङ्किताणुना । फलरत्नसुवर्णानां गोश्रृड्गसलिलैस्ततः

Afterwards, one should perform the inner fragrant water bath, marking each with its own name; then with the waters from fruits, gems, gold, and cow's horn.

चन्दनेन समालभ्य वस्त्रैराच्छादयेच्छिलां। स्वर्णोत्थमासनं दत्वा नीत्वा यागं प्रदक्षिणं

After anointing the stone with sandalwood and covering it with cloths, one should offer a seat made of gold, then carry it around the sacrificial site in a clockwise direction.

शय्यायां कुशतल्पे वा हृदयेन निवेशयेत्। सम्पूज्य न्यस्य बुद्ध्यादिधरान्तं तत्त्वसञ्चयं

One should place it with the heart upon a bed or a couch made of kuśa grass, worship it, and then, with discernment, arrange the collection of principles from the earth up to the highest.

त्रिशण्डव्यापकं तत्त्वत्रयञ्चानुक्रमान् न्यसेत्। बुद्ध्यादौ चित्तपर्य्यन्ते चिन्तातन्मात्रकावधौ

One should arrange the threefold principle, pervading the three divisions, in sequence: beginning with intellect and ending with mind, within the limits of thought and subtle essence.

तन्मात्रादौ धरान्ते च शिवविद्यात्मनां स्थितिः। तत्त्वानि निजमन्त्रेण तत्त्वेशांश्च हृदाऽर्च्चयेत्

From the subtle essence up to the earth, the presence of those whose nature is Śiva-knowledge is established; one should worship the principles and their lords in the heart with one's own mantra.

स्थानेषु पुष्पमालादिचिह्नितेषु यथाक्रमं । ओं हूं शिवतत्त्वाय नमः। ओं हूं शिवतत्त्वाधिपतये रुद्राय नमः। ओं हां विद्यातत्त्वाय नमः। ओं हां विद्यातत्त्वाधिपाय विष्णवे नमः। ओं हां आत्मतत्त्वाय नमः। ओं हां आत्मतत्त्वाधिपतये ब्रह्मणे नमः । क्षमाग्नियजमानार्कान् जलवातेन्दुखानि च

In the places marked with garlands of flowers and other signs, in proper order: 'Om hūm, homage to the principle of Śiva; Om hūm, homage to Rudra, lord of the Śiva principle; Om hām, homage to the principle of knowledge; Om hām, homage to Viṣṇu, lord of the knowledge principle; Om hām, homage to the principle of self; Om hām, homage to Brahmā, lord of the self principle.' Then, the earth, fire, sacrificer, sun, water, wind, moon, and others.

प्रतितत्त्वं नयसेदष्टौ मूर्त्तीः प्रतिशिलां शिलां। सर्वं पशुपति चोग्रं रुद्रं भवमतेश्वरं

For each principle, one should assign eight forms to each stone; all are Paśupati, fierce Rudra, Bhava, and Īśvara.

महादेवं च भीमं च मूर्त्तीशांश्च यथाक्रमात्। ओं धरामूर्त्तये नमः, ओं धराधिपतये नमः इत्यादिमन्त्रान् लोकपालान् यथासङ्ख्यं निजाणुभिः

Mahādeva and Bhīma, and the portions of the forms in proper sequence: 'Om, homage to the form of earth; Om, homage to the lord of earth.' Beginning with these mantras, the guardians of the worlds are to be worshipped in order with one's own syllables.

विन्यस्य पूजयेत् कुम्भांस्तन्मन्त्रैर्वा निजाणुभिः । इन्द्रादीनां तु वीजानि वक्ष्यमाणक्रमेण तु

Having placed them, one should worship the pots with those mantras or with one's own syllables; the seed syllables for Indra and others will be stated in proper sequence.

लूं रुं शूं पूं वूं यूं मूं हूं क्षूमिति । अक्तो नवशिलापक्षः शिला पञ्चपदा तथा। प्रतितत्त्वं न्यसेन्मूर्त्तीः सृष्ट्या पञ्च धरादिकाः

'Lūṃ, ruṃ, śūṃ, pūṃ, vūṃ, yūṃ, mūṃ, hūṃ, kṣū'—thus, the nine-stone arrangement; the stone is also fivefold. For each principle, one should arrange the forms, five in creation, beginning with earth.

ब्रकह्मा विष्णुस्तथा रुद्र ईश्वरश्च सदाशिवः। एते च पञ्च मूर्त्तीशा यष्टव्यास्तासु पूर्ववत्

Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Īśvara, and Sadāśiva—these five lords of forms are to be worshipped in those places as before.

ओं पृथ्वीमूर्त्तये नमः। ओं पृष्वीमूर्त्त्यधिपतये ब्रह्मणे नमः। इत्यादि मन्त्राः। सम्पूज्य कलशान् पञ्च क्रमेण निजनामभिः। निरुन्धीत विधानेन न्यासो मध्यशिलाक्रमात्

'Om, homage to the form of earth; Om, homage to Brahmā, lord of the form of earth.' Beginning with these mantras, after worshipping the five pots in order with their own names, one should seal them according to the procedure, beginning from the central stone.

कुर्य्यात् प्राकारमन्त्रेण भूतिदर्भैस्तिलैस्ततः। कुण्डेषु धारिकां शक्तिं विन्यस्याभ्यर्च्य तर्पयेत्

One should make a boundary with the mantra, using sacred grass and sesame seeds; then, placing the energy in the fire pits, worship and offer oblations.

तत्त्वतत्त्वाधिपान् मूर्त्तीर्मूर्त्तीशांश्च घृतादिभिः। ततो ब्रह्मांशशुद्ध्यर्थं मूलाङ्गं ब्रह्मभिः क्रमात्

One should worship the forms of the principles and their lords with ghee and other offerings; then, for the purification of the Brahmā portion, the root and limbs are to be consecrated in order by the Brahmā mantras.

कृत्वा शतादिपूर्णान्तं प्रोक्ष्याः शान्तिजलैः शिलाः। पूजयेच्च कुशैः स्पष्ट्वा प्रतितत्त्वमनुक्रमात्

After filling up to a hundred or more, one should sprinkle the stones with water for peace; then, having touched them with kuśa grass, worship each principle in sequence.

सांन्निध्यमथ सन्धानं कृत्वा शुद्धं पुनर्न्यसेत् एवं भागत्रये कर्म्म गत्वा गत्वा समाचरेत्

Then, having established presence and connection, one should again purify and consecrate; thus, moving through the three portions, the ritual is to be performed repeatedly.

ओं आं ईं आत्मतत्त्वविद्यातत्त्वाभ्यां नमः इति। संस्पृशेद् दर्भमूलाद्यैर्ब्रह्माङ्गादित्रयं क्रमात्। कुर्य्यात्तत्त्वानुसन्धानं ह्रस्वदीर्घप्रयोगतः

'Om āṃ īṃ, homage to the principles of self and knowledge.' One should touch the three Brahmā limbs in order with the roots of darbha grass, and perform contemplation of the principles with short and long applications.

ओं हां उं विद्यातत्त्वशिवतत्त्वाभ्यां नमः। घृतेन मधुना पूर्णांस्ताम्रकुम्भान् सरत्नकान्

'Om hām um, homage to the principles of knowledge and Śiva.' With ghee and honey, fill copper pots adorned with gems.

पञ्चगव्यार्घ्यसंसिक्तान् लोकपालाधिदैवतान्

Sprinkle the presiding deities of the guardians of the worlds with the five products of the cow and arghya offerings.

पूजयित्वा निजैर्म्मन्त्रैः सन्निधौ होममाचरेत्। शिलानामथ सर्वासां संस्मरेदधिदेवताः ।। विद्यारूपाः कृतस्नाना हेमवर्णाः शिलाम्वराः। न्यूनादिदोषमोषार्थं वास्तुभूमेश्च शुद्धये

Having worshipped with one's own mantras, one should perform a homa in their presence; then, for all the stones, one should recall their presiding deities—who are forms of knowledge, golden in hue, adorned with stones, and who have bathed—so that any deficiency or excess of faults may be removed and for the purification of the site and ground.

ईश्वर उवाच ततः प्रासादमासूत्र्य वर्त्तयेकद्वास्तुमण्डपं। कुर्य्यात् कोष्ठचतुः षष्टि वेदास्रके समे

Īśvara said: Then, having measured out the temple, one should mark the main hall and the vestibule; one should make sixty-four storage rooms, with the altar placed evenly.