Matsya Purana — Code of Conduct and Vow-Procedure for Courtesans, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

कामदेवं सपत्नीकं गुडकुम्भोपरि स्थितम् ताम्रपात्रासनगतं हैमनेत्रपटावृतम् //

Transliteration

kāmadevaṃ sapatnīkaṃ guḍakumbhopari sthitam tāmrapātrāsanagataṃ haimanetrapaṭāvṛtam //

Translation

Il doit façonner Kāmadeva avec sa parèdre, en plaçant l’image sur un piédestal en forme de jarre de mélasse ; l’asseoir sur un siège constitué d’un vase de cuivre, et la couvrir d’un tissu portant des yeux de teinte dorée.

Word by Word

• कामदेवम्: Kāmadeva (the god of love)

• सपत्नीकम्: together with (his) wife/consort

• गुडकुम्भ-उपरि: upon a guḍa-kumbha (molasses-jar-like pedestal)

• स्थितम्: placed/positioned

• ताम्र-पात्र-आसन-गतम्: set upon a seat made of a copper vessel/plate

• हैम-नेत्र-पट-आवृतम्: covered with a cloth (paṭa) having golden eyes / golden-eyed motif

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu on iconographic procedure)

Entities Mentioned

• Kāmadeva
• Rati (implied by sapatnīka)

Tags

• Iconography
• Pratima Lakshana
• Ritual Installation
• Vastu Shastra
• Temple Worship

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to the Matsya Purana’s iconography/ritual section, prescribing how to place and adorn Kāmadeva’s image for worship.

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

It supports the householder/royal duty of maintaining proper temple worship and patronage—commissioning images with correct materials and placement as part of dharmic public and domestic religion.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It specifies installation details: Kāmadeva with consort, a distinctive pedestal form (guḍa-kumbha), a copper vessel-seat, and a special covering cloth—showing prescribed materials and icon-setting conventions used in Puranic ritual and temple practice.