Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 50

Arcana-vidhi: The Method of Deity Worship

Vedic, Tantric, and Mixed

Devanagari script

मदर्चां सम्प्रतिष्ठाप्य मन्दिरं कारयेद् द‍ृढम् । पुष्पोद्यानानि रम्याणि पूजायात्रोत्सवाश्रितान् ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

mad-arcāṁ sampratiṣṭhāpya mandiraṁ kārayed dṛḍham puṣpodyānāni ramyāṇi pūjā-yātrotsavāśritān

Translation

Người sùng kính nên an vị Thánh tượng (Arca) của Ta một cách trọn vẹn, rồi xây dựng ngôi đền vững chắc, cùng những vườn hoa mỹ lệ dành riêng để cung cấp hoa cho lễ thờ hằng ngày, các cuộc rước Thánh tượng và những ngày lễ trọng.

Synonyms

• mat-arcām: my deity-form (arcā)
• mat-arcām: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + arcā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘my worship/arcā’); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sampratiṣṭhāpya: having installed
• sampratiṣṭhāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + prati + sthā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त) with causative sense ‘having installed/established’; from √sthā with prefixes

• mandiram: a temple
• mandiram: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mandira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kārayet: should cause to be built
• kārayet: Kriyā (क्रिया; main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिजन्त) of √कृ; Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• dṛḍham: firm/strong
• dṛḍham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with mandiram

• puṣpa-udyānāni: flower-gardens
• puṣpa-udyānāni: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + udyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (determinative: ‘flower-gardens’); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ramyāṇi: beautiful
• ramyāṇi: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; agrees with udyānāni

• pūjā-yātrā-utsava-āśritān: associated with worship, pilgrimages/processions, and festivals
• pūjā-yātrā-utsava-āśritān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + yātrā (प्रातिपदिक) + utsava (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrita (प्रातिपदिक; √śri with ā-)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (determinative: ‘connected with/serving as support for worship, processions, festivals’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); syntactically intended to qualify (kṣetrāṇi/udyānāni etc.; sense: ‘for/associated with’)

Purport

Wealthy, pious persons should be engaged in constructing temples and gardens for the pleasure of the Deity. The word dṛḍham indicates that the most solid means of construction should be employed.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Uddhava

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about building a temple for Krishna?

This verse teaches that after properly installing the Lord’s Deity, a devotee should build a strong, lasting temple and arrange beautiful flower gardens to support daily worship, processions, and festivals.

Why did Krishna tell Uddhava about installing the Deity and arranging festivals?

In Canto 11, Krishna instructs Uddhava on practical bhakti—especially arcana (Deity worship). Temple construction, gardens, and festivals are described as organized ways to nourish devotion and keep worship steady and joyful.

Practical application of temple worship and festivals in modern life?

Support regular devotional practice by creating a clean worship space, offering flowers or simple items with devotion, and participating in community kirtans and festival days that strengthen remembrance of Krishna.