Agni Purana

कनिष्ठेनैव तत् पुण्यं प्राप्नोत्यधनवान्नरः। समुत्पाद्य धनं कृत्वा स्वल्पेनापि सुरालयम्

Even with the least, a man obtains that merit, if he is wealthy; having acquired wealth, even with a little, he should build a temple for the gods.

कारयित्वा हरेः पुण्यं सम्प्राप्नोत्यधिकं वरम्। लक्षेणाथ सहस्नेण शतेनार्द्धेन वा हरेः

By building a temple for Hari, he attains greater merit; whether with a hundred thousand, a thousand, a hundred, or even half, for Hari—

कारयन् भबनं याति यत्रास्ते गरुडध्वजः। बाल्ये तु क्रीडमाना ये पांशुभिर्भवनं हरेः

He who builds a house goes to where Garuḍa-bannered Hari resides; even children, playing, who make a house for Hari with sand—

वासुदेवस्य कुर्व्वन्ति तेपि तल्लोकगामिनः। तीर्थे चायतने पुण्ये सिद्धक्षेत्रे तथाष्टमे

Those who build for Vāsudeva also go to his world; in a holy place, in a temple, in a sacred field, or in an auspicious eighth place—

कर्त्तुरायतन विष्णोर्यथोक्तात् त्रिगुणं फलम्। बन्धूकपुष्पविन्यासैः सुधापङ्केन वैष्णवम्

The builder of Viṣṇu's temple, as described, attains threefold fruit; by decorating a Vaiṣṇava temple with bandhūka flowers and sweet clay—

ये विलिम्पन्ति भवनं ते यान्ति भगवत्‌पुरम्। पतितं पतभानन्तु तथार्द्धपतितं नरः

Those who plaster the house thus go to the city of the Blessed Lord; one who has let it fall, or half-fallen, likewise—

समुद्धत्य हरेर्द्धाम प्राप्नोति द्विगुणं फलम्। पतितस्य तु यः कर्त्ता पतितस्य च रक्षिता

Whoever restores Hari's temple obtains double the merit; the one who repairs what has fallen, and the one who protects what is falling.

विष्णोरायतनस्येह स नरो विष्णुलोकभाक्। इष्टकानिचयस्तिष्ठेद् यावदायतने हरेः

Here, a man who establishes a temple of Viṣṇu attains the world of Viṣṇu, for as long as the arrangement of bricks remains in the temple of Hari.

सकुलस्तस्य वै कर्त्ता विष्णुलोके महीयते। स एव पुण्यवान् पूज्य इह लोके परत्र च

The one who constructs it, along with his family, is honored in the world of Viṣṇu; he alone is virtuous and worthy of reverence in this world and the next.

कृष्णस्य वासुदेवस्य यः कारयति केतनम्। जातःस एव सुकृती कुलन्तेनैव पावितम्

Whoever causes a shrine to be built for Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, is born as a doer of good, and his entire lineage is purified.

विष्णुरुद्रार्कदेव्यादेर्गृहकर्त्ता स कीर्त्तिभाक्। किं तस्य वित्तनिचयैर्मूढस्य परिरक्षिणः

The builder of a house for Viṣṇu, Rudra, the Sun, the Goddess, and others becomes renowned; what use are heaps of wealth to the deluded who merely guard them?

दुः खार्ज्जितैर्यः कृष्णस्य न कारयति केतनम्। नोपभोग्यं धनं यस्य पितृविप्रदिवौकसाम्

He who, though possessing wealth acquired with hardship, does not build a shrine for Kṛṣṇa—his wealth is not enjoyed by ancestors, Brāhmaṇas, or the gods.

नोपभोगाय बन्धूनां व्यर्थस्तस्य धनागमः। यथा ध्रुवो नृणां मृत्युर्वित्तनाशस्तथा ध्रुवः

His wealth is not for the enjoyment of relatives; his acquisition of riches is in vain. Just as death is certain for men, so too is the loss of wealth.

मूढस्तत्राऽनुबध्नाति जीवितेथ चले धने। यदा वित्तं न दानाय नोपभोगाय देहिनाम्

The deluded man clings to life and unstable wealth, when his riches are neither given in charity nor enjoyed by embodied beings.

नापि कीर्त्यै न धर्मार्थं तस्य स्वाम्येथ को गुणः। तस्माद्वित्तं समासाद्य दैवाद्वा पौरुषादथ

Nor for fame, nor for righteousness—what merit is there in such ownership? Therefore, having obtained wealth, whether by fate or by effort—

दद्यात् सम्यग् द्विजाग्रथेभ्यः कीर्त्तनानि च कारयेत्। दानेभ्यस्चाधिकं यस्मात् कीर्त्तनेभ्यो वरं यतः

One should properly give to worthy Brāhmaṇas and cause shrines to be built; for among gifts, the making of shrines is superior, as it is greater than other charities.

अतस्तत्‌कारयेद्धीमान् विष्ण्वादेर्म्मन्दिरादिकम्। विनिवेश्य हरेर्द्धाम भक्तिमद्भिर्न्नरोत्तमैः

Therefore, the wise should build temples and the like for Viṣṇu and others, establishing the abode of Hari with the best of devoted men.

निवेशितं भवेत् कृत्स्नं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्। भूतं भव्यं भविष्यञ्च स्थूलं सूक्ष्मं तथेतरत्

When it is established, the entire three worlds, with all that moves and is still—past, present, and future, gross, subtle, and all else—are included.

आब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्य्यन्तं सर्व्वं विष्णोः समुद्भवम्। तस्य देवादिदेवस्य सर्वगस्य महात्मनः

From Brahmā down to a blade of grass, all arises from Viṣṇu, the god of gods, the all-pervading, the great soul.

निवेश्य भवनं विष्णोर्न्न भूयो भुवि जायते। यथा विष्णोर्द्धामकृतौ फलं तद्वद्दिवौकसाम्

Having established a dwelling for Viṣṇu, one is not born again on earth; just as is the fruit of building a temple for Viṣṇu, so too for the gods.

शिवब्रह्मार्क्कविध्नेशचण्डीलक्षग्यादिकात्मनाम्। देवालयकृतेः पुण्यं प्रतिमाकरणेधिकम्

The merit of building a temple for Śiva, Brahmā, the Sun, Viṣvakarman, Caṇḍī, Lakṣmī, and others is greater than that of making images.

प्रतिमास्थापने यागे फलस्यान्तो न विद्यते। मृण्मयाद्दारुजे पुण्यं दारुजादिष्टकाभवे

There is no end to the fruit of installing images and performing sacrifices; merit from a clay image is surpassed by that from a wooden one, and so on up to brick.

इष्टकोत्थाच्छैलजे स्याद्धेमादेरधिकं फलम्। सप्तजमन्मकृतं पापं प्रापम्भादेव नश्यति

The fruit from a stone image is greater than that from brick, and greater still from gold and the like; by this, the sins of seven lifetimes are destroyed at once.

देवालयस्य स्वर्गी स्यान्नरकं न स गच्छति। कुलानां शतमुद्धृत्य विष्णुलोकं नयेन्नरः

The builder of a temple attains heaven and does not go to hell; he uplifts a hundred families and leads them to the world of Viṣṇu.

यमो यमभटानाह देवमन्दिरकारिणः। यम उवाच प्रतिमापूजादिकृतो नानेया नरकं नराः

Yama said to his attendants: 'Those who have built temples for the gods are not led to hell, having performed worship of images and the like.'

देवालयाद्यकर्त्तार आनेयस्ते तु गोचरे विचरध्वं यथान्यायन्नियोगो मम पाल्यताम्

Bring here the overseers of temples and the like, within your reach; let them move about according to proper order—my command must be observed.

नाझाभङ्गं करिष्यन्ति भवतां जन्तवः क्कचित्। केवलं ये जगत्तातमनन्तं समुपाश्रिताः

No living beings under your authority will ever break their vows, except for those who have taken full refuge in the infinite Lord of the world.

भवद्भिः परिहर्त्तव्यास्तेषां नात्रास्ति संस्थितिः। येच भागवता लोके तच्चित्तास्तत्‌परायमाः

You must avoid those; for them, there is no jurisdiction here. And those in the world who are devoted to the Lord, whose minds are fixed on Him, who have Him as their supreme goal—

पूजयन्ति सदा विष्णुं ते वस्त्याज्याः सुदूरतः। यस्तिष्ठन् प्रस्वपन् गच्छन्नुत्तिष्ठन् स्खलिते स्थिते

Those who always worship Viṣṇu are to be left far away from your reach; whether standing, sleeping, going, rising, stumbling, or standing still—