Shloka 38

Mantra-Nyāsa and Elemental Maṇḍalas: Nāga Invocation and Garuḍa–Bhairava Dhyāna for Protection

Devanagari script

पृतिवी पश्चिमे पत्रे आपश्चोत्तरसंस्थिताः / तेजस्तु दक्षिणे पत्रे वायुं पूर्वेण पूजयेत्

Transliteration

pṛtivī paścime patre āpaścottarasaṃsthitāḥ / tejastu dakṣiṇe patre vāyuṃ pūrveṇa pūjayet

Translation

يُعبَد عنصرُ الأرض (Pṛthivī) على الورقة الغربية؛ وتُعبَد المياه (Āpas) القائمة في الشمال؛ ويُعبَد النار (Tejas) على الورقة الجنوبية؛ ويُعبَد فايُو Vāyu (الريح) في الجهة الشرقية.

Word by Word

• pṛthivī: earth
• pṛthivī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (earth-element as topic)

• paścime: in the western
• paścime: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (of patre)

• patre: petal
• patre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the petal)

• āpaḥ: waters
• āpaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āp (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (बहुवचन-प्रयोग), प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (waters)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• uttara-saṃsthitāḥ: situated in the north
• uttara-saṃsthitāḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttara + saṃ-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उत्तर-स्थित = ‘situated in the north’); क्त-प्रत्यय (P.P.P.) ‘संस्थित’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of āpaḥ)

• tejaḥ: fire; radiance
• tejaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (fire/energy)

• tu: and; but
• tu: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: and/but)

• dakṣiṇe: in the southern
• dakṣiṇe: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (of patre)

• patre: petal
• patre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• vāyum: wind
• vāyum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of pūjayet)

• pūrveṇa: by (means of) the eastern (side/petal)
• pūrveṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/मार्ग (by/in the eastern [petal])

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; (should worship)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Elemental harmonization: recognizing earth, water, fire, and wind as structured powers within space; ritual becomes a contemplative map of reality.

Vedantic Theme: Seeing prakṛti’s constituents as ordered appearances within awareness; cultivating sāttvika steadiness by systematic arrangement.

Application: In visualization or diagram, assign each element to its direction consistently; use it to steady attention and to ‘ground’ the practice before subtler nyāsas.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual mandala space (internal or external)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.197.39–40 (bīja/element correspondences and tanmātra-bhūta worship)

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Agni
• Prithvi
• Apah

FAQs

What is the importance of directional placement of elements in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse prescribes a specific east–south–west–north placement for honouring the elemental deities, aligning the rite with cosmic order (dik and bhūta-tattva harmony) for purity and correctness.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals?

Element-invocation and directional worship commonly frame purificatory rites; the verse gives a practical rule for arranging offerings so the ritual proceeds according to prescribed sacred directions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing a traditional pūjā or śrāddha-related setup, keep offerings oriented by direction—Earth (west), Water (north), Fire (south), Wind (east)—to maintain disciplined, text-based ritual order.