Shloka 13

Matsya Purana — The Madana-Dvādaśī Vow and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

तस्मादुपरि कामं तु कदलीदलसंस्थितम् कुर्याच्छर्करयोपेतां रतिं तस्य च वामतः //

Transliteration

tasmādupari kāmaṃ tu kadalīdalasaṃsthitam kuryāccharkarayopetāṃ ratiṃ tasya ca vāmataḥ //

Translation

Above that, one should place Kāma, the god of desire, seated upon a banana leaf; and to his left one should install Rati, adorned with ornaments.

Word by Word

• तस्मात् (tasmāt): from that/above that

• उपरि (upari): above

• कामम् (kāmam): Kāma (Cupid, god of desire)

• तु (tu): indeed

• कदली-दल-संस्थितम् (kadalī-dala-saṃsthitam): seated/placed upon a banana leaf

• कुर्यात् (kuryāt): one should make/place/install

• शर्करया-उपेताम् (śarkarayopetām): endowed with ornaments/adornments (lit. ‘accompanied by śarkarā’—here taken as decorative embellishment)

• रतिम् (ratim): Rati (consort of Kāma)

• तस्य (tasya): of him

• च (ca): and

• वामतः (vāmataḥ): on the left side.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, within a prescriptive ritual/iconographic passage)

Entities Mentioned

• Kāma
• Rati

Tags

• Vastu Shastra
• Iconography
• Ritual placement
• Temple worship
• Pratima Lakshana

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a technical instruction on iconographic/ritual placement of deities (Kāma and Rati) within a worship or installation layout.

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

It reflects the householder’s (and patron-king’s) duty to perform worship correctly—supporting temple or domestic rites by following prescribed placements of deities and their companions.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It specifies spatial hierarchy and orientation: Kāma is placed above a prior element and set on a banana leaf seat, while Rati is positioned to Kāma’s left—guiding icon placement in a ritual/temple layout.