Shloka 36

Prāsāda-Lakṣaṇa: Temple Proportions, Śikhara Ratios, Liṅga–Pīṭha Measures, and Auspicious Ground-Plans

Devanagari script

स्पर्धागवाक्षकोपेतो निर्गवाक्षो ऽथ वा भवेत् / सार्धभित्तिप्रमाणेन भितिमानेन वा पुनः

Transliteration

spardhāgavākṣakopeto nirgavākṣo 'tha vā bhavet / sārdhabhittipramāṇena bhitimānena vā punaḥ

Translation

Puede hacerse con gavākṣas, es decir, aberturas o ventanas salientes, o bien sin tales aberturas. Además, la medida puede tomarse como una vez y media el grosor del muro, o también conforme a la medida del propio muro.

Word by Word

• स्पर्धागवाक्षकोपेतः: provided with spardhā-windows (gavākṣakas)
• स्पर्धागवाक्षकोपेतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पर्धा + गवाक्षक + उपेत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (स्पर्धा-गवाक्षक-उपेतः = स्पर्धागवाक्षकैः उपेतः)

• निर्गवाक्षः: without windows
• निर्गवाक्षः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + गवाक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (गवाक्षरहितः)

• अथ: or else, then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः/समुच्चयार्थकः (particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपातः (disjunctive particle)

• भवेत्: may be / should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सार्धभित्तिप्रमाणेन: by the measure of one-and-a-half walls
• सार्धभित्तिप्रमाणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार्ध + भित्ति + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः (सार्ध-भित्ति-प्रमाणम्)

• भितिमानेन: by wall-measure
• भितिमानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भित्ति + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भित्तेः मानम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपातः

• पुनः: again, further
• पुनः: Sambandha (Discourse connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra, as the dominant dialogue frame of the Garuḍa Purāṇa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma of craftsmanship includes context-sensitive choice—permitted variants within śāstric bounds.

Vedantic Theme: Yukti (skillful means) within niyama; form adapts while order remains.

Application: Choose openings based on climate, structural needs, and ritual privacy; apply either 1.5× wall-thickness or wall-measure standard consistently across the build.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: architectural detailing zone

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.47.35 (pramāṇa and sūtraka); Garuda Purana 1.47.37-38 (wall-based scaling; base/pillars)

FAQs

What is the importance of gavākṣa (window-opening) in Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse notes that a structure may be designed either with gavākṣas (openings) or without them, indicating accepted design variants within the text’s measurement rules.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

This particular verse is not about the soul’s journey; it belongs to a practical, rule-based section describing structural features and proportional measurement standards.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When planning a ritual or sacred space, the verse supports choosing either open or closed wall-designs and emphasizes consistent proportional measurement (e.g., based on wall thickness).