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The Merits of Building a Temple From Agni-

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Agni-purana, Chapter 38, Texts 1-50. | From Manmatha Nath Dutt’s “A Prose English Translation of Agni Puranam”, Vol.
I, (Calcutta, 1903), pp. 142-6; adapted by M. Eliade

“Agni said: I will now describe the fruits of making temples for the residence of Vasudeva and other deities. He who
attempts to erect temples for gods is freed from the sins of a thousand births. Those who think of building a temple in
their minds are freed from the sins of a hundred births. Those who approve of a man’s building a temple for Krishna go
to the region of Acyuta [Vishnu] freed from sins.

Having desired to build a temple for Hari, a man immediately takes a million of his generations, past and future, to the
region of Vishnu. The departed manes of the person who builds a temple for Krishna live in the region of Vishnu, well
adorned and freed from the suNerings of hell. The construction of a temple for a deity dissipates even the sin of
Brahmanicide. By building a temple one reaps the fruit which he does not even gain by celebrating a sacriPce. By
building a temple one acquires the fruits of bathing at all the sacred shrines.

The construction of a temple, which gives heaven, by a religious or an irreligious man, yields the fruit reaped by
persons slain in a battle undertaken on behalf of the celestials. By making one temple one goes to heaven; by making
three one goes to the region of Brahma; by making Pve one goes to the region of Shambhu; by making eight one goes
to the region of Hari. By making sixteen one attains all objects of enjoyment and emancipation. A poor man, by building
the smallest temple, reaps the same benePt which a rich man does by building the biggest temple for Vishnu. Having
acquired wealth and built a temple with a small portion of it, a person acquires piety and gains favours from Hari.

By making a temple with a lakh of rupees, or a thousand, or

a hundred, or Pfty, a man goes where the Garuda-
emblemed deity resides. He who in his childhood even
sportively makes a temple of Vasudeva with sand, goes to
his region. He who builds temples of Vishnu at sacred
places, shrines, and hermitages, reaps three-fold fruits.
Those who decorate the temple of Vishnu with scents,
Wowers, and sacred mud, go to the city of the Lord. Having
erected a temple for Hari, a man, either fallen, about to fall,
or half-fallen, reaps twofold fruits. He who brings about the
fall of a man is the protector of one fallen. By making a
temple for Vishnu one attains to his region. As long as the
collection of bricks of Hari’s temple exists, the founder of
his family lives gloriously in the region of Vishnu. He
becomes pious and adorable both in this world and in the next.

He who builds a temple for Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, is born as a man of good deeds and his family is puriPed. He
who builds temples for Vishnu, Rudra, the sun-god, and other deities, acquires fame. What is the use to him of wealth
which is hoarded by ignorant men? Useless is the acquisition of riches to one who does not have a temple built with
hard earned money for Krishna, or whose wealth is not enjoyed by the Pitris, Brahmanas, celestials, and friends.

As death is certain for men, so is his destruction. The man who does not spend his money for his enjoyment or in
charities and keeps it hoarded is stupid and is fettered even when alive. What is the merit of him who, obtaining riches
either by an accident or manliness, does not spend it for a glorious work or for religion? [What is the merit of him]
who, having given away his wealth to the leading twice-born, makes his gift circulated, or speaks of more than he gives
away in charities?

Therefore, a wise man should have temples built for Vishnu and other deities. Having entered the region of Hari, he
acquires reverential faith in Narottama [Vishnu]. He pervades all the three worlds containing the mobile and the
immobile, the past, future, and present, gross, subtle, and all inferior objects. From Brahma to a pillar everything has
originated from Vishnu. Having obtained entrance into the region of the Great Soul, Vishnu, the omnipresent god of
gods, a man is not born again on earth.

By building temples for other gods, a man reaps the same fruit which he does by building one for Vishnu. By building
temples for Shiva, Brahma, the sun, Candi, and Lakshmi, one acquires religious merit. Greater merit is acquired by
installing images. In the sacriPce attendant upon the setting up of an idol there is no end of fruits. One made of wood
gives greater merit than one made of clay; one made of bricks yields more than a wooden one. One made of stone
yields more than one made of bricks.

Images made of gold and other metals yield the greatest religious merit. Sins accumulated in seven births are
dissipated even at the very commencement. One building a temple goes to heaven; he never goes to hell. Having saved
one hundred of his family, he takes them to the region of Vishnu. Yama said to his emissaries: ‘Do not bring to hell
persons who have built temples and adored idols. Bring those to my view who have not built temples. Range thus
rightly and follow my commands.
Persons can never disregard your commands, except those who are under the protection of the endless father of the
universe. You should always pass over those persons who have their minds Pxed on the Lord. They are not to live here.
You should avoid from a distance those who adore Vishnu. Those who sing the glories of Govinda and those who
worship Janardana [Vishnu or Krishna] with daily and occasional rites should be shunned by you from a distance.
Those who attain to that station should not even be looked at by you.

The persons who adore Him with Wowers, incense, raiment, and favourite ornaments should not be marked by you.
They go to the region of Krishna. Those who smear the body [of Vishnu] with unguents, who sprinkle his body, should
be left in the abode of Krishna. Even a son or any other member born in the family of one who has built a temple of
Vishnu should not be touched by you. Hundreds of persons who have built temples of Vishnu with wood or stone
should not be looked at by you with an evil mind.

By building a golden temple one is freed from all sins. He who has built a temple for Vishnu reaps the great fruit which
one gains by celebrating sacriPces every day. By building a temple for the Lord he takes his family, a hundred
generations past and a hundred to come, to the region of Acyuta.

Vishnu is identical with the seven worlds. He who builds a temple for him saves the endless worlds and himself
attains immortality. As long as the bricks will last, the maker [of the temple] will live for so many thousands of years in
heaven. The maker of the idol attains the region of Vishnu and he who consecrates the installation of the same is
immersed in Hari. The person who builds a temple and an image, as well as he who consecrates them, come before
him.

This rite of pratishtha [installation] of Hari was related by Yama. For creating temples and images of the deities,
Hayashirsha described it to Brahma.”

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