Shloka 14

Prāsāda-Lakṣaṇa: Temple Proportions, Śikhara Ratios, Liṅga–Pīṭha Measures, and Auspicious Ground-Plans

Devanagari script

निर् गमस्तु समाख्यातः शेषं पूर्ववदेव तु / लिङ्गमानं स्मृतं ह्येतद्द्वारमानमथोच्यते

Transliteration

nir gamastu samākhyātaḥ śeṣaṃ pūrvavadeva tu / liṅgamānaṃ smṛtaṃ hyetaddvāramānamathocyate

Translation

Das Maß des „Ausgangs“ ist erklärt worden; das Übrige ist wie zuvor gesagt. Dies gilt als das Maß des Liṅga (feinstofflichen Leibes), und nun wird auch das Maß der Türöffnung beschrieben.

Word by Word

• निर्गमः: the projection/exit (measure)
• निर्गमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘निर्गम’ = exit/projection

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/विरोधार्थक-अन्वय (particle: but/indeed)

• समाख्यातः: is declared/explained
• समाख्यातः: Karma (Predicate complement/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘समाख्यात’ = declared/explained

• शेषम्: the remainder
• शेषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘शेष’ = remainder

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: as before)

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

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

• लिङ्गमानम्: the liṅga-measure
• लिङ्गमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + मान (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘लिङ्गस्य मानम्’ = measure of the liṅga

• स्मृतम्: is stated
• स्मृतम्: Karma (Predicate complement/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘स्मृत’ = is stated/remembered

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Reason particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: for/indeed)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘this’

• द्वारमानम्: doorway-measure
• द्वारमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार + मान (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘द्वारस्य मानम्’ = measure of the doorway

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequencing/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (sequencer: then/now)

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘is said’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vaidika-pramāṇa (authoritative measure) and continuity with prior injunctions; subtle-body (liṅga) measure and doorway measure must follow remembered standards.

Vedantic Theme: Rta/dharma as cosmic order mirrored in correct form and proportion; discipline of śāstra-guided action (pravṛtti) as purifier.

Application: When designing a sacred structure or ritual apparatus, follow the stated canonical measurements; treat deviations as requiring explicit allowance rather than casual change.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual/architectural space (threshold/doorway)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.47 (preceding verses on nirgamā/measurements: 'pūrvavad eva')

FAQs

What is the importance of the liṅga (subtle body) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the liṅga as a technically describable ‘measured’ reality connected with departure at death, indicating that post-death experience is tied to the subtle body rather than the gross body alone.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames the soul’s departure as an ordered process—first defining the ‘exit’ (nirgama) and then relating it to the liṅga-body and the doorway/threshold, implying a structured transition from embodied life to the next state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages seriousness and precision in death-related teachings and rites: understanding that inner (subtle) reality and disciplined tradition matter, not only outward forms.