Sutra 21

Devanagari script

उत्तरः पूर्वो वा श्मशानभागो वर्णोत्तमानाम् दक्षिणेन श्मशानं वर्णावराणाम् ॥ कZ_०२.४.२१ ॥

Transliteration

uttaraḥ pūrvo vā śmaśānabhāgo varṇottamānām dakṣiṇena śmaśānaṃ varṇāvarāṇām

Translation

The cremation-ground sector for the higher varṇas should lie to the north or east; to the south should be the cremation-ground for the lower varṇas.

Word by Word

उत्तरःnorthern

पूर्वःeastern

वाor

श्मशानभागःa section/portion of the cremation-ground

वर्णोत्तमानाम्of the higher varṇas (upper classes)

दक्षिणेनto the south / on the southern side

श्मशानम्the cremation-ground

वर्णावराणाम्of the lower varṇas (lower classes)

Entities Mentioned

cemetery/cremation ground (śmaśāna)

higher varṇas (varṇottama)

lower varṇas (varṇāvara)

FAQs

What is the governance purpose of separating cremation grounds by direction and status?

It formalizes civic order and reduces conflict over ritual space, while also managing a socially sensitive, potentially polluting municipal function through regulated siting.