Shloka 50

Śrāddha-vidhi for Pitṛs: Invitations, Purity, Offerings, and Conduct

Devanagari script

मण्डलं चतुरस्त्रं वा दक्षिणावनतं शुभम् / त्रिरुल्लिखेत् तस्य मध्यं दर्भेणैकेन चैव हि

Transliteration

maṇḍalaṃ caturastraṃ vā dakṣiṇāvanataṃ śubham / trirullikhet tasya madhyaṃ darbheṇaikena caiva hi

Translation

ଶୁଭ ଓ ଦକ୍ଷିଣଦିଗକୁ ସାନ ଢାଳ ଥିବା ବୃତ୍ତମଣ୍ଡଳ କିମ୍ବା ଚତୁରସ୍ର ମଣ୍ଡଳ କରି, ଏକମାତ୍ର ଦର୍ଭା ଘାସରେ ତାହାର ମଧ୍ୟକୁ ତିନିଥର ଚିହ୍ନିତ କରିବ।

Word by Word

• maṇḍalam: a circle / diagram
• maṇḍalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• caturasram: four-sided
• caturasram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur + asra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); descriptive tatpurusha: 'catur-asram' = four-cornered

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa-dyotaka (विकल्पद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), disjunctive particle (विकल्प-निपात)

• dakṣiṇā-avanatam: sloping southwards
• dakṣiṇā-avanatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇā + avanata (अव-√nam + क्त)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpurusha: 'dakṣiṇāyām avanatam' (sloping to the south)

• śubham: auspicious
• śubham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying the drawn figure

• triḥ: thrice
• triḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: triḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), numeral adverb (संख्यावाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• ullikhet: should draw/inscribe
• ullikhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√likh (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of it
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• madhyam: the middle
• madhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• darbheṇa: with a darbha grass blade
• darbheṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ekena: with one (single)
• ekena: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying 'darbheṇa'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चयद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय-निपात)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (निपात)

• hi: for / indeed
• hi: Hetu-dyotaka (हेतुद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), causal/emphatic particle (हेतु/निपात)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s ritual instructions as received in the tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Darbha (Kuśa grass)
• Maṇḍala

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: by prescribing precise centering of the maṇḍala, it ritualizes the principle of “madhya” (the center), a symbolic pointer to the inner center where awareness is stabilized—an outer act that supports inward recollection of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights preparatory discipline (bahiraṅga-sādhana): creating an auspicious, correctly oriented sacred space and marking the center—supports dhāraṇā (steady attention) and ritual purity, which the Kurma tradition treats as a foundation for higher contemplative practice.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

The verse is procedural rather than doctrinal, but it reflects the Purana’s synthesis: shared śāstric ritual order (dharma and mantra-rite) is treated as a common ground across Shaiva and Vaishnava worship, preparing the practitioner for unified devotion to Īśvara.