Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

तद्विस्तारसमा जङ्घा सिखरं द्विगुणं भवेत् / शुकाङ्घ्रिः पूर्ववज्ज्ञेया निर्गमोच्छ्रायकं भवेत्

Transliteration

tadvistārasamā jaṅghā sikharaṃ dviguṇaṃ bhavet / śukāṅghriḥ pūrvavajjñeyā nirgamocchrāyakaṃ bhavet

Translation

ส่วนแข้ง (ชังคา) ให้เท่ากับความกว้างนั้น และยอด (ศิขระ) ให้เป็นสองเท่า “เท้านกแก้ว” (ศุกางฆริ) ให้เข้าใจดังเดิม และทางออกให้ทำพร้อมส่วนยกนูนสูง

Word by Word

• तत्: its/that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-भाव: ‘its/that’)

• विस्तारसमा: equal to the width
• विस्तारसमा: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्तार + सम (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ: ‘विस्तारेण समा/विस्तारस्य समा’ = equal to the width; विशेषण of जङ्घा

• जङ्घा: the jaṅghā (shaft/leg portion)
• जङ्घा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘shank/leg-like part (architectural member)’

• शिखरम्: the peak/top
• शिखरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘peak/top’

• द्विगुणम्: double
• द्विगुणम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + गुण (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘double’; विशेषण of शिखरम्

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

• शुकाङ्घ्रिः: the ‘parrot-foot’ measure/member
• शुकाङ्घ्रिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक + अङ्घ्रि (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘शुकस्य अङ्घ्रिः’ = parrot’s foot (a moulding/measure term)

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: as before)

• ज्ञेया: should be known
• ज्ञेया: Karma (Predicate complement/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive, यत्); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘should be known’ (agreeing with शुकाङ्घ्रिः understood as feminine by śāstric usage, or with an implied feminine term)

• निर्गमोच्छ्रायकम्: the height-measure of the projection
• निर्गमोच्छ्रायकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्गम + उच्छ्राय (प्रातिपदिके; समास) + क (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘निर्गमस्य उच्छ्रायः’ = height of the projection; -क प्रत्यय (measure-term)

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hierarchy of proportions: base breadth determines shank; crest doubles; traditional motif (śukāṅghri) retained; outlet raised for proper function/auspiciousness.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana through disciplined craft: beauty and order arise from adherence to proportion (sāmya) and tradition (paramparā).

Application: When scaling architectural components, derive higher elements from base measures; preserve canonical motifs; ensure outlets/projections are appropriately elevated for drainage/ritual cleanliness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: architectural members (jāṅghā, śikhara/crest, support/leg, outlet projection) within sacred structure

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.47.16 (pedestal and doorway-based measures); Garuda Purana 1.47 (earlier definition of śukāṅghri: 'pūrvavat jñeyā')

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of specifying measurements in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse shows that Garuda Purana preserves precise proportional rules for ritual construction, implying that correct form is part of correct observance (vidhi) in funerary and related rites.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it belongs to procedural instructions supporting death-related rites; such rites are taught as aids for orderly transition and merit, rather than a narrative description of the soul’s route in this specific verse.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing traditional rites, follow an authentic lineage/manual and ensure proportional accuracy and clarity of the ritual setup, treating procedure as an expression of reverence and discipline.