दर्शन करना (darshan karnaa)

verb A compound verb built on the noun दर्शन (darshan, 'sight/viewing') plus करना (karnaa, 'to do'); its main everyday sense is the reverential act of viewing a deity, holy person, or revered sight, with a secondary formal/polite sense of 'meeting/seeing' an eminent person.
Sense 1 : to have a reverential viewing (of a deity/idol/holy site)
verb, transitive Takes the thing viewed marked with का/की/के (kaa) as possessor of दर्शन, e.g. भगवान के दर्शन करना (bhagvaan ke darshan karnaa, 'to have darshan of God'); दर्शन (darshan) itself is grammatically plural/honorific here even for one deity.
Synonyms: पूजा करना (poojaa karnaa, to worship -- broader act, not just viewing), दर्शन पाना (darshan paanaa, to be granted a viewing)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This phrase captures a whole devotional worldview: in temple culture across North India, 'seeing' a deity's image is not passive but a two-way exchange of gaze believed to confer blessing, so people queue for hours just to 'do darshan' of a murti (moorti) for a few seconds. You will hear it used casually too, like दर्शन के लिए चलें? (darshan ke lie chalen?, 'shall we go for darshan?') when planning a temple visit with family.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say भगवान को देखना (bhagvaan ko dekhnaa) for 'seeing God,' but native speakers reserve देखना (dekhnaa) for plain physical sight and use दर्शन करना (darshan karnaa) for the reverential act -- using देखना in a temple context can sound oddly flat or even disrespectful. 2) The noun दर्शन (darshan) is treated as plural in this construction (मंदिर के दर्शन किए (mandir ke darshan kie, 'had darshan of the temple')) even when referring to a single idol or shrine, which surprises learners expecting singular agreement.
Sample Sentences:
हम रोज़ सुबह मंदिर जाकर भगवान के दर्शन करते हैं। We go to the temple every morning and have darshan of God.
(ham roz subah mandir jaakar bhagvaan ke darshan karte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम दर्शन के लिए चलोगे? Will you come along for darshan?
(kyaa tum darshan ke lie chaloge?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
पिछली बार हम तिरुपति गए थे और बालाजी के दर्शन किए थे। Last time we went to Tirupati and had darshan of Balaji.
(pichhlii baar ham tirupti gae the aur baalaajii ke darshan kie the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अभी भीड़ बहुत है, हम मूर्ति के दर्शन कर रहे हैं। There is a huge crowd right now, we are having darshan of the idol.
(abhii bhiid bahut hai, ham moorti ke darshan kar rahe hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दर्शन के लिए चलें? Shall we go for darshan?
(darshan ke lie chalen?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
पहले हाथ-पैर धो लो, फिर देवी के दर्शन करना। First wash your hands and feet, then have darshan of the goddess.
(pahle haath-pair dho lo, phir devii ke darshan karnaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर वक़्त मिलता तो हम गंगा आरती के भी दर्शन करते। If we had gotten the time, we would have had darshan of the Ganga aarti too.
(agar vaqt miltaa to ham gangaa aartii ke bhii darshan karte।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
मंदिर में इतनी भीड़ थी कि दर्शन दस सेकंड में ही करने पड़े। There was such a crowd in the temple that we had to do darshan in just ten seconds.
(mandir men itnii bhiid thii ki darshan das sekand men hii karne pade।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मंगलवार को हनुमान जी के दर्शन करने का विशेष महत्व माना जाता है। Having darshan of Hanuman ji on Tuesday is considered especially significant.
(mangalvaar ko hanumaan jii ke darshan karne kaa vishesh mahatv maanaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
दर्शन करने से मन को अपार शांति मिलती है। Having darshan brings immense peace to the mind.
(darshan karne se man ko apaar shaanti miltii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
जब तक कतार में लगे रहोगे, तभी देवता के दर्शन हो पाएँगे। Only if you stay standing in the queue will you be able to get darshan of the deity.
(jab tak kataar men lage rahoge, tabhii devtaa ke darshan ho paaenge।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
Sense 2 : to have the honor of meeting/seeing (a respected or eminent person)
verb, transitive Used with के (ke) before दर्शन, e.g. आपके दर्शन हुए (aapke darshan hue, 'I had the honor of seeing you'), often in a construction where दर्शन 'happens' (होना (honaa)) to the speaker rather than being an action they perform.
Synonyms: मिलना (milnaa, plain 'to meet', less reverential), भेंट करना (bhent karnaa, formal, 'to meet/greet')
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This extends the temple sense metonymically to any respected or hard-to-meet figure -- a boss, elder, or long-absent friend -- treating a meeting with them like a small honor. It is very often used half-jokingly, e.g. अरे, आज तो आपके दर्शन हो गए! (are, aaj to aapke darshan ho gae!, 'oh, today we're graced with your presence!') said to someone who rarely shows up.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense is flattering/formal and can sound sarcastic if used with an ordinary acquaintance -- e.g. saying आपके दर्शन कब होंगे? (aapke darshan kab honge?) to a friend who has been avoiding you is a common, teasing usage, not literal reverence, and learners often miss this ironic register.
Sample Sentences:
अरे, आज तो आपके दर्शन हो गए! Oh, today we are graced with your presence!
(are, aaj to aapke darshan ho gae!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बड़े दिनों बाद आपके दर्शन हुए, सर। It's been a long time since I had the honor of seeing you, sir.
(bade dinon baad aapke darshan hue, sar।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या मुझे गुरुजी के दर्शन करने का सौभाग्य मिलेगा? Will I have the fortune of meeting the guru?
(kyaa mujhe gurujii ke darshan karne kaa saubhaagy milegaa?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
वह हर साल अपने दादाजी के दर्शन करने गाँव जाता है। He goes to the village every year to pay his respects to his grandfather.
(vah har saal apne daadaajii ke darshan karne gaanv jaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
काश मुझे भी उस महान लेखक के दर्शन होते। I wish I too could have had the honor of meeting that great writer.
(kaash mujhe bhii us mahaan lekhak ke darshan hote।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
मैडम के दर्शन कीजिए, फिर मीटिंग शुरू होगी। Go pay your respects to madam first, then the meeting will start.
(maidam ke darshan kiijie, phir miiting shuroo hogii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
सुना है मंत्री जी आ रहे हैं, शायद दर्शन हो जाएँ। I hear the minister is coming, maybe we'll get to see him.
(sunaa hai mantrii jii aa rahe hain, shaayad darshan ho jaaen।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
उनके दर्शन के लिए लोग घंटों लाइन में खड़े रहते हैं। People stand in line for hours just for the honor of seeing him.
(unke darshan ke lie log ghanton laain men khade rahte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इतने सालों बाद आज सुबह-सुबह आपके दर्शन हो रहे हैं! After so many years, we are being blessed with your presence this early morning!
(itne saalon baad aaj subah-subah aapke darshan ho rahe hain!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb (irregular)
infinitive: दर्शन करना (darshan karnaa)
infinitive oblique: दर्शन करने (darshan karne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): दर्शन करता (darshan kartaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): दर्शन करते (darshan karte)
habitual/simple (sg.f): दर्शन करती (darshan kartii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): दर्शन करतीं (darshan kartiin)
continuous (sg.m): दर्शन कर रहा (darshan kar rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): दर्शन कर रहे (darshan kar rahe)
continuous (sg.f): दर्शन कर रही (darshan kar rahii)
continuous (pl.f): दर्शन कर रहीं (darshan kar rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): दर्शन किया (darshan kiyaa)
perfective (pl.m): दर्शन किए (darshan kie)
perfective (sg.f): दर्शन की (darshan kii)
perfective (pl.f): दर्शन कीं (darshan kiin)
imperative (informal): दर्शन कर (darshan kar)
imperative (neutral): दर्शन करो (darshan karo)
imperative (formal): दर्शन कीजिए (darshan kiijie)
future (1sg.m): दर्शन करूँगा (darshan karoongaa)
future (1sg.f): दर्शन करूँगी (darshan karoongii)
future (1pl.m): दर्शन करेंगे (darshan karenge)
future (1pl.f): दर्शन करेंगी (darshan karengii)
future (2sg.m): दर्शन करेगा (darshan karegaa)
future (2sg.f): दर्शन करेगी (darshan karegii)
future (2pl.m): दर्शन करोगे (darshan karoge)
future (2pl.f): दर्शन करोगी (darshan karogii)
future (3sg.m): दर्शन करेगा (darshan karegaa)
future (3sg.f): दर्शन करेगी (darshan karegii)
future (3pl.m): दर्शन करेंगे (darshan karenge)
future (3pl.f): दर्शन करेंगी (darshan karengii)
subjunctive (1sg): दर्शन करूँ (darshan karoon)
subjunctive (1pl): दर्शन करें (darshan karen)
subjunctive (2sg): दर्शन करे (darshan kare)
subjunctive (2pl): दर्शन करो (darshan karo)
subjunctive (3sg): दर्शन करे (darshan kare)
subjunctive (3pl): दर्शन करें (darshan karen)