Shloka 38

Vāstu-pūjā, Vāstu-maṇḍala Deities, Site Computations, and Doorway/Tree Prescriptions

Devanagari script

अश्वत्थप्लक्षन्यग्रोधाः पूर्वादौ स्यादुदुम्बरः / गृहस्य शोभनः प्रोक्त ईशाने चैव साल्मलिः / पूजितो विग्नहारी स्यात्प्रासादस्य गृहस्य च

Transliteration

aśvatthaplakṣanyagrodhāḥ pūrvādau syādudumbaraḥ / gṛhasya śobhanaḥ prokta īśāne caiva sālmaliḥ / pūjito vignahārī syātprāsādasya gṛhasya ca

Translation

Aśvattha, Plakṣa und Nyagrodha (heilige Feigenbäume) sollen an der Ostseite stehen; Udumbara wird als Schmuck bezeichnet, der dem Haus Schönheit und Glück verheißt. Und im Nordosten (Īśāna) soll der Sālmali‑Baum sein. Wird er verehrt, so wird er zum Beseitiger von Hindernissen für Prāsāda (Tempel) und Heim zugleich.

Word by Word

• अश्वत्थप्लक्षन्यग्रोधाः: the aśvattha, plakṣa, and nyagrodha (trees)
• अश्वत्थप्लक्षन्यग्रोधाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + प्लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + न्यग्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (अश्वत्थः च प्लक्षः च न्यग्रोधः च)

• पूर्वादौ: in the eastern beginning/sector
• पूर्वादौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पूर्वस्य आदौ = at the beginning of the east)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उदुम्बरः: the udumbara (tree)
• उदुम्बरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदुम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गृहस्य: of the house
• गृहस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• शोभनः: auspicious/beautiful
• शोभनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• प्रोक्तः: is said/declared
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगभाव (said/declared)

• ईशाने: in the north-east
• ईशाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (ईशान-कोण/NE)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• साल्मलिः: the sālmali (silk-cotton tree)
• साल्मलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साल्मलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पूजितः: worshipped
• पूजितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूजित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘साल्मलिः’ इति विशेषण (worshipped)

• विघ्नहारी: obstacle-removing
• विघ्नहारी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) + हारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विघ्नान् हरति = remover of obstacles)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रासादस्य: of the palace/temple-building
• प्रासादस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• गृहस्य: of the house
• गृहस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred ecology: correct placement and pūjā of trees supports śobhana (beauty/auspiciousness) and removes vighna (obstacles).

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti expressed through reverence to living embodiments of the sacred; harmony with prakṛti as a support for dharmic life.

Application: Plant/maintain sacred figs on the east; keep the NE clean and worship-worthy; perform regular tree-pūjā (water, lamp, circumambulation) as a household/temple discipline.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred domestic/temple landscape (vāstu garden/pariṣara)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.46 (vāstu prescriptions around directions and phala)

FAQs

What is the importance of sacred tree placement in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents tree placement as a dhārmic method to enhance a home’s auspiciousness and stability—specific trees in specific directions are said to beautify the dwelling and help remove obstacles.

How does this verse explain the removal of obstacles (vighna) for a home or temple?

It states that when the prescribed tree (here, Sālmali in the Īśāna/north-east) is worshipped, it functions as a vighna-hārī—an obstacle-remover—for both prāsāda (temple) and gṛha (house).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If culturally appropriate and feasible, maintain and honor sacred trees with cleanliness and simple worship (water, lamp, prayer), and treat the home/temple space as a place of order and reverence—aiming for harmony rather than superstition.