Shloka 6

Matsya Purana — Rite of Donating the ‘Sugar Mountain’

Devanagari script

हरिचन्दनसंतानौ पूर्वपश्चिमभागयोः निवेश्यौ सर्वशैलेषु विशेषाच्छर्कराचले //

Transliteration

haricandanasaṃtānau pūrvapaścimabhāgayoḥ niveśyau sarvaśaileṣu viśeṣāccharkarācale //

Translation

Groves of haricandana and sandalwood should be planted on the eastern and western sides of all mountains—most especially upon Śarkarācala, the Sugar Mountain.

Word by Word

• हरिचन्दन (haricandana): a fragrant ‘yellow/green sandal’ tree

• संतानौ (saṃtānau): the two successions/lines, i.e., continuous plantings or groves

• पूर्व (pūrva): eastern

• पश्चिम (paścima): western

• भागयोः (bhāgayoḥ): on the two sides/parts

• निवेश्यौ (niveśyau): should be established/planted

• सर्वशैलेषु (sarvaśaileṣu): on all mountains

• विशेषात् (viśeṣāt): especially/with particular emphasis

• शर्कराचले (śarkarācale): on Śarkarācala, ‘Sugar Mountain’ (a named sacred mountain/region).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) addressing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual speaker attribution for this instructional passage)

Entities Mentioned

• Haricandana
• Candana (Sandalwood)
• Śarkarācala

Tags

• Vastu Shastra
• Sacred Groves
• Auspicious Planting
• Temple Landscape
• Sacred Geography

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a Vastu-style instruction on auspicious landscaping—specifically, where to establish fragrant sacred groves on mountain terrain.

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

It supports the dharmic duty of maintaining sacred and beneficial landscapes—planting valued, fragrant trees in prescribed directions as part of orderly settlement planning, public merit (puṇya), and sanctification of regions.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It gives a directional rule (east and west) for planting haricandana and sandalwood groves, aligning temple/kshetra environments with auspicious orientation—an aspect of Puranic Vastu and ritual ecology.