Agni Purana

सर्व्वतो भद्रकान्यष्टमण्डलानि वदे गुह । शक्तिमासाधयेत् प्राचीमिष्टायां विषुवे सुधीः ।। ३२०.

O Guha, I will describe the eight auspicious maṇḍalas; one should establish the śakti in the desired eastern direction at the equinox, with proper understanding.

चित्रास्वात्यन्तरेणाथ दृष्टसूत्रेण वा पुनः । पूर्व्वापरायतं सूत्रमास्फाल्य मद्यतोऽङ्कयेत् ।। ३२०.

Then, between Citrā and Svātī, or again with a visible thread, one should stretch a thread from east to west and mark the center.

कोटचिद्वयन्तु तन्मध्यादङ्‌कयेद्दक्षिणोत्तरम् । मध्ये द्वयं प्रकर्त्तव्यं स्फालयेद्दक्षिणोत्तरम् ।। ३२०.

From the middle of the two corners, one should mark the southern and northern directions; in the middle, two should be made, and the southern and northern lines should be stretched.

शतक्षेत्रार्द्धमानेन कोणसम्पातमादिशेत् । एवं सूत्रचतुष्कस्य स्फालनाच्चतुरस्रकम् ।। ३२०.

With half the measure of a hundred units, one should indicate the meeting of the corners; thus, by stretching four threads, a quadrangle is formed.

जायते तत्र कर्त्तव्यं भद्रस्वेदकरं शुभम् । वसुभक्तेन्दुद्विपदे क्षेत्रे वीथी च भागिका ।। ३२०.

There, one should make the auspicious bhadra-svedakara; in the field, divided into two for the Vasus and the Moon, there should be a pathway and a division.

द्वारं द्विपदिकं पद्ममानाद्वै सकपोलकम् । कोणबन्धविवित्त्रन्तु द्विपदं तत्र वर्त्तयेत् ।। ३२०.

The door should be two units, and the lotus measured accordingly, with cheeks; at the corner joints, a double band should be made there.

शुक्लं पद्मं कर्णिका तु पीता चित्रन्तु केशरम्। रक्ता वीथी तत्र कल्प्या द्वारं लोकेशरूपकं ।। ३२०.

The lotus should be white, the pericarp yellow, and the filaments varied; the pathway there should be red, and the door should have the form of the lord of the world.

रक्तकोणं विधौ नित्ये नैमित्तिकेऽव्जकं श्रृणु । असंसक्तन्तु संसक्तं द्विधाव्जं भुक्तिमुक्तिकृत् ।। ३२०.

The corner should be red in the regular and occasional rites; hear about the lotus: detached and attached, of two kinds, it grants both enjoyment and liberation.

असंसक्तं सुमुक्षूणां संसक्तं तत्त्रिधा पृथक् । बालो युवा च वृद्धश्च नामतः फलसिद्धिदाः ।। ३२०.

The detached is for those intent on liberation; the attached is of three kinds, each distinct: child, youth, and elder—so named, they grant the attainment of their respective fruits.

पद्मक्षेत्रे तु सूत्राणि दिग्विदिशु विनिक्षिपेत् । वृत्तानि पञ्चकल्पानि पद्मक्षेत्रसमानि तु ।। ३२०.

In the lotus field, threads should be placed in the cardinal and intermediate directions; five circles should be designed, each equal to the lotus field.

प्रथमे कर्णिका तत्र पुष्करैर्न्नवभिर्युता । केशराणि चतुर्व्विशद्वितीयेऽथ तृतीयके ।। ३२०.

In the first, the pericarp is there, joined with nine petals; and twenty-four filaments in the second and third.

दलसन्धिर्गजकुम्भनिभान्तर्यद्दलाग्रकम् । पञ्चमे व्योमरूपन्तु संसक्तं कमलं स्मृतं ।। ३२०.

Where the junction of the petals resembles the frontal bulge of an elephant, and the tip of the petal is attached, in the fifth, the form of space is considered to be the joined lotus.

असंसक्ते दलाग्रे तु दिग्भागैर्विस्तराद्भजेत् ।. भागद्वयपरित्यागाद्वस्वंशैर्वर्त्तयेद्दलम् ।। ३२०.

If the petal tip is unattached, divide it broadly according to the directions; by omitting two portions, form the petal with the remaining six parts.

सन्धिविस्तरसूत्रेण तन्मूलादञ्जयेद्दलम् सव्यासव्यक्रमेणैव वृद्धमेतद्भवेत्तथा ।। ३२०.

With a thread measuring the width of the junction, draw the petal from its base, proceeding alternately to the right and left, so that it increases accordingly.

अथ वा सन्धिमध्यात्तु भ्रामयेदर्द्धचन्द्रवत् । सन्धिद्वयाग्रसूत्रं वा बालपद्मन्तथा भवेत् ।। ३२०.

Or, from the middle of the junction, rotate it like a half-moon; or, with a thread from the tip of two junctions, thus is the young lotus formed.

. सन्धिसूत्रार्द्धमानेन पृष्ठतः परिवर्त्तयेत् । तीक्ष्णाग्रन्तु सुवातेन कमलं भुक्तिमुक्तिदम् ।। ३२०.

With half the measure of the junction thread, turn it from behind; with a sharp tip and a gentle wind, the lotus grants enjoyment and liberation.

मुक्तवृद्धौ च वश्यादौ बालं पद्मं समानकं । नवनाभंनवहस्तं भागैर्म्मन्त्रात्मकैश्च तत् ।। ३२०.

For the expanded and liberated forms, as well as for control, the young lotus is made equal, with a new navel and nine spans, and with portions embodying mantras.

मध्येऽव्जं पट्टिकावीजं द्वारेणाब्जस्य मानतः । कण्ठोपकण्ठमुक्तानि तद्वाह्ये वीथिका मता ।। ३२०.

In the center is the lotus, with a band as its seed; at the entrance of the lotus, measure accordingly; the neck and sub-neck pearls are outside it, and beyond that is the pathway.

पञ्चभागान्विता सा तु समन्ताद्दशभागिका । दिग्विदिक्ष्वष्ट पद्मानि द्वारपद्मं सवीथिकम् ।। ३२०.

That pathway is endowed with five parts, and all around it is of ten parts; in the directions and intermediate directions are eight lotuses, the gateway lotus with its pathway.

तद्वाह्ये पञ्च पदिका वीथिका यत्र भूषिता । पद्मवद्‌द्वारकण्ठन्तु पदिकञ्चौष्ठकण्ठकं ।। ३२०.

Outside that are five padikas, where the pathways are adorned; as with the lotus, the gateway neck and the padika, and the eightfold neck.

कपोलं पदिकं कार्य्यं दिक्षु द्वारत्रयं स्फुटम् । कोणबन्धं त्रिपट्टन्तु द्विपट्टं वज्रवद्भवेत् ।। ३२०.

The cheek should be made as a padika, with three gateways clearly in the directions; the corner binding is a triple band, and the double band should be like a diamond.

मध्यन्तु कमलं शुक्लं पीतं रक्तञ्च नीलकम् । पीतशुक्लञ्च धूम्रञ्च रक्तं पीतञ्च मुक्तिदम् ।। ३२०.

In the center, the lotus is white, yellow, red, and blue; yellow-white, smoky, red, and yellow, bestowing liberation.

पूर्व्वादौ कमलान्यष्ट शिवविष्ण्वादिकंजपेत् . प्रासादमध्यतोऽभ्यर्च्य शक्रादीन्व्जकादिषु ।। ३२०.

At the beginning in the east, eight lotuses are to be made, dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and others; worship in the center of the temple, and to Indra and others in the lotuses.

अस्त्राणि वाह्यवीथ्यान्तु विष्ण्वादीनश्वमेधभाक् । पवित्रारोहणादौ च महामण्डलमालिखेत् ।। ३२०.

Weapons are to be placed on the outer pathway, for Vishnu and others, those entitled to the Ashvamedha; at the beginning of the purification ascent, the great maṇḍala should be drawn.

अष्टहस्तं पुरा क्षेत्रं रसपक्षैर्विवर्त्तयेत् । द्विपदं कमलं मध्ये वीथिका पदिका ततः ।। ३२०.

Formerly, the field was eight spans, to be turned with the portions of rasa; in the center, a two-petaled lotus, then the pathway and padika.

दिग्विदिक्षु ततोऽष्ठै च नीलाब्जानि विवर्त्तयेत् । मध्यपद्मप्रमाणेन त्रिंशत्पद्मानि तानि तु ।। ३२०.

Then, in the directions and intermediate directions, eight blue lotuses are to be drawn; according to the measure of the central lotus, there are thirty such lotuses.

. दलसन्धिविहीनानि नीलेन्दीवरकानि च । तत्‌पृष्ठे पदिका वीथी स्वस्तिकानि तदूर्द्धतः ।। ३२०.

These are without petal junctions, and are blue lotuses; behind them are padikas, pathways, and above them are svastikas.

. द्विपदानि तथा चाष्टौ कृतिभागकृतानि तु . वर्त्तयेत् स्वस्तिकांश्तत्र वीथिका पूर्व्ववद्वहिः ।। ३२०.

Likewise, there are eight two-petaled lotuses, made in their respective portions; there, svastikas are to be drawn, and the pathways outside as before.

द्वाराणि कमलं यद्वदुपकण्ठयुतानि तु । वक्त्तयेत् स्वस्तिकांस्तत्र वीथका पूर्व्ववद्वहिः ।। ३२०.

The gateways, like the lotus, are accompanied by sub-neck portions; there, svastikas are to be drawn, and the pathways outside as before.