Mandir and Darśan

The last lesson of the month takes the building and the act it exists for. Both are named by ordinary words, and in both cases the ordinary word is more informative than the devotional gloss.

The lexicon gives mandira as "any waiting or abiding-place, habitation, dwelling, house, palace, temple, town, camp", adding that at the end of a compound it means dwelling in. Further senses include a stable for horses, and — separately listed — the body.

There is no specialised religious sense. "Temple" sits in a list beside house, palace and camp, and the word draws no line around it.