Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

वृत्तो वृत्तायतश्चान्यो ऽष्टाश्रश्चेह च पञ्चमः / एतेभ्य एव सम्भूताः प्रासादाः सुमनोहराः

Transliteration

vṛtto vṛttāyataścānyo 'ṣṭāśraśceha ca pañcamaḥ / etebhya eva sambhūtāḥ prāsādāḥ sumanoharāḥ

Translation

Ici, une forme est circulaire, une autre est un cercle allongé, et la cinquième est octogonale. De ces plans mêmes naissent des prāsādas d’une beauté exquise, ravissant le cœur.

Word by Word

• वृत्तः: circular
• वृत्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्त (वृत् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (rounded)

• वृत्तायतः: oval (circular and elongated)
• वृत्तायतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः — ‘वृत्तः च आयतः च’ (circular-elongated/oval)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• अन्यः: another
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अष्टाश्रः: octagonal
• अष्टाश्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या) + अश्र (प्रातिपदिक ‘corner/edge’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (eight-cornered)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• पञ्चमः: the fifth
• पञ्चमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (ordinal used substantively)

• एतेभ्यः: from these
• एतेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• सम्भूताः: arisen, produced
• सम्भूताः: Kriya-visheshana (Predicative qualifier/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-भू (धातु) + भूत (क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (arisen/produced)

• प्रासादाः: palaces/temples
• प्रासादाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सुमनोहराः: very beautiful, delightful
• सुमनोहराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः — ‘सु-मनः-हर’ (very pleasing)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Many pleasing structures arise from a few generative geometries; form-knowledge yields aesthetic and ritual efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Eka→aneka (the many from the few); ordered manifestation through archetypal patterns.

Application: Use circular/oval/octagonal plans where appropriate (site, deity tradition, ritual flow) while maintaining proportional discipline to achieve both beauty and function.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: architectural typology space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.47.22 (square/rectangular); Garuda Purana 1.47.21 (named prāsādas)

FAQs

What is the importance of ground-plan shapes in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that pleasing prāsādas arise from specific canonical shapes (circular, oval/elongated-circular, octagonal, etc.), implying that form and proportion are integral to auspicious construction.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

This particular verse is architectural rather than funerary; it does not describe the soul’s journey, but reflects the text’s broader concern with dharmic order expressed through correct design and structure.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When designing a shrine, prayer space, or traditional structure, one may follow time-tested geometric plans and proportions, emphasizing harmony and intentional form rather than arbitrary layout.