Agni Purana

शिलां कृत्वा पिण्डिकार्थं किञ्चिन्न्यूनान्तु कल्पयेत्। रथे स्थाप्य समानीय सवस्त्रां कारुवेश्मनि। पूजयित्वाथ घटयेत् प्रतिमां स तु कर्म्मकृत्

Having shaped the stone for the pedestal, making it slightly lower, it should be placed on a chariot and brought, covered with cloth, to the artisan’s workshop; after worshipping it, the craftsman should then fashion the image.

भगवानुवाच वासुदेवादिप्रतिमालक्षणं प्रवदामि ते। प्रासादस्योत्तरे पूर्वमुखीं वा चोत्ताराननाम्

The Blessed Lord said: I will describe to you the characteristics of the images of Vāsudeva and others; they should face east or north in the temple.

संस्थाप्य पूज्य च बलिं दत्त्वाथो मध्यसूत्रकम्। शिल्पी तु नवधा विभज्य नवमेंऽशके

Having established and worshipped it, and given the bali, then the central thread should be drawn; the artisan should divide it into nine parts, focusing on the ninth part.

सूर्पभक्तैः शिलायां तु भागं स्वाङ्गुलमुच्यते। द्व्यङ्गुलं गोलकं नाम्ना कालनेत्रं तदुच्यते

On the stone, the portion measured by a winnowing basket is called one finger-breadth; the sphere of two finger-breadths is called the 'kālanetra' (time-eye).

भागमेकं त्रिदा भक्त्वा पार्ष्णिभागं प्राकल्पयेत्। भागमेकं तथा जानौ ग्रीवायां भागमेव च

Dividing one part into three, one should form the heel portion; likewise, one part for the knees, and one part for the neck.

मुकुटं तालमात्रं स्यात्तालमात्रं तथा मुखम्। तालेनैकेन कण्ठन्तु तालेन हृदयं तथा

The crown should be one tāla in length, likewise the face; the neck should be one tāla, and so too the heart.

नाभिमेढ्रान्तरन्तालं द्वितालावूरुकौ तथा। तालद्वयेन जङ्घा स्यात् सूत्राणि श्रृणु साम्प्रतम्

From navel to genitals is one tāla; the thighs are two tālas; the shanks are two tālas; now listen to the measurements.

कार्य्यं सूत्रद्वयं पादे जङ्घामध्ये तथापरम्। जानौ सूत्रद्वयं कार्य्यमूरुमध्ये तथापरम्

Two threads should be applied at the foot, another at the middle of the shin; two threads should be applied at the knee, another at the middle of the thigh.

मेढ्रे तथापरं कार्य्यं कट्यां सूत्रन्तथापरम्। मेखलाबन्धसिद्ध्यर्थं नाभ्यां चैवापरन्तथा

Another thread should be applied at the genitals, and another at the waist; for the proper fastening of the girdle, another at the navel as well.

हृदये च तथा कार्य्यं कण्ठे सूत्रद्वयं तथा। ललाटे चापरं कार्यं मस्तके च तथापरम्

A thread should also be applied at the heart, and two threads at the neck; another at the forehead, and another at the crown of the head.

मुकुटोपरि कर्त्तव्यं सूत्रमेकं विचक्षणैः। सूत्राण्यूद्‌र्ध्वं प्रदेयानि सप्तैव कमलोद्भव

Above the crest-jewel, one thread should be placed by the wise; seven threads should be given above, O lotus-born one.

कक्षात्रिकान्तरेणैव षट् सूत्राणि प्रदापयेत्। मध्यसूत्रं तु सन्त्यज्य सूत्राण्येव निवेदयेत्

Through the space between the three armpits, six threads should be applied; omitting the middle thread, the other threads should be presented.

ललाटं नासिकावक्त्रं कर्त्तव्यञ्चतुरङ्गुलम्। ग्रीवाकर्णौ तु कर्त्तव्यौ आयामाच्चतुरङ्गुलौ

The forehead, nose, and mouth should be four fingers in length; the neck and ears should also be made four fingers long.

द्व्यङ्गुले हनुके कार्य्ये विस्ताराच्चिवुकन्तथा। अष्टाङ्गुलं ललाटन्तु विस्तारेण प्रकीत्तिंतम्

The chin should be two fingers in breadth, as should the width of the jaw; the forehead should be made eight fingers wide.

परेण द्व्यङ्गुलौ शङ्खौ कर्त्तव्यावलकान्वितौ। चतुरङ्गुलमाख्यातमन्तरं कर्णनेत्रयोः

The temples should be made two fingers wide, adorned with marks; the space between the ear and the eye is said to be four fingers.

द्व्यङ्गुलौ पृथुकौ कर्णौ कर्णापाङ्गार्द्धंपञ्च मे। भ्रूसभेन तु सूत्रेण कर्णक्षोत्रं प्रकीत्तितम्

The ears should be two fingers broad, and the outer half of the ear is five for me; the ear opening is described as measured by the thread of the brow.

विद्धं षडङ्गुलं कर्णमविद्धञ्चतुरङ्गुलम्। चिवुकेन समं विद्धमविद्धं वा षडङ्गुलम्

A pierced ear is six fingers, an unpierced ear is four fingers; a pierced ear is equal to the jaw, and an unpierced ear is also six fingers.

गन्धपात्रं तथावर्त्तं शष्कुलीं कल्वयेत्तथा। द्व्यङ्गुलेगधरः कार्यस्तस्यार्द्धेनोत्तराधरः

The perfume vessel, the circular ornament, and the cake should be made; the upper lip should be two fingers, and the lower lip half of that.

अर्द्धाङ्गुलं तथा नेत्रं वक्त्रन्तु चतुरङ्गुलम्। आयामेन तु वैपुल्यात् सार्द्धमङ्गुलमुच्यते

The eye should be half a finger, and the mouth four fingers; in length and breadth, one and a half fingers is stated.

अचव्यात्तमेवं स्याद्वक्त्रं व्यात्तं द्व्यङ्गुलमिष्यते। नासावंशसमुच्छायं मूले त्वेकाङ्गुलं मतम्

A closed mouth is thus; an open mouth is considered two fingers; at the root of the nasal ridge, one finger is regarded.

उच्छाया द्व्यङ्गुलं चाग्रे करवीरोपमाः स्मृताः। अन्तरं चक्षुषोः कार्यं चतुरङ्गुलमानतः

The projection at the tip is two fingers, said to resemble the oleander; the space between the eyes should be four fingers, measured obliquely.

द्व्यङ्गुलं चाक्षिकोणं च द्व्यङ्गुलं चान्तरं तयोः। तारा नेत्रत्रिभागेण दृक्‌तारा पञ्चमांशिका

The corner of the eye is two fingers, and the space between them is also two fingers; the pupil is a fifth part of the eye, divided into three parts.

त्र्यङ्गुलं नेत्रविस्तारं द्रोणी चार्द्धाङ्गुला मता। तत्‌प्रमाणा भ्रुवोर्लेखा भ्रुवौ चैव समे मते

The width of the eye is three fingers, and the socket is considered half a finger; the lines of the brows are of that measure, and the brows are considered equal.

भ्रूमध्यं द्व्यङ्गुलं कार्यं भ्रूदैर्घ्यं चतुरङ्गुलम् । षट्‌त्रिंशदङ्गुलायामम्मस्तकस्य तु वेष्टनम्

The space between the brows should be two fingers, the length of the brow four fingers; the circumference of the head is thirty-six fingers.

मूर्त्तीनां केशवादीनां द्वात्रिंशद्वेष्टनं भवेत्। पञ्च नेत्रा त्वधोग्रीवा विस्तारद्वेष्टनं पुनः

For images from Keśava onward, the circumference should be thirty-two; for those with five eyes and a fierce neck, the circumference is again measured in breadth.

त्रिगुणं तु भवेदूद्धर्वं विस्तृताष्टाङ्गुलं पुनः। ग्रीवात्रिगुणमायामं ग्रीवावक्षोन्तरं भवेत्

The neck should be three times its width, again measuring eight finger-widths in length; the neck's length should be three times its width, and the space between the neck and chest should be so measured.

स्कन्दावष्टाङ्गुलौ कार्यौ त्रिकलावंशकौ शुभौ। सप्तनेत्रौ स्मृतौ बाहू प्रवाहू षोडशाङ्गुलौ

The shoulders should be eight finger-widths, with three divisions and marks, auspicious; the arms are remembered as having seven joints, and the forearms are sixteen finger-widths.

त्रिकलौ विस्तृतौ बाहू प्रवाहू चापि तत्‌समौ। बाहुदण्डोद्ध्‌र्वतो ज्ञेयः परिणाहः कला नव

The arms should have three divisions in width, and the forearms likewise; above the arm-stem, the circumference is reckoned as nine divisions.

नाहः प्रबाहुमध्ये तु षोडशाङ्गुल उच्यते। अग्रहस्ते परीणाहो द्वादशाङ्गुल उच्यते

The circumference at the middle of the forearm is said to be sixteen finger-widths; at the palm, the circumference is said to be twelve finger-widths.