Shloka 5

Matsya Purana — Description of Atri’s Hermitage: Sacred Grove Planning

Devanagari script

महानिम्बैस्तथा निम्बैर् निर्गुण्डीभिर्हरिद्रुमैः देवदारुमहावृक्षैस् तथा कालेयकद्रुमैः //

Transliteration

mahānimbaistathā nimbair nirguṇḍībhirharidrumaiḥ devadārumahāvṛkṣais tathā kāleyakadrumaiḥ //

Translation

“The sacred precinct should be planted with great neem trees and neem, with nirguṇḍī shrubs and haridruma (yellow-wood), with lofty deodāra cedars, and likewise with kāleyaka trees.”

Word by Word

mahā-nimbaiḥwith great neem trees

tathāand also

nimbaiḥwith neem trees

nirguṇḍībhiḥwith nirguṇḍī (Vitex negundo) shrubs/trees

haridrumaiḥwith haridruma (‘yellow tree’, commonly understood as a turmeric-colored/haridra-associated tree)

devadāru-mahā-vṛkṣaiḥwith great devadāru (deodar cedar) trees

tathālikewise

kāleyaka-drumaiḥwith kāleyaka trees (fragrant/valuable timber associated with aromatic wood).

Speaker

Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

MahānimbaNimbaNirguṇḍīHaridrumaDevadāruKāleyaka

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

This verse does not discuss pralaya; it gives Vastu-oriented guidance on auspicious vegetation for sacred/ritual spaces, emphasizing purity, protection, and fragrance rather than cosmology.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

It frames a practical dharmic duty: maintaining sanctified public and domestic religious spaces. A king supports temple precinct planning; a householder applies the same principle to gardens near shrines—planting protective, medicinal, and ritually acceptable trees.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It specifies recommended species for the temple/holy precinct (angana/udyāna), aligning landscape choices with Vastu and ritual cleanliness—using trees valued for auspiciousness, medicinal utility, and sacred ambiance.