Agni Purana

कुम्भोपरिष्टाद्देवेशं पद्मिनीं न्यस्य देवताम्। मृत्तिकाश्चैव पुष्पाणि धातवो रत्नमेव च

Above the vessel, let the deity Padminī be established; also clay, flowers, metals, and a jewel are to be placed.

लौहानि दिक्पतेरस्त्रं यजेद्वै गर्भभाजने। द्वादशाङ्गुलविस्तारे चतुरङ्गुलकोच्छ्रये

In a vessel of iron, let the weapon of the guardian of the directions be worshipped for the womb-holder, measuring twelve fingers across and four fingers high.

पद्माकारे ताम्रमये भाजने पृथिवीं यजेत्। एकान्ते सर्वभूतेशे पर्वतासनमण्डिते

In a lotus-shaped copper vessel, let the earth be worshipped; in a secluded place, with the Lord of all beings, adorned with a mountain seat.

समुद्रपरिवारे त्वं देवि गर्भं समाश्रय। नन्दे नन्दय वासिष्ठे वसुभिः प्रजया सह

O goddess, surrounded by the ocean, take up the womb; rejoice, O Nandā, with the Vāsiṣṭhas, Vasus, and their offspring.

जये भार्गवदायादे प्रजानां विजयावहे। पूर्णेङ्गिरसदायादे पूर्णकामं कुरुष्व माम्

O victorious one, descendant of Bhṛgu, bring victory to the people; O full descendant of Aṅgiras, fulfill all my desires.

भद्रे काश्यपदायादे कुरु भद्रां मतिं मम। सर्वबीजसमायुक्ते सर्वरत्नौषधीवृते

O Auspicious One, descendant of Kaśyapa, grant me a blessed mind—filled with all seeds, adorned with every gem and medicinal herb.

जये सुरुचिरे नन्दे वासिष्ठे रम्यतामिह। प्रजापतिसुते देवि चतुरस्रे महीयसि

May victory, splendor, and delight abide here in the noble, beautiful, and pleasing abode of Vasiṣṭha, O goddess, daughter of Prajāpati, in this great and four-sided place.

सुभगे सुप्रभे भद्रे गृहे काश्यपि रम्यताम्। पूजिते परमाश्चर्य्ये गन्धमाल्यैरलङ्कृते

O fortunate, radiant, and auspicious one, may you dwell happily in the house of Kaśyapa, honored and wondrous, adorned with fragrant garlands.

भवभूतिकरी देवि गृहे भार्गवि रम्यताम्। देशस्वामिपुरस्वामिगृहस्वामिपरिग्रहे

O goddess, bringer of prosperity, may you, descendant of Bhṛgu, dwell happily in the house, in the domain of the lord of the land, the city, and the household.

मनुष्यादिकतुष्ट्यर्थं पशुवृद्धिकरी भव। एवमुत्क्वा ततः खातं गोमूत्रेण तु सेचयेत्

Become the cause of satisfaction for humans and others, and bring increase of cattle; having spoken thus, then sprinkle the pit with cow urine.

कृत्वा निधापयेद्‌गर्भं गर्भाधानं भवेन्निशि। गोवस्त्रादि प्रदद्याच्च गुरवेन्येषु भोजनम्

Having done this, deposit the embryo (foundation deposit); let the implantation take place at night. One should give cow cloth and other gifts, as well as food, to the teacher and others.

गर्भं न्यस्येष्टका न्यस्य ततो गर्भं प्रपूरयेत्। पीठबन्धमतः कुर्य्यान्मितप्रासादमानत

Place the embryo, then lay the bricks, and then fill the foundation; after that, construct the platform according to the prescribed method, with a modestly sized building.

पीठोत्तमं चोच्छ्रयेण प्रासादस्यार्द्धविस्तरात्। पादहीनं मध्यमं स्यात् पनिष्ठं चोत्तमार्द्धतः

The best platform should be half the width of the building in height; the medium one is less by a quarter, and the lowest is half of the best.

पीठबन्धोपरिष्टातु पुनर्यजत्। पादप्परतिष्ठकारी तु निष्पापो दिवि मोदते

Upon the completed platform, one should again perform worship; the one who establishes the foundation with his own feet, being free from sin, rejoices in heaven.

देवागारं करोमीति मनसा यस्तु चिन्तयेत्। तस्य कायगतं पापं तदह्रा हि प्रणश्यति

Whoever, with mind intent, thinks 'I will build a temple for the gods,' all the sins attached to his body are destroyed that very day.

कृते तु किं पुनस्तस्य प्रासादे विधिनैव तु। अष्टेष्टकसमायुक्तं यः कुर्य्याहेवतालयम्

What then, when he actually builds the temple according to the rules, using eight bricks—such a temple for the gods?

न तस्य फलसम्पत्तिर्वक्तुं शक्येत केनचित्। अनेनैवानुमेयं हि फलं प्रासादविस्तरात्

No one is able to describe the abundance of fruits (merit) that accrues to him; the result is to be inferred from the very extent of the temple.

ग्राममध्ये च पूर्वे च प्रत्यग्द्वारं प्रकल्पयेत्। विदिशासु च सर्वासु ग्रामे प्रत्यङ्मुखो भवेत्

In the middle of the village and also in the east, one should arrange for an eastern-facing door; in all directions, the temple in the village should face west.

इयग्रीव उवाच प्रासादं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि सर्वसाधारण श्रृण। चतुरस्त्रीकृतं क्षेत्रं भजेत् षोडशधा बुधः

Iyagrīva said: I will now explain the general rule for building a temple—listen. The wise should divide a square plot into sixteen parts.

मध्ये तस्य चतुर्भिस्तु कुर्य्यादायसमन्वितम्। द्वादशैव तु भागानि भित्त्यर्थं परिकल्पयेत्

In the center of that, with four divisions, one should make a structure with iron; and for the walls, twelve divisions should be arranged.

जङ्घोच्छायन्तु कर्त्तव्यं चतुर्भागेण चायतम् । जङ्घायां द्विगुणोच्छायं मञ्चर्य्याः कल्पयेद् बुधः

The height of the lower wall should be made equal to one-fourth of the length; the wise should make the height of the platform twice that of the lower wall.

तुर्य्यभागेन मञ्चर्य्याः कार्य्यः सम्यक् प्रदक्षिणः । तन्माननिर्गमं कार्य्यमुभयोः पार्श्वयोः समम्

The circumambulation path should be made with one-fourth the length of the platform; the passage for movement should be made equal on both sides.

शिशरेण समं कार्य्यमग्रे जगति विस्तरम्। द्विगुणेनापि कर्त्तव्यं यथाशोभानुरूपतः

The extension in front should be made equal to the width of the threshold; or it may be made twice as large, according to what is most fitting and beautiful.

विस्तारान्मण्डपस्याग्रे गर्भसूत्रद्वयेन तु। दैर्घ्यात्पादाधिकं कुर्य्यान्मध्यस्तम्भैर्विभूषितम्

In front of the pavilion, let there be two garbha-threads extending its width, and let the length exceed by a foot, adorned with central pillars.

प्रासादगर्भमानं वा कुर्व्वीत मुखमण्डपम्। एकाशीतिपदैर्व्वास्तुं पश्चात् मण्डपमारभ्त्

Alternatively, one may construct a mukha-maṇḍapa according to the inner chamber's measurement, or build the pavilion with eighty-one feet, beginning the maṇḍapa at the rear.

शुकान् प्राग्‌द्वारविन्यासे पादान्तः स्थान् यजेत् सुरान्। तथा प्राकारविन्यासे यजेद् द्वात्रिंशदन्तगान्

In the eastern doorway arrangement, offer to the gods at the ends of the feet, and likewise, in the arrangement of the enclosure, offer to the thirty-two deities at the ends.

सर्वसाधारणं चैतत् प्रासादस्य च लक्षणम्। मानेन प्रतिमाया वा प्रासादमपरं श्रृणु

This is the general characteristic of a temple; now hear of another temple, measured by the image or by its own measure.

प्रतिमायाः प्रमाणेन कर्त्तव्या पिण्डिका शुभा। गर्भस्तु पिण्डिकार्द्वेन गर्भमानास्तु भित्तयः

A proper pedestal should be made according to the measurement of the image; the inner chamber should be half the pedestal, and the walls should match the chamber's measure.

भित्तेरायाममानेन उत्सेधन्तु प्रकल्पयेत्। भित्त्युच्छायात्तु द्विगुणं शिखरं कल्पयेद् बुधः

The height should be determined by the wall's measurement, and the wise should make the tower twice the shadow cast by the wall.