Shloka 32

Brahmin Right Conduct: Morning Remembrance, Bathing, Purification, and Tarpaṇa Method

Devanagari script

सर्वदेवालयो दर्भो मयायं निर्मितः पुरा । कुशमूले भवेद्ब्रह्मा कुशमध्ये तु केशवः

Transliteration

sarvadevālayo darbho mayāyaṃ nirmitaḥ purā | kuśamūle bhavedbrahmā kuśamadhye tu keśavaḥ

Translation

Rumput darbha yang suci ini ialah tempat bersemayam segala dewa; dahulu kala Aku telah membentuknya. Pada akar kuśa bersemayam Brahmā, dan pada bahagian tengah kuśa bersemayam Keśava (Viṣṇu).

Word by Word

• सर्व-देव-आलयः: abode of all gods
• सर्व-देव-आलयः: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘abode of all gods’

• दर्भः: darbha grass
• दर्भः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; Nominative singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta/Topic (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• निर्मितः: created
• निर्मितः: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नि + √मा (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; past participle (passive) ‘made/created’

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time) ‘formerly’

• कुश-मूले: at the root of the kuśa
• कुश-मूले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘at the root of kuśa’; Locative singular

• भवेत्: would be/is said to be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; Nominative singular

• कुश-मध्ये: in the middle of the kuśa
• कुश-मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘in the middle of kuśa’; Locative singular

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• केशवः: Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• केशवः: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Unspecified in provided excerpt (context needed to identify the dialogue pair precisely)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: मयायं = मया + अयम्; भवेद्ब्रह्मा = भवेत् + ब्रह्मा.

Characters & Entities

• Darbha (Kuśa grass)
• Brahmā
• Keśava (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

Why is darbha (kuśa) grass called an abode of all the gods in this verse?

The verse sacralizes darbha by presenting it as a divine seat (ālaya) used in rites; its very structure is mapped to deities, making it ritually fit for offerings, seating, and purification acts.

What theological idea is conveyed by placing Brahmā at the root and Keśava in the middle of kuśa?

It encodes a symbolic cosmology within a ritual object: Brahmā (creation principle) is associated with the base/root, while Keśava (sustaining Lord Viṣṇu) is placed centrally, reinforcing Viṣṇu’s sustaining presence within sacred ritual space.

What practical ethical or devotional lesson can a practitioner take from this verse?

It teaches reverence for ritual materials and mindful practice: ordinary objects used in dharma are to be treated as carriers of sacred presence, encouraging purity, attentiveness, and devotion during religious acts.