Dharmasetu

Dharmasetu · dharma-setu, “the embankment of dharma”

Grammar: masculine noun; a compound of dharma and setu (a bank, embankment).

Meaning: the embankments built around or within a garden for its protection.

In the scriptures: in the rite of consecrating a garden, Sūta tells the brāhmaṇas to build embankments around the garden, or here and there within it. These are called dharmasetu. Having built them, one prays that if anyone walking on the dharmasetu falls or slips, no pāpa of building it should touch him, for it was built only for the increase of dharma. These dharmasetus protect the beings who come to the place. The puṇya of vedādhyayana and the like is gained by building one (Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapter 1).

पिच्छिले पतितानां च उच्छ्रितेनाङ्गसंगतः।
प्रतिष्ठिते धर्मसेतो धर्मो मे स्यान्न पातकम्।
ये चात्र प्राणिनः सन्ति रक्षां कुर्वन्ति सेतवः ।
वेदागमेन यत्पुण्यं यथैव हि समर्पितम्।

picchile patitānāṃ ca ucchritenāṅgasaṃgataḥ |
pratishṭhite dharmaseto dharmo me syānna pātakam |
ye cātra prāṇinaḥ santi rakshāṃ kurvanti setavaḥ |
vedāgamena yatpuṇyaṃ yathaiva hi samarpitam |

If anyone walking on this dharmasetu falls or slips, let no pāpa of building it touch me, for I built it only for the increase of dharma. These dharmasetus protect the beings who come to this place. The puṇya gained from vedādhyayana and the like is gained by building this dharmasetu.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapter 1

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapter 1