Shloka 31

Devanagari script

एवं च वृश्चिकादौ स्यात्पूर्वदक्षिणपश्चिमम् / द्वारं दीर्घार्धविस्तारं द्वाराण्यष्टौ स्मृतानि च

Transliteration

evaṃ ca vṛścikādau syātpūrvadakṣiṇapaścimam / dvāraṃ dīrghārdhavistāraṃ dvārāṇyaṣṭau smṛtāni ca

Translation

Likewise, beginning with Scorpio, the sequence is taken as east, south, and west. The doorway should have a length equal to half its width; and eight such doorways are spoken of in the tradition.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/in this way)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• वृश्चिकादौ: in (the group) beginning with Scorpio
• वृश्चिकादौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृश्चिक + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; वृश्चिकादि = ‘वृश्चिकः आदिः यस्य’/‘वृश्चिक-आदि-समूह’ (starting with Scorpio)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• पूर्वदक्षिणपश्चिमम्: east, south, and west (directions)
• पूर्वदक्षिणपश्चिमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + दक्षिण + पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; दिशात्रय-द्वन्द्व (east-south-west as a set)

• द्वारम्: door/entrance
• द्वारम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दीर्घार्धविस्तारम्: having width equal to half its length
• दीर्घार्धविस्तारम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ + अर्ध + विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अर्थः ‘दीर्घस्य अर्धः विस्तारः’/‘दीर्घ-अर्ध-विस्तार’ (half the length as width)

• द्वाराणि: doors/entrances
• द्वाराणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (numeral; agreeing with द्वाराणि by sense)

• स्मृतानि: are said/remembered (as)
• स्मृतानि: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from स्मृ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right proportion (māna) and orientation in building are dharmic supports for household stability and auspiciousness.

Vedantic Theme: Order and measure (niyama) as expressions of sattva in worldly life.

Application: From Scorpio onward, take the directional sequence as east–south–west (per the text’s scheme); set doorway proportions as stated (length relative to width) and recognize the traditional set of eight doorways.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: architectural

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.46 (vāstu door-direction and proportion rules; enumeration of dvāras)

FAQs

What is the importance of directional rules (east–south–west) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse indicates that directions are not chosen randomly; they follow a prescribed sequence, implying that auspicious design depends on aligning entrances with traditional directional order.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not discuss the soul’s journey directly; instead, it gives a dharmic guideline on sacred/auspicious spatial arrangement, which is treated as supportive of orderly religious life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When planning an entrance or threshold for a sacred or traditional space, follow established directional conventions and keep doorway proportions consistent with the text’s stated measure.