Shloka 28

Devanagari script

सितं मलयजं शीतं गोशीर्षं सितचन्दनम् / विद्याद्रक्तं चन्दनं च द्वितीयं रक्तचन्दनम्

Transliteration

sitaṃ malayajaṃ śītaṃ gośīrṣaṃ sitacandanam / vidyādraktaṃ candanaṃ ca dvitīyaṃ raktacandanam

Translation

اعلم أن الصندل الأبيض البارد، المولود من بلاد مالايا، يُسمّى «غوشيرشا»، وهو الصندل الأبيض. واعلم أيضًا الصندل الأحمر؛ فالصنف الثاني يُدعى «رَكْتَچَنْدَنَ»، أي الصندل الأحمر.

Word by Word

• सितम्: white
• सितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• मलय-जम्: originating from Malaya (mountain/region)
• मलय-जम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलय (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष ‘मलयात् जातम्’ (born from Malaya)

• शीतम्: cool
• शीतम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गो-शीर्षम्: Gośīrṣa (a variety/name of sandalwood)
• गो-शीर्षम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + शीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (determinative)

• सित-चन्दनम्: white sandalwood
• सित-चन्दनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय ‘सितं चन्दनम्’

• विद्यात्: one should know/understand
• विद्यात्: Kriya (Verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• रक्तम्: red
• रक्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• चन्दनम्: sandalwood
• चन्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (विद्यात् इत्यस्य कर्म)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• द्वितीयम्: the second (variety)
• द्वितीयम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• रक्त-चन्दनम्: red sandalwood
• रक्त-चन्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय ‘रक्तं चन्दनम्’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Discrimination of substances by origin, qualities, and nomenclature (gośīrṣa vs raktacandana).

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-jñāna as a support for right action (pravṛtti) without confusion.

Application: When prescribing or offering candana, distinguish white Malaya sandal (cooling) from red sandal (different properties/uses) and label accurately.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: mountain/region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204 (dravya-guṇa and synonymic identifications around candana)

Characters & Entities

• Malaya
• Gośīrṣa
• Raktacandana

FAQs

What is the importance of sandalwood (candana) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse classifies key ritual sandalwoods, highlighting their recognized types (white/gośīrṣa and red/raktacandana) used as auspicious, cooling, and purifying substances in religious observances.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana practices and ritual purity?

By precisely naming varieties and qualities (white, cooling, Malaya-origin), the text standardizes materials for rites, ensuring correct selection of substances used in worship, consecration, and purification contexts.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing pūjā or samskāras, choose authentic white sandalwood for cooling/anointing and use red sandalwood as a distinct, recognized variety—keeping ritual materials pure, correctly identified, and respectfully sourced.