Shloka 1

Devatā-Pratiṣṭhā: Maṇḍapa Construction, Dikpāla Worship, Kalaśa-Abhiṣeka, Nyāsa and Homa Procedures

Devanagari script

सप्तचत्वारिंशो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / प्रतिष्ठां सर्वदेवानां संक्षेपेण वदाम्यहम् / सुतिथ्यादौ सुरम्यां च प्रतिष्ठां कारयेद्गुरुः

Transliteration

saptacatvāriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / pratiṣṭhāṃ sarvadevānāṃ saṃkṣepeṇa vadāmyaham / sutithyādau suramyāṃ ca pratiṣṭhāṃ kārayedguruḥ

Translation

Chapter Forty-Seven—Sūta said: “I shall explain, in brief, the pratiṣṭhā, the consecratory establishment of all the deities. On an auspicious lunar day and under other favorable conditions, the teacher (guru/priest) should have this beautiful consecration rite performed.”

Word by Word

• सप्त-चत्वारिंशः: forty-seventh
• सप्त-चत्वारिंशः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of अध्यायः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + चत्वारिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (ordinal sense: forty-seventh)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Topic/heading)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (nom. sg.)

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (nom. sg.)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Speech act)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रतिष्ठाम्: consecration/installation
• प्रतिष्ठाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• सर्व-देवानाम्: of all the gods
• सर्व-देवानाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (gen. pl.)

• संक्षेपेण: briefly
• संक्षेपेण: Karaṇa (Manner/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (instr. sg.); क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (adverbial instrumental)

• वदामि: I speak
• वदामि: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सु-तिथि-आदौ: at an auspicious date, etc.
• सु-तिथि-आदौ: Adhikaraṇa (Time/occasion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + तिथि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (आदि-शब्द), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (loc. sg.); ‘आदि’ = ‘beginning/occasion’

• सुरम्याम्: beautiful, delightful
• सुरम्याम्: Karma (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc. sg.); विशेषण (qualifies प्रतिष्ठाम्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• प्रतिष्ठाम्: consecration/installation
• प्रतिष्ठाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• कारयेत्: should cause to be performed
• कारयेत्: Kriyā (Injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग ‘cause to be done’

• गुरुः: the teacher/priest
• गुरुः: Karta (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (nom. sg.)

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pratishtha must be performed under auspicious calendrical conditions and under a qualified guru’s direction.

Vedantic Theme: Karma aligned with kala (sacred time) as a purifier; disciplined ritual as support for devotion and social-religious order.

Application: For installations or major rites, consult competent priestly guidance, select auspicious timing (tithi/nakshatra considerations), and keep the ceremony ‘suramya’—well-ordered and dignified.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: consecration site/temple precinct

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.47.44-47 (immediate preparatory context for consecration and worship); Garuda Purana 1.48 (pratishtha procedures that follow in the chapter)

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Sarva-devāḥ (all deities)
• Guru/Ācārya

FAQs

What is the importance of pratiṣṭhā (consecration) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames pratiṣṭhā as the essential rite that establishes the deity’s worship in a proper, auspicious manner, and introduces a concise procedure for installing deities.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not discuss the soul’s journey here; instead, it begins a ritual chapter, emphasizing correct sacred procedure (ācāra) for worship and consecration.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When beginning any sacred installation or worship project, prioritize auspicious timing and qualified guidance (a competent priest/teacher) rather than haste or improvised ritual.