Matsya Purana 258: adhyāyaḥ 258

258.1

kriyāyogavidhivarṇanam.

The Ṛiṣis said—How do the householders attain success through karma yoga? It is said that karma yoga is superior to thousands of jñâna yogas—1

258.2

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ.
kriyāyogaḥ kathaṃ siddhyed gṛhasthādiṣu sarvadā.
jñānayogasahasrāddhi karmayogo viśiṣyate .. 258.1

258.3

sūta uvāca.
kriyāyogaṃ pravakṣyāmi devatārcānukīrtanam.
bhuktimuktipradaṃ yasmānnānyat lokeṣu vidyate .. 258.2

Sûta spoke—"I shall explain to you the karma yoga of Divine worship and reciting the name of God for there is nothing like it in the three realms to bestow enjoyments and Mukti (freedom)"—2

258.4

pratiṣṭhāyāṃ surāṇāṃ tu devatārcānukīrtanam.
devayajñotsavañcāpi bandhanādye na mucyate .. 258.3

Know that as the karma yoga which severs the bondage to this world which is the installation of the Devas' images the worship of the Devas reciting their names and holding sacrifices and Utsabs (festivals) in honour of them—3

258.5

viṣṇaustāvat pravakṣyāmi yādṛgrūpaṃ praśasyate.
śaṅkhacakradharaṃ śāntaṃ padmahastaṃ gadādharam .. 258.4

The ways of making the image of Lord Viṣṇu that is highly beneficial will now be described It should be made holding conch quoit club and lotus having a canopy over the head with neck like a conch beautiful eyes raised nose ears like the shells of mother of pearl, peaceful and serene in appearance—4 5

258.6

cchatrākāraṃ śirastasya kambugrīvaṃ śubhekṣaṇam.
tuṅganāśaṃ śuktikarṇaṃ praśāntorubhujakramam .. 258.5

258.7

kvacidaṣṭabhujaṃ vidyāccaturbhujamathāparam.
dvibhujaścāpi kartavyo bhavaneṣu purodhasā .. 258.6

Eight, four or two hands should be made and the image is to be installed in the abode by the priest—6

258.8

devasyāṣṭabhujasyāsya yathā sthānaṃ nibodhata.
khaḍgo gadāśaraḥ padmaṃ divyaṃ dakṣiṇato hareḥ.. 258.7

The image with eight hands should be made to hold a sword a club an arrow and a lotus in the right hands and a bow a shield a conch and a quoit in the left hands The image with four hands should be made to hold a club and a lotus in the right hands and a conch and a quoit in the left hands Thus persons desirous of wealth and opulence should follow with regard to the four-armed Viṣṇu—7 9 front and the breadth of the centre of the knees is 21 fingers, their height is 1 finger and their circumference should be three fingers—50-54

258.9

dhanuśca kheṭakañcaiva śaṅkhacakre ca vāmataḥ .
caturbhujasya vakṣyāmi yathaivāyudhasaṃsthitiḥ .. 258.8

258.10

dakṣiṇena gadāpadmaṃ vāsudevasya kārayet.
vāmataḥ śaṅkhacakre ca kartavye bhūtimicchatā .. 258.9

258.11

kṛṣṇāvatāre tu gadā vāmahaste praśasyate.
yathecchayā śaṅkhacakre copariṣṭāt prakalpayet .. 258.10

258.12

adhastāt pṛthivī tasya kartavyā pādamadhyataḥ.
dakṣiṇe praṇataṃ tadvad garutmantaṃ niveśayet .. 258.11

258.13

vāmatastu bhavellakṣmīḥ padmahastā śubhānanā.
garutmānagrato vāpi saṃsthāpyo bhūtimicchatā .. 258.12

258.14

śrīścapuṣṭiṣca kartavye pārśvayoḥ padmasaṃyute.
toraṇañcopariṣṭāttu vidyādharasamanvitam .. 258.13

258.15

devadundubhisaṃyuktaṃ gandharva mithunānvitam.
patravallīsamopetaṃ siṃhavyāghra samanvitam .. 258.14

258.16

tathā kalpatalopetaṃ stuvadbhiramareśvaraiḥ.
evaṃ vidho bhaved viṣṇo stribhāgenāsya pīṭhikā .. 258.15

258.17

navatālapramāṇāstu devadānavakinnarāḥ.
ataḥparaṃ pravakṣyāmi mānonmānaṃ viśeṣataḥ .. 258.16

258.18

jālāntarapraviṣṭānāṃ bhānūnāṃ yadrajaḥsphuṭam.
trasareṇuḥ savijñeyo vālāgraṃ tairathāṣṭabhiḥ .. 258.17

258.19

tadaṣṭakena likṣā tu yūkālikṣāṣṭakairmatā.
yavo yūkāṣṭakaṃ tadvadaṣṭabhistaistadaṃgulam.. 258.18

258.20

svakīyāṃgulimānena mukhaṃ syād dvādaśāṃgulam.
mukhamānena kartavyā sarvāvayavakalpanā .. 258.19

258.21

sauvarṇī rājatī vāpi tāmrī ratnamayī tathā.
śailīdārumayīcāpi lohasaṃghamayī tathā .. 258.20

258.22

rītikādhātuyuktā vā tāmrakāṃsyamayī tathā.
śubhadārumayīvāpi devatārcā praśasyate .. 258.21

258.23

aṃguṣṭhaparvādārabhya vitastiryāvadeva tu.
gṛheṣu pratimā kāryā nādhikā śasyate budhaiḥ .. 258.22

258.24

āṣoḍaśā tu prāsāde kartavyā nādhikā tataḥ.
madhyottamakaniṣṭhā tu kāryā vittānusārataḥ .. 258.23

258.25

dvārocchrāyasya yanmānamaṣṭadhā tattu kārayet.
bāgamekaṃ tatastyaktvā pariśiṣṭantu yad bhavet .. 258.24

258.26

bhāgadvayena pratimā tribhāgīkṛtya tatpunaḥ.
pīṭhikā bhāgataḥ kāryā nātinīcā na cocchritā .. 258.25

258.27

pratimāmukhamānena navabhāgān prakalpayet.
caturaṃgulā bhaved grīvā bhāgena hṛdayaṃ punaḥ .. 258.26

258.28

nābhistasmādadhaḥ kāryā bhāgenaikena śobhanā.
nimnatve vistaratve ca aṃgulaṃ parikīrtitam .. 258.27

258.29

nābheradhastathā meḍhraṃ bhāgenaikena kalpayet.
dvibhāgenāyatāvūrū jānunī caturaṃgule .. 258.28

258.30

jaṅghe dvibhāge vikhyāte pādau ca caturaṃgulau.
caturdaśāṃgulastadvat maulirasya prakīrtitaḥ .. 258.29

258.31

ūrdhvaṃ mānamidaṃ proktaṃ pṛthutvañca nibodhataḥ.
sarvāvayavamāneṣu vistāraṃ kṣṛṇuta dvijāḥ ! .. 258.30

258.32

caturaṃgulaṃ lalāṭaṃ syādūrdhvaṃ nāsā tathaiva ca.
dvyaṃgulantu hanurjñeyamoṣṭhaḥ svāṃgulasammitaḥ .. 258.31

258.33

aṣṭāṃgule lalāṭe ca tāvanmātre bhruvau mate.
arddhāṃgulā bhruvorlekhā madhye dhanurivānatā .. 258.32

258.34

unnatāgrā bhavetpārśve ślakṣṇa tīkṣṇa prasasyate.
akṣiṇī dvyaṃgulā yāme tadardhaṃ caiva vistare .. 258.33

258.35

unnatodaramadhye tu raktānte śubhalakṣaṇe.
tārakārdhavibhāgena dṛṣṭiḥ syāt pañcabhāgikā .. 258.34

258.36

dvaṃyagulantu bhruvormadhye nāsā mūlamathāṃgulam.
nāsāgravistaraṃ tadvat puṭadvayamathānatam .. 258.35

258.37

nāsā puṭabilaṃ tadvadardhāṃgulamudāhṛtam.
kapole dvyaṃgule tadvat karṇamūlādvinirgate .. 258.36

258.38

hanvagramaṃgulaṃ tadvadvistāro dvyaṃgulo bhavet.
arddhāṃgulā bhruvo rājī praṇālasadṛśī samā .. 258.37

258.39

arddhāṃgula samastadvaduttaroṣṭhastu vistare.
niṣpāvasadṛśantadvannāsā puṭadalaṃ bhavet .. 258.38

258.40

khṛkkiṇī jyotistulye tu karṇamūlāt ṣaḍaṃgule.
karṇau tu bhrūsamau jñeyau ūrdhvantu caturaṃgulau .. 258.39

258.41

dvyaṃgulau karṇapārśvau tu mātrāmekāntu vistṛtau.
karṇayorupariṣṭācca mastakaṃ dvādaśāṃgulam .. 258.40

258.42

lalāṭātpṛṣṭhato'rdhena proktamaṣṭādaśāṃgulam.
ṣaṭtriṃśadaṅgulaścāsya pariṇāhaḥ śirogataḥ .. 258.41

258.43

sakeśanicayo yasya dvicatvāriṃśadaṃgulaḥ.
keśāntāthanukā tadvadaṃgulāni tu ṣoḍaśa .. 258.42

258.44

grīvā madhyaparīṇāha caturviṃśatikāṃgulaḥ.
aṣṭāṃgulā bhaved grīvā pṛthutvena praśasyate .. 258.43

258.45

stanagrīvāntaraṃ proktamekatālaṃ svayambhuvā.
stanayorantaraṃ tadvad dvādaśāṃgulamiṣyate .. 258.44

258.46

stanayormaṇḍalaṃ tadvad dvyaṅgulaṃ parikīrtitam.
cūcukau maṇḍalasyāntaryavamātrā vubhau smṛtau .. 258.45

258.47

dvitālañcāpi vistārād vakṣasthalamudāhṛtam.
kakṣe ṣar̤aṃgule prokte bāhumūlastanāntare .. 258.46

258.48

caturdaśāṃgulau pādāvaṅguṣṭhau tu triyaṃgulau.
pañcāṃgulaparīṇāhamaṅguṣṭhāgraṃ tathonnatam .. 258.47

258.49

aṃguṣṭhakasamā tadvadāyāmā syātpradeśinī.
tasyāḥ ṣor̤aśabhāgena hīyate madhyamāṃgulī .. 258.48

258.50

anāmikāṣṭabhāgena kaniṣṭhā cāpi hīyate.
parvatrayeṇa cāṃgulyo gulphau dvyaṃgulakau matau.. 258.49

258.51

pārṣṇirdvyaṃgulamātrastu kalayoccaḥ prakīrtitaḥ.
dviparvāṃguṣṭhakaḥ prokta parīṇāhaśca dvyaṃgulaḥ .. 258.50

258.52

pradeśinī parīṇāhastryaṃgulaḥ samudāhṛtaḥ.
kanyasā cāṣṭabhāgena hīyate kramaśo dvijāḥ .. 258.51

258.53

aṃgulenocchrayaḥ kāryo hyaṃguṣṭhasya viśeṣataḥ.
tadardhena tu śeṣāṇāmaṃgulīnāntathocchrayaḥ .. 258.52

258.54

jaṅghāgre pariṇāhastu aṃgulāni caturdaśa.
jaṅghā madhye parīṇāhastathaivāṣṭādaśāṃgulaḥ .. 258.53

258.55

jānumadhye parīṇāha ekaviśatiraṃgulaḥ.
jānūcchrayo'ṅgulaprokte maṇḍalantu triraṃgulam .. 258.54

258.56

urumadhye parīṇāho hyaṣṭāviṃśatikāṃgulaḥ.
ekatriṃśopariṣṭācca vṛṣaṇau tu triraṃgulau.. 258.55

The middle of the thighs should be 28 fingers and above of that they should be 31 fingers, the scrotum should be three fingers and the organ two fingers and 6 fingers in circumference and the marks of the hair should be made near the root of the organ The pedastal of the organ should be 4 fingers in length The length of the waist is 18 fingers, but if the Divine image be female it should be 22 fingers and the space between the breasts is to be of 12 fingers and the circumference of the portion at navel should be 42 fingers If it be of a male the girdle should be made of 55 fingers The shoulders should be six fingers, and the thickness of the neck should be 8 fingers and the length eight kalās and the length of the arms should be 42 fingers The length of the arms should be 16 fingers, the top of the arm is to be of 12 fingers and the palm of the hand should be 5 fingers and the middle finger is to be of 5 fingers The nameless finger is to be ⅙th less, the little finger ⅙th less than the middle finger and the ring finger, one-fifth less than the middle finger The thumb is to be of four fingers The joints of the middle finger are two fingers long The joints of the thumb are like those of the ring finger and the upper joint should be made greater by two yavas Nails should be made in half of the top joint which should be smooth, reddish and glossy The back of the fingers should be somewhat round and the corners should be raised by one kalā The hairs of the head should hang on the shoulders by 10 fingers The limbs of the Goddesses should be made slender and shorter The breasts the thighs, the hips and loins, should be made bulky The abdomen should be in a space of 14 fingers All the images should be adorned well with the various kinds of nice ornaments in their arms etc Their necks should be somewhat longer and curved with excellent curls of hair The neck, nose, and forehead are to be three fingers and a half, and the lower lip is to be of half a finger The eyes should be more than ⅕th of the lips The ridge of the neck should be a little more than ½ a finger in height—55-70

258.57

dvyaṃgulaśca tathā meḍhraṃ parīṇāhaḥ ṣar̤aṃgulam.
maṇibandhādadho vidyāt keśarekāstathaiva ca.. 258.56

258.58

maṇikośaparīṇāhaścaturaṃgula iṣyate.
vistareṇa bhavettadvatkaṭiraṣṭādaśāṃgulā .. 258.57

258.59

dvāviṃśati tathā strīṇāṃ stanau ca dvādaśāṃgulau.
nābhimadhyaparīṇāho dvicatvāriṃśadaṃgulaḥ .. 258.58

258.60

puruṣe pañcapañcāśat kaṭyāñcaiva tu veṣṭanam.
kakṣayorupariṣṭāttu skandhau proktau ṣaḍaṃgulau .. 258.59

258.61

aṣṭāṃgulāntu vistāre grīvāñcaiva vinirdiśet.
parīṇāhe tathā grīvāṃ kalā dvādaśa nirdiśet .. 258.60

258.62

āyāmo bhujayostadvat dvicatvāriṃśadaṃgulaḥ.
kāryantu bāhuśikharaṃ pramāṇe ṣor̤aśāṃgulam .. 258.61

258.63

ūrdhvaṃ yad bāhuparyaṃntaṃ vindyādaṣṭāṃgulaṃ śatam.
tathaikāṃgulahīnantu dvitīyaṃ parva ucyate .. 258.62

258.64

bāhumadhye parīṇāho bhavedaṣṭādaśāṃgulaḥ.
ṣor̤aśoktaḥ prabāhustu ṣaṭkalogra karomataḥ .. 258.63

258.65

saptāṃgulaṃ karatalaṃ pañcamadhyāṃgulīmatā.
anāmikā madhyamāyāḥ saptabhāgena hīyate .. 258.64

258.66

tasyāstu pañcabhāgena kaniṣṭhā parihīyate.
madhyamāyāstu hīnā vai pañcabhāgena tarjanī .. 258.65

258.67

aṃguṣṭhastarjanīmūlādadhaḥ proktastu tatsamaḥ.
aṃguṣṭhapariṇāhastu vijñeyaścaturaṃgulaḥ .. 258.66

258.68

śeṣāṇāmaṃgulīnāntu bhāgo bhāgena hīyate.
madhyamā madhyabhāgantu aṃguladvayamāyatam .. 258.67

258.69

yavo yavena sarvāsāntasyāstasyāḥ prahīyate.
aṃguṣṭhaparvamadhyantu tarjanyā sadṛśaṃ bhavet.. 258.68
yavadvayādhikaṃ tadvadagraparva udāhṛtam.
parvārdhe tu nakhānvidyādaṃgulīṣu samantataḥ .. 258.69

258.70

snigdhaṃ ślakṣṇaṃ prakurvīta īṣadraktaṃ tathāgrataḥ.
nimnapṛṣṭaṃ bhavenmadhye pārśvataḥ kalayocchritam .. 258.70

258.71

tatraiva keśavallīyaṃ skandhopari daśāṅgulā.
striyaḥ kāryāstu tanvaṅgyaḥ stanorujaghanādhikāḥ .. 258.71

258.72

caturdaśāṃgulāyāmamudaraṃ nāma nirdiśet.
nānābharaṇasampannāḥ kiñcit ślakṣṇabhujāstataḥ .. 258.72

258.73

kiñciddhīrghaṃ bhavedvaktramalakāvaliruttamā.
nāsāgrīvā lalāṭañca sārddhamātraṃ triraṃgulam .. 258.73

258.74

adhyarddhāṃgulavistāraḥ śasyate'dharapallavaḥ.
adhikaṃ netrayugmantu caturbhāgena nirdiśet .. 258.74

258.75

grīvāvaliśca kartavyā kiñcidardhāṃgulocchrayā.
evaṃ vārīṣu sarvāsu devānāṃ pratimāsu ca .
tava cālamidaṃ proktaṃ lakṣaṇaṃ pāpanāśanam .. 258.75

Thus about the images of the goddesses These signs of the images are destructive of sins—71