Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

द्वारवत्पीठमध्ये तु शेषं सुषिरकं भवेत् / पादिकं शेषिकं भित्तिर्द्वारार्धेन परिग्रहात्

Transliteration

dvāravatpīṭhamadhye tu śeṣaṃ suṣirakaṃ bhavet / pādikaṃ śeṣikaṃ bhittirdvārārdhena parigrahāt

Translation

Di tengah pīṭha (alas/pedestal), hendaklah ditinggalkan ruang berongga seperti sebuah pintu. Sokongan kaki dan baki bahagian dinding hendaklah diatur dengan mengambil separuh lebar pintu sebagai ukuran.

Word by Word

• द्वारवत्: like the doorway / as with the door
• द्वारवत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वारवत् (तद्धित-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग/विशेषण; ‘द्वारवत्’ = like a door/door-like; here used adverbially qualifying placement

• पीठमध्ये: in the middle of the pedestal
• पीठमध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ + मध्य (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘पीठस्य मध्ये’ = in the middle of the pedestal

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• शेषम्: the remainder
• शेषम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘remainder’

• सुषिरकम्: hollow
• सुषिरकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुषिरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of शेषम्; ‘hollow/perforated’

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should be’

• पादिकम्: quarter-sized
• पादिकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पादिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘a quarter/foot-measure’ (contextual)

• शेषिकम्: remaining
• शेषिकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेषिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘remaining/left-over portion’ (qualifier)

• भित्तिः: the wall/partition
• भित्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भित्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘wall/partition’

• द्वारार्धेन: by half the doorway (measure)
• द्वारार्धेन: Karana (Instrument/Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘द्वारस्य अर्धम्’ = half of the door; instrumental of measure

• परिग्रहात्: from/through enclosure (taking around)
• परिग्रहात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘from/owing to enclosing/measurement’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within a prescriptive passage)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proportionate allocation (parigraha) and symmetry: internal void and supports are determined by doorway-based measure.

Vedantic Theme: Form (ākāra) as disciplined expression of order; the 'void' (sushira) as functional space within structured dharma—emptiness serving purpose, not negation.

Application: In pedestal design, plan internal cavities and load-bearing elements using a consistent reference dimension; ensure structural integrity and ritual conformity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: pedestal (pīṭha) interior within shrine/mandapa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.47.15 (doorway measure); Garuda Purana 1.47.17 (jāṅghā/śikhara proportions)

FAQs

What is the importance of leaving a hollow space (suṣira) in the pedestal according to the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the pedestal as a measured, functional sacred structure: a deliberate hollow is prescribed in the center, indicating regulated internal space rather than a solid block, consistent with traditional shilpa (design) rules.

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

This specific verse is not about the soul’s journey; it is a technical, prescriptive instruction on proportional construction (pedestal/doorway/wall), reflecting the Purana’s inclusion of ritual and design disciplines alongside afterlife teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When restoring or commissioning traditional shrines or icon pedestals, follow proportion-based planning—especially doorway and wall measurements—to preserve textual continuity with classical shilpa standards.