Shloka 5

Sūrya-upāsanā: Lotus Mandala, Mudrā, Dik-nyāsa, and the Twelve Ādityas

Devanagari script

ऐशान्यां स्थापयेत्सोमं पौरन्दर्यां तु लोहितम् / आग्नेय्यां सोमतनयं याम्यां चैव बृहस्पतिम्

Transliteration

aiśānyāṃ sthāpayetsomaṃ paurandaryāṃ tu lohitam / āgneyyāṃ somatanayaṃ yāmyāṃ caiva bṛhaspatim

Translation

ऐशान्यां दिशि सोमं स्थापयेत्, पौरन्दर्यां तु लोहितम्। आग्नेय्यां सोमतनयं, याम्यां दिशि बृहस्पतिं च स्थापयेत्॥

Word by Word

• ऐशान्यां: in the north-east direction (Īśāna’s quarter)
• ऐशान्यां: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐशानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; दिक्-स्थानवाचक

• स्थापयेत्: should install/place
• स्थापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — ‘should cause to be placed/should install’

• सोमम्: Soma
• सोमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

• पौरन्दर्यां: in the eastern direction
• पौरन्दर्यां: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle)

• लोहितम्: Lohita (Mars)
• लोहितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; (ग्रह-नाम)

• आग्नेय्यां: in the south-east direction (Agni’s quarter)
• आग्नेय्यां: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; दिक्-स्थानवाचक

• सोमतनयम्: Soma’s son (Budha/Mercury)
• सोमतनयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम + तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सोमस्य तनयः)

• याम्यां: in the southern direction (Yama’s quarter)
• याम्यां: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; दिक्-स्थानवाचक

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• बृहस्पतिम्: Bṛhaspati (Jupiter)
• बृहस्पतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Grahas as karmic regulators placed in directions; ritual placement seeks harmony with cosmic law rather than random fate.

Vedantic Theme: Ishvara-niyati: the ordered cosmos as a field where karma ripens under divine governance.

Application: In pūjā/yantra/mandala practice, contemplate grahas as forces shaping tendencies; cultivate gratitude and discipline rather than fear of astrology.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-mandala/directional-quarters

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.17.4 (dik-nyāsa preliminaries); Garuda Purana 1.17.6 (remaining grahas in quarters); Garuda Purana 1.17.7-1.17.8 (solar/Viṣṇu twelvefold worship)

Characters & Entities

• Soma
• Indra (Purandara)
• Lohita
• Agni (directional reference)
• Yama (directional reference)
• Bṛhaspati

FAQs

What is the importance of direction-wise deity placement in the Garuda Purana?

This verse prescribes specific deities for specific quarters, indicating that correct directional installation is part of maintaining ritual order and auspiciousness in worship arrangements.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it belongs to the Ācāra (ritual conduct) layer where cosmic directions and divine forces are harmonized through correct placements.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When setting up a home shrine or performing a formal pūjā/installation, follow traditional directional conventions (north-east as highly sacred) and keep placements consistent with the intended ritual system.