VERY INTERESTING SET OF RULES. IT IS BASED ON "SHREE VISHNU-SAMHITA", THE FOLLOWING EXCERPT IS FROM "TANTRA LITERATURE OF KERALA" BY DR. N.P. UNNI (PP. 375-376):
"The VishnuSamhita of Sumati treats of all important aspects of the Tantra related to the temples of Kerala. The 24th Patala is devoted to "Jirnoddharavidhi" - rules of renovation using 92 and a half verses.
The portion comes to an end as follows:
The following are the main points under discussion:
1. Ten times care should be taken in the renovation than in the case of installation.
2. When the Murti of Vishnu is broken, dilapidated or vacillating in its altar the village and the country itself would face calamities.
Like the soul leaves the dilapidated body and assumes a new one (in death) the God also leaves the damaged body in preference for a new Murti.
3. Once the Murti is fallen to ruins immediate action should be taken to renovate it.
4. The God should be transferred from the broken Murti by the preceptor to a pot or to his own body till replaced into the new Murti.
5. There are numerous items for these rituals.
6. The old Murti should be pulled out from the altar using a mechanical device or by a bull.
7. The new Murti shall be placed to a southern region in the temple campus and be covered with fresh clothes after placing it in a reposing position.
8. Later the old Murti should be thrown into the depth of water.
9. Now the new Murti got ready may be put in for Jaladhivshra. After taking it out the divinity from the old one should be transferred back to the new Murti.
10. There are regulations as to what kind of damage necessitates the creation of a new Murti.
If the hand of an Murti is broken away if needs to be replaced. If one or two parts of a hand is broken it need not be replaced, but could be repaired. The broken portion can be covered or replaced by golden parts.
11. Parts of a stone Murti can be repaired by copper or silver parts. This is applicable in the case of crown earlobes, dress etc., of a Murti.
12. Murtis which are beyond use should be cast away in the depth of a river, or lake or the interior of a forest.
13. From Murtis of metals Divinity may be taken away and the metal may be used for other purpose.
14. Earthen Murtis may be thrown in water.
15. Sometimes even in broken Murtis of temples, Divinity is felt. In such cases also a fresh golden Murti should be made and installed.
16. Brahmins well-versed in the lore should assemble before the God and fast themselves and pray to the God to reveal His Wish through dreams.
17. Different devatas and attendant deities shall be given oblation at the end of ceremony of renovation".
Cited from
"Tantra literature of Kerala"
by Dr. N.P. Unni (pp. 375-376)
OCR by Vishnudut1926, Moscow, December 2017
