Agni Purana

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.

अग्निरुवाच यमोक्ता नानयंस्तेथ प्रतिष्ठादिकृतं हरेः। हयशीर्षः प्रतिष्ठार्थं देवानां ब्रह्मणेऽब्रवीत्

Agni said: Those whom I instructed did not bring the one who performed the installation for Hari; Hayagrīva spoke to Brahmā and the gods about the installation.

हयग्रीव उवाच विष्ण्वादीनां प्रतिष्ठादि वक्ष्ये ब्रह्मन् श्रृणुष्व मे। प्रोक्तानि पञ्चरात्राणि सप्तरात्राणि वै मया

Hayagrīva said: I will explain the installation rites for Viṣṇu and others; O Brahman, listen to me. I have described the five-night and seven-night (rites).

व्यस्तानि मुनिभिर्लेके पञ्चविंशतिसङ्ख्यया। हयशीर्षं तन्त्रमाद्यं तन्त्रं त्रैलोक्यमोहनम्

They have been separately taught by sages in the world, numbering twenty-five. The Hayashirṣa Tantra is the first, a tantra that bewilders the three worlds.

वैभवं पौष्करं तन्त्रं प्रह्रादङ्गार्ग्यगालवम्। नारदीयञ्च सम्प्रश्नं शाण्डिल्यं वैश्वकं

The Vaibhava, the Pauṣkara Tantra, the Prahrāda, Aṅgārga, Gālava, the Nārada, the Sampraśna, the Śāṇḍilya, and the Vaiśvaka (Tantras).

सत्योक्तं शौनकं तन्त्रं वासिष्ठंज्ञानसागरम्। स्वायम्भुवं कापिलञ्चातार्क्षं नारायणीयकम्

The Shaunaka Tantra, the Vasiṣṭha, the Ocean of Knowledge, the Svāyambhuva, the Kāpila, the Ātārkṣa, and the Nārāyaṇīya are all declared to be true.

आत्रेयं नारसिंहाख्यमानन्दाख्यं तथारुणम्। बौधायनं तथार्षं तु विश्वोक्तं तस्य सारतः

The Ātreya, the Nārasiṃha, the Ānanda, the Āruṇa, the Baudhāyana, and the Ārṣa, as well as the Viśva, are considered the essence of these.

प्रतिष्ठां हि द्विजः कुर्य्यान्मध्यदेशादिसम्भवः। न कच्छदेशसम्भूतः कावेरीकोङ्कणोद्‌गतः

A twice-born who originates from Madhyadeśa and similar regions should perform the installation; not one who comes from Kaccha, Kāverī, Koṅkaṇa, or similar places.

कामरूपकलिङ्गोत्थः काञ्चीकारमीरकोशलः । आकाशवायुतेजोम्बुभूरेताः पञ्च रात्रयः

Those from Kāmarūpa, Kaliṅga, Kāñcī, Kāramīra, and Kośala, and the five Rātras—Ākāśa, Vāyu, Tejas, Ambu, and Bhū—

अचैतन्यास्तमोद्रिक्ताः पञ्चरात्रविवर्जितम्। ब्रह्माहं विष्णुरमल इति विद्यात्स देशिकः

Those lacking consciousness, overwhelmed by darkness, and devoid of the Pañcarātra should be excluded; the teacher should know, 'I am Brahmā, I am Viṣṇu, I am pure.'

सर्व्लक्षणहीनोपि स गुरुस्तन्त्रपारगः। नगराभिमुखाः स्थाप्या देवा न च पराङ्‌मुखाः

Even if lacking all characteristics, the one who has mastered the Tantra is the teacher; deities should be installed facing the city, not facing away.