Agni Purana

गारुडं मण्डपञ्चाग्रे एकं भौमादिधाम च। कुर्य्याद्धि प्रतिमायान्तु दिक्षु चाष्टासु चोपरि

In front of the pavilion, make a Garuḍa-maṇḍapa and a terrestrial abode; for the image, make eight above, one in each direction.

पूर्वं वराहं दक्षे च नृसिंहं श्रीधरं जले। उत्तरे तु हयग्रीवमाग्नेय्यां जामदग्न्यकम्

In the east, the Boar; in the south, the Man-Lion; Śrīdhara in the water; in the north, Hayagrīva; in the southeast, the son of Jamadagni.

नैर्ऋत्यां रामकं वायौ वामनं वासुदेवकम्। ईशे प्रासादरचना देया वस्वर्ककादिभिः

In the southwest, Rāma; in the northwest, Vāmana; Vāsudeva in the west; in the northeast, the arrangement of the temple should be made with Vasus, Ādityas, and others.

भगवानुवाच प्रासादे देवताः स्थाप्या वक्ष्ये ब्रह्मन् श्रृणुष्व मे। पञ्चायतनमध्ये तु वासुदेवं विवेशयेन्

The Blessed Lord said: The deities should be installed in the temple; I shall tell you, O Brāhmaṇa, listen to me. In the center of the five-shrine arrangement, Vāsudeva should be enshrined.

वामनं नृहरिञ्चाश्वशीर्षं तद्वच्च शूकरम्। आग्नेये नैर्ऋते चैव वायव्ये चेशगोचरे

Vāmana, Narahari, Aśvaśīrṣa, and likewise Śūkara should be placed in the southeast, southwest, northwest, and the domain of Īśa, respectively.

अथ नारायणं मध्ये आग्नेय्यामम्बिकां न्यसेत्। नैर्ऋत्यां भास्करं वायौ ब्रह्माणं लिङ्गमीशके

Then Nārāyaṇa in the center, Ambikā in the southeast, Bhāskara in the southwest, Brahmā in the northwest, and the Liṅga in the northeast should be installed.

अथवा रुद्ररूपन्तु अथवा नवधामसु। वासुदेवं न्यसेन्मध्ये पूर्वादौ वामवामकान्

Alternatively, the form of Rudra, or in the nine shrines, Vāsudeva should be placed in the center, and the leftmost and rightmost in the east and so on.

इन्द्रादीन् लोकपालांश्च अथवा नवधामसु। पञ्चायतनकं कुर्य्यात् मध्ये तु पुरुषोत्तमम्

The guardians of the worlds, beginning with Indra, or in the nine shrines, the five-shrine arrangement should be made, with the Supreme Person in the center.

लक्ष्मीवैश्रवणौ पूर्वं दक्षे मातृगणं न्यसेत्। स्कन्दं गणेशमीशानं सुर्य्यादीन् पश्चिमे ग्रहान्

Lakṣmī and Vaiśravaṇa in the east, the Mothers in the south, Skanda, Gaṇeśa, Īśāna, Sūrya and others, and the planets in the west should be placed.

उत्तरे दशमत्स्यादीनाग्नेय्यां चण्डिकां तथा। नैर्ॠत्यामम्बिकां स्थाप्य वायव्ये तु सरस्वतीम्

In the north, the ten forms beginning with Matsya; in the southeast, Caṇḍikā; in the southwest, Ambikā should be installed; in the northwest, Sarasvatī.

पद्मामैशे वासुदेवं मध्ये नारायणञ्च वा। त्रयोदशालये मध्ये विश्वरूपं न्यसेद्धरिम्

Padmā and Īśa in the northeast, Vāsudeva in the center, or Nārāyaṇa; in a thirteen-shrine temple, Viśvarūpa Hari should be placed in the center.

पूर्वांदौ केशवादीन् वा अन्यधामस्वयं हरिम् । मृण्मयी दारुघटिता लोहजा रत्नजा तथा

In the east and so on, Keśava and others, or in other shrines, Hari himself; the image may be made of clay, wood, metal, or jewel.

शैलजा गन्धजा चैव कौसुमी सप्तदा स्मृता। कौसुमी गन्धजा चैव मृण्मयी प्रतिमा तथा

It is said to be of seven kinds: stone, fragrant substance, and also floral; floral, fragrant, and clay images as well.

तत्‌कालपूजिताश्चैताः सर्वकामफलप्रदाः। अथ शैलमयी वक्ष्ये शिला यत्र च गृह्यते

When worshipped at the proper time, these grant all desired results. Now I shall describe the stone image, and where the stone is to be obtained.

पर्वतानामभावे च गृह्णीयाद् भूगतां शिलाम्। पाण्डरा ह्यरुणा पीता कृष्णा शस्ता तु वर्णिनाम्

If there are no mountains, one should take a stone from the ground; white, reddish, yellow, and black are the best among colors.

न यदा लभ्यते सम्यग् वर्णिनां वर्णतः शिला। वर्णाद्यापादनं तत्र जुहुयात् सिंहविद्यया

When a stone of the proper color cannot be found, one should perform the Siṃha rite to impart the desired color.

शिलायां शुक्लरेखाग्र्या कृष्णाग्र्या सिंहहोमतः। कांस्यघण्टानिनादा स्यात् पुंलिङ्गा विस्फुलिङ्गिका

If the stone has a white line at the tip, or a black tip due to the Siṃha rite, the sound of a bronze bell arises; if masculine, it emits sparks.

तन्मन्दलक्षणा स्त्री स्याद्रूपाभावान्नपुंसका। दृश्यते मण्डलं यस्यां सगर्भां तां विवर्जयेत्

If it has the marks of a circle, it is feminine; if it lacks form, it is neuter. If a circle is seen within it, one should avoid it as containing a womb.

प्रतिमार्थं वनं गत्वा वनयागं समाचरेत्। तत्र खात्वोपलिप्याथ मण्डपे तु हरिं यजेत्

For the purpose of the image, one should go to the forest and perform the forest sacrifice; there, after digging and smearing, one should worship Hari in the pavilion.

बलिं दत्त्वा कर्म्मशस्त्रं टङ्कादिकमथार्च्चयेत्। हुत्वाथ शालितोयेन अस्त्रेण प्रोक्षयेच्छिलाम्

After offering the bali, one should worship the ritual implements such as axes and the like; then, having made an offering, one should sprinkle the stone with water mixed with rice using a ritual instrument.

रक्षां कृत्वा नृसिंहेन मूलमन्त्रेण पूजयेत् । हुत्वा पूर्णाहुतिं दद्यात्ततो भूतबलिं गुरुः

Having performed protection with the Narasimha mantra, one should worship with the root mantra; after making an offering, the teacher should then give the complete oblation and the offering to the spirits.

अत्र ये संस्थिताः सत्त्वा यातुधानाश्च गुह्यकाः। सिद्धादयो वा ये चान्ये तान् सम्पूज्य क्षमापयेत्

To all beings present here, including yātudhānas, guhyakas, siddhas, and others, having honored them, one should ask their forgiveness.

विष्णुबिम्बार्थमस्माकं यात्रैषा केशवाज्ञया। विष्ण्वर्थं यद्भवेत् कार्य्यं युष्माकमपि तद्भवेत्

This journey of ours is for the image of Viṣṇu, undertaken by the command of Keśava; whatever work is for Viṣṇu, may that also be for you.

अनेन बलिदानेन प्रीता भवत सर्वथा। क्षेमेण गच्छतान्यत्र मुक्त्वा स्थानमिदं त्वरात्

By this offering of bali, may you be pleased in every way; go elsewhere in peace, quickly leaving this place.

एवं प्रबोधिताः सत्त्वा यान्ति तृप्ता यथासुखम्। शिल्पिभिश्च चरुं प्रास्य स्वप्नमन्त्रं जपेन्निशि

Thus addressed, the beings depart, satisfied and at ease; the artisans, having offered the cooked rice, should recite the dream-mantra at night.

ओं नमः सकललोकाय विष्णवे प्रभविष्णवे। विश्वाय विश्वरूपाय स्वप्नाधिपतये नमः

Om, obeisance to Viṣṇu, lord of all worlds, the all-pervading, the universal form, obeisance to the lord of dreams.

आचक्ष्व देवदेवेश प्रसुप्तोस्मि तवान्तिकम्। स्वप्ने सर्वाणि कार्याणि हृदिस्थानि तु यानि मे

O Lord of gods, I am lying asleep before you; in my dream, reveal to me all the tasks that dwell in my heart.

ओं ओं ह्रुं फट् विष्णवे स्वाहा । शुभे स्वप्ने शुभं सर्वं ह्यशुभे सिंहहोमतः

Om om hrum phat, svāhā to Viṣṇu; in an auspicious dream, may all be auspicious, and in an inauspicious one, let it be purified by the lion-offering.

कुद्दालटङ्कशस्त्राद्यं मध्वाज्याक्तमुखञ्चरेत्। आत्मानं चिन्तयेद्विष्णुं शिल्पिनं विश्वकर्म्मकम्

One should take up implements such as spades and axes, their mouths anointed with honey and ghee; meditating on oneself as Viṣṇu, and the artisan as Viśvakarman.