Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

सर्वप्रकृतिभूतेभ्यश्चत्वारिंशत्तथैव च / मेरुश्च मन्दरश्चैव विमानश्च तथापरः

Transliteration

sarvaprakṛtibhūtebhyaścatvāriṃśattathaiva ca / meruśca mandaraścaiva vimānaśca tathāparaḥ

Translation

Dan di antara makhluk dari segala tabiat, ada lagi empat puluh; demikian juga ada Gunung Meru dan Mandara, serta Vimāna dan satu puncak (yang lain) lagi.

Word by Word

• सर्वप्रकृतिभूतेभ्यः: from all natural beings
• सर्वप्रकृतिभूतेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-प्रकृति-भूत (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + प्रकृति + भूत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वप्रकृतिभूत = all-natural beings)

• चत्वारिंशत्: forty
• चत्वारिंशत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चत्वारिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक; संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत्/अविकारी प्रयोगः; (forty)

• तथा: thus/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• मेरुः: Meru
• मेरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• मन्दरः: Mandara
• मन्दरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• विमानः: Vimāna (name)
• विमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अपरः: another
• अपरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (another)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic order expressed through classified forms and archetypal loci (mountains/peaks).

Vedantic Theme: Virāṭ/Īśvara as ordered manifestation (nāma-rūpa) inviting contemplative discernment.

Application: Use the cosmographic catalogue as a meditative map: reflect on impermanence of forms while honoring the intelligible order behind them.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic mountain range / world-mountains

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.47 (cosmography/architectural classifications context)

Characters & Entities

• Meru
• Mandara
• Vimāna

FAQs

What is the importance of Meru and Mandara in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats Meru and Mandara as key cosmological reference-points, naming them within an enumerative description of the world’s structure and notable peaks.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it contributes to the Purana’s broader framework by outlining cosmic geography used elsewhere to situate realms and directions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder that Garuda Purana includes not only afterlife teachings but also cosmological context—supporting study, recitation, and informed understanding of Puranic worldviews.