Matsya Purana 264: adhyāyaḥ 264

264.1

devapratiṣṭhāvidhivarṇanam.

The Ṛiṣis said:—"Pray now tell us about the consecration of the different Divine images and idols."—1

264.2

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ.
devatānāmathaitāsāṃ pratiṣṭhāvidhimuttamam.
vada sūta! yathānyāyaṃ sarveṣāmapyaśeṣataḥ .. 264.1

264.3

sūta uvāca.
athātaḥ saṃpravakṣyāmi pratiṣṭhā vidhimuttamam.
kuṇḍamaṇḍapavedīnāṃ pramāṇañca yathākramam .. 264.2

Sûta said:—"Ṛiṣis! now listen to it and I shall relate it to you I shall also tell you the dimensions of kuṇḍas (sacrificial pits), maṇḍapas, altars."—2

264.4

caitre vā phālgune vāpi jyeṣṭhe vā mādhave tathā.
māghe vā sarvadevānāṃ pratiṣṭhā śubhadā bhavet .. 264.3

Mâgha, Phâlguna, Chaitra, Vaiśâkha and Jyeṣṭha are the most auspicious months for the consecration of the images.—3

264.5

prāpya pakṣaṃ śubhaṃ śuklamatīte dakṣiṇāyane.
pañcamī ca dvitīyā ca tṛtīyā saptamī tathā .. 264.4

In the Uttarâyaṇa season, the second, third, fifth, seventh and tenth days of a bright fortnight, the full moon day, especially the thirteenth day of a bright fortnight are most auspicious for the consecration of idols.—4-5

264.6

daśaṇī paurṇamāsī ca tathā śreṣṭhā trayodaśī.
āsu pratiṣṭhā vidhivat kṛtvā bahuphalā labhet .. 264.5

264.7

āṣāḍhe dve tathā mūlamuttarādvayameva ca.
jyeṣṭhā śravaṇarohiṇyaḥ pūrvābhādrapadā tathā .. 264.6

Pûrvâṣâḍha, Uttarâṣâḍha, Mula, Pûrvabhâdrapada, Uttarâbhâdrapada, Hastâ, Aśvinî, Revatî, Puṣyâ, Mṛigaśirâ, Anurâdhâ, and Svâti are the best asterisms for the consecration of idols.—6-7

264.8

hastāśvinī revatī ca puṣyo mṛgaśirastathā.
anurādhā tathā svātī pratiṣṭhādiṣu śasyate .. 264.7

264.9

budho bṛhaspatiḥ śukrastrayo'pyete śubhagrahāḥ.
ebhirnirīkṣitaṃ lagnaṃ nakṣatrañca praśasyate .. 264.8

Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus are the auspicious planets for the consecration of an image, and the asterisms and Lagnas under the influence of these three are also auspicious.—8

264.10

grahatārābalaṃ labdhvā grahapūjāṃ vidhāya ca.
nimittaṃ śakunaṃ labdhvā varjayitvādbhutādikam .. 264.9

At such a conjunction of auspicious planets and stars avoiding the influence of evil stars, one should consecrate an idol in an auspicious place after worshipping the planets (doing the Graha pûjâ). Good omens are to be watched for, evils, e.g. adbhuta, etc., are to be avoided And on an auspicious day and in an auspicious place, when the Lagna (rising asterism) is free from malific planets and under an auspicious star one should consecrate an idol.—9-11

264.11

śubhayoge śubhasthāne krūragrahavivarjite.
lagne ṛkṣe prakurvīta pratiṣṭhādikamuttamam .. 264.10

264.12

ayane viṣuve tadvat ṣar̤aśītimukhe tathā.
eteṣu sthāpanaṃ kāryaṃ vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā .. 264.11

Installation is best when it is done according to the rules prescribed for Ayanas, Viṣuba and Sadasiti The installation is to be performed in the Brâhma Muhûrta at the time of Prajâpatya Sayana and Śukla Utthâpanam.—12

264.13

prājāpatye tu śayanaṃ śvete tūtthāpanaṃ tathā.
muhūrte sthāpanaṃ kuryāt punarbāhye vicakṣaṇaḥ .. 264.12

264.14

prāsādasyottarevāpi pūrve vā maṇḍapo bhavet.
hastān ṣor̤aśakurvīta daśadvādaśa vā punaḥ .. 264.13

The Maṇḍapa should be made on the east or north of the temple It should be of 16, 10 or 12 hands in length.—13

264.15

madhye vedikayā yuktaḥ parikṣiptaḥ samantataḥ.
pañcasaptāpi caturaḥ karān kurvīta vedikām .. 264.14

An altar should be made in the centre of the Maṇḍapa which should be 5, 7, or 4 hands long The altar is to be neat and clean

264.16

caturbhistoraṇairyukto maṇḍapaḥ syāccaturmukhaḥ.
plakṣadvāraṃ bhavetpūrvaṃ yāmye caudumbaraṃ bhavet .. 264.15

There should be 4 doors with archways round the Maṇḍapa and of those the eastern door should be of Plakṣa tree, the southern one of the fig tree the western one of aśvattha tree and the northern one of Nyagrodha tree The Maṇḍapa should be buried 1 hand in the ground and it should be 4 hands in height.—15-16

264.17

paścādaśvatthaghaṭitaṃ nyagrodhaṃ ca tathottare.
bhūmau hastapraviṣṭāni caturhastāni cocchraye .. 264.16

264.18

sūpaliptaṃ tathā ślakṣṇaṃ bhūtalaṃ syāt suśobhanam.
vastrairnānāvidhaistadvat puṣpapallavaśobhitam .. 264.17

The earth should be washed well and cleaned and then the interior should be decorated well with various kinds of cloths, flowers and leaves.—17

264.19

kṛtvaivaṃ maṇḍapaṃ pūrvaṃ caturdvāreṣu vinyaset.
avraṇān kalaśānaṣṭau jvalatkāñcanagarbhitān .. 264.18

After making such a Maṇḍapa, eight jars full of water and containing a lump of gold should be placed at each doorway on either side Those vases should not be leaky.—18

264.20

cūtapallavasacchannān sitavastrayugānvitān.
sarvauṣadhiphalopetān candanodakapūritān .. 264.19

They should be covered with mangoe leaves and should be filled in with medicinal herbs, flowers, sandal, water, and covered with white cloth.—19 After thus placing the vases within the Mandapa, flags and buntings should be hung all round the pandal and incense and fragrant gums burnt before the idols—20

264.21

evaṃ niveśya tadgarbhe gandhadhūpārcanādibhiḥ.
dhvajādirohaṇaṃ kāryaṃ maṇḍapasya samantataḥ .. 264.20

264.22

dhvajāṃśca lokapālānāṃ sarvadikṣu niveśayet.
patākā jaladākārā madhye syānmaṇḍapasya tu .. 264.21

Mandapa is a temporary building created for performing a ceremony The banners of the Lokapâlas should be hung all round and in the centre of the pandal a banner of the shape of the clouds should be hung—21

264.23

gandhadhūpādikaṃ kuryāt svaisvairmantrairanukramāt.
baliñcalokapālebhyaḥ svamantreṇa nivedayet .. 264.22

Afterwards offerings should be made to the Lokapâlas and worship offered to them by repeating their prescribed mantras and giving Balis (making sacrifices) in honour of them—22

264.24

ūrdhvantu brahmaṇo deyaṃ tvadhastāccheṣavāsukeḥ.
saṃhitāyāntu ye mantrā taddaivatyāḥ śrutau smṛtāḥ .. 264.23

The offerings to Brahmâ above should be made by reciting the first part of the mantra, to Vâsuki below by reciting the middle portion of the mantra and then to the Lokapâlas in all directions The mantras given in Samhitâ and Sruti are to be repeated—23

264.25

taiḥ pūjā lokapālānāṃ kartavyā ca samantataḥ.
trirātramekarātraṃ vā pañcarātramathāpi vā .. 264.24

Preliminary ceremonies (Adhivâs) of images should be observed for three nights, one night or 5 nights, or 7 nights as the case may be—24 25

264.26

athavā saptarātrantu kāryaṃ syādadhivāsanam.
evaṃ satoraṇaṃ kṛtvā adhivāsanamuttamam.. 264.25

Thus finishing the gateways and Adhivâs ceremonies the bathing ceremony of the Mandal should be performed in the second, third, or fourth period—26

264.27

tasyāpyuttarataḥ kuryāt snānamaṇḍapamuttamam.
tadardhena tribhāgena caturbhāgena vā punaḥ .. 264.26

264.28

ānīya liṅgamarccāṃ vā śilpinaḥ pūjayed budhaḥ.
vastrābharaṇaratnaiśca ye'pi tatparicārakāḥ .. 264.27

Then the wise should bring the Phallus or the image and worship the sculptor with cloth jewels and ornaments Then "excuse me" should be said by the Yajamân (the sacrificer or worshipper) and the sculptors, &c, dismissed—27 28

264.29

kṣamadhvamititān brūyād yajamāno'pyataḥ param.
devaṃ prastaraṇe kṛtvā netrajyotiḥ prakalpayet .. 264.28

Then the idol is to be placed on the seat and his eyes are to be imparted The following, in brief is the way—First offerings should be made all round with sesamum, clarified butter, rice cooked in milk and sugar Then after decorating the Brahmanas with white flowers, guggula, incense with clarified butter should be offered to the image and then gifts to the Brâhmanas should be offered according to his means—29 30

264.30

akṣṇoruddharaṇaṃ vakṣye liṅgasyāpi samāsataḥ.
sarvatastu baliṃ dadyāt siddhārthaghṛtapāyasaiḥ .. 264.29

264.31

śaklapuṣpairalaṅkṛtya ghṛtagugguladhūpitam.
viprāṇāñcārcanaṃ kuryyāddadyācchaktyā ca dakṣiṇām.. 264.30

264.32

gāṃ mahīṃ kanakañcaiva sthāpakāya nivedayet.
lakṣaṇaṃ kārayed bhaktyā mantreṇānena vai dvijaḥ .. 264.31

Cows, land, gold, &c, should be given to the priest who officiates at the consecration of the image, and the Brâhmana should name the image after reciting the mantra contained in the following couplet—31

264.33

oṃ namo bhagavate tubhyaṃ śivāya paramātmane.
hiraṇyaretase viṣṇo viśvarūpāya te namaḥ .. 264.32

Salutations to the Lord Visnu, Siva, Thou art the Supreme Being, the Hiranya retâ, Salutation to Thee! O Viṣṇu!—32

264.34

mantro'yaṃ sarvadevānāṃ netrajyotiṣvapi smṛtaḥ.
evamāmantrya deveśaṃ kāñcanena vilekhayet .. 264.33

The above mantra is generally used to impart light in the eyes of all idols After invoking the Divine spirit into the image, the eyes should be given sight to with a bar of gold—33

264.35

maṅgalyāni ca vādyāni brahmaghoṣaṃ sagītakam.
vṛddhyarthaṃ kārayed vidvān amaṅgalyavināśanam .. 264.34

Pleasant music should be played and sweet hymns should be sung, and Vedic hymns chanted To win prosperity and dispel ill-luck the Vedas should be recited—34

264.36

lakṣaṇoddharaṇaṃ vakṣye liṅgasya susamāhitaḥ.
tridhā vibhajya pūjyāyāṃ lakṣaṇaṃ syād vibhājakam .. 264.35

The image should be divided into three parts and afterwards three lines at a distance of eight Yavas from one another should be drawn which should be broad, thin and crooked They should not be broken (i e., should be continuous)—35 36

264.37

lekhā trayantu kartavyaṃ yavāṣṭāntarasaṃyutam.
na sthūlaṃ na kṛśaṃ tadvanna vakttraṃ chedavarjitam .. 264.36

264.38

nimnaṃ yavapramāṇena jyeṣṭhaliṅgasya kārayet.
sūkṣmāstatastu kartavyā yathā madhyamake nyaset .. 264.37

In the Jaisṭha Phallus, the lowermost line should be of the dimension of one Yava, the middle one is to be finer still—37 Then eight divisions should be made and three of them should be discarded Then seven lines should be drawn on either side and four divisions are to be noted Afterwards the lines should be allowed to meet at the top of the fifth line This is the union of the lines, on the back of these lines, two divisions are to be made These are, in brief, the Laksanas (characteristics) Thus the Laksanoddhâra of the Lingam is described.—38 40

264.39

aṣṭabhaktaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā tyaktvā bhāgatrayaṃ budhaḥ.
lambayet saptarekhāstu pārśvayorubhayoḥ samāḥ .. 264.38

264.40

tāvat pralambayedvidvān yāvadbhāgacatuṣṭayam.
bhrāmyate pañcabhāgordhvaṃ kārayetsaṅgamantataḥ .. 264.39

264.41

rekhayoḥ saṅgame tadvat pṛṣṭhe bhāgadvayaṃ bhavet.
evametat samākhyātaṃ samāsāllakṣaṇaṃ mayā .. 264.40