Agni Purana

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—

सङ्गीर्त्तयन्ति गोविन्दं ते वस्त्याज्याः सुदूरतः। नित्यनैमित्तिकैर्द्देवं ये यजन्ति जनार्द्दनम्

Those who sing the praises of Govinda are to be left far away from your reach; those who worship Janārdana with daily and occasional rites—

नावलोक्या भचवद्भिस्ते तद्‌गता यान्ति तद्गतिम्। ये पुष्पधूपवासोभिर्भूषणैश्चातिवल्लभैः

They are not to be regarded by you, O eaters of offerings; those whose minds are fixed on Him attain His state. Those who worship with flowers, incense, fasting, and beloved ornaments—

अर्च्ययन्ति न ते ग्राह्या नराः कृष्णालये गताः । उपलेपनकर्त्तारः सम्मार्जनपरश्च ये

Those who worship in this way are not to be seized, even if they enter the house of Kṛṣṇa; nor those who apply ointments or are devoted to cleaning.

कृष्णालये परित्याज्यास्तेषां पुत्रास्तथा कुलम्। येन चायतनं विष्णोः कारितं तत् कुलोद्भवम्

Those who are in the house of Kṛṣṇa are to be left aside, as well as their sons and families. Whoever has established a shrine of Viṣṇu, his family—

पुंसां शतं नावलोक्यं भवद्भिर्दुष्टचेतसा। यस्तु देवालयं विष्णोर्द्दारुशौलमयं तथा

A hundred men of evil mind who are descendants of such a one are not to be regarded by you; and whoever builds a temple for Viṣṇu, whether of wood or stone—

कारयेन्मृण्मयं वापि सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते। अहन्यहनि यज्ञेन यजतो यन्महाफलम्

Or even of clay, is freed from all sins. The great fruit obtained by daily sacrifice—

प्राप्नोति तत् फलं विष्णोर्यः कारयति केतनम्। सप्तलोकमयो विष्णुस्तस्य यः कुरुते गृहम्

That fruit is attained by one who builds a temple for Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu, who encompasses the seven worlds, dwells in the house of the one who builds it.

कारयन् भगवद्धाम् नयत्यच्युतलोकताम्। सप्तलोकमयो विष्णुस्तस्य यः कुरुते गृहम्

By building the divine abode, he leads (the builder) to the world of Acyuta. Viṣṇu, who encompasses the seven worlds, dwells in the house of the one who builds it.

तारयत्यक्षयांल्लोकानक्षयान् प्रातिपद्यते। इष्टकाचयविन्यासो यावनत्यब्दानि तिष्ठति

He saves unending worlds and attains imperishable realms. As long as the arrangement of bricks endures, for that many years—

तावद्वर्षसहस्नाणि तत्‌कर्त्तु र्द्दि वि संस्थितिः। प्रतिमाकृद्विष्णुलोकं स्थापको लीयते हरौ

For as many thousands of years, the builder remains established. The maker of Viṣṇu’s image attains Viṣṇu’s world; the installer merges into Hari.