Shloka 4

Karketana (Karketa) Lakṣaṇa: Origin, Color-Forms, Purity Marks, and Ritual Efficacy

Devanagari script

पत्रेण काञ्चनमयेन तु वेष्टयित्वा तप्तं यदा हुतवहे भवति प्रकाशम् / रोगप्रणाशनकरं कलिनाशनं तदायुष्करं कुलकरं च सुखप्रदं च

Transliteration

patreṇa kāñcanamayena tu veṣṭayitvā taptaṃ yadā hutavahe bhavati prakāśam / rogapraṇāśanakaraṃ kalināśanaṃ tadāyuṣkaraṃ kulakaraṃ ca sukhapradaṃ ca

Translation

إذا لُفَّت بورقةٍ من ذهب ثم أُحميت في النار المقدّسة حتى تتلألأ، صارت مُبيدةً للأمراض ومُزيلةً لآثار كَليّ السيّئة؛ تُطيل العمر، وتعضد السلالة، وتمنح السعادة.

Word by Word

• पत्रेण: with a leaf/foil
• पत्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• काञ्चन-मयेन: made of gold
• काञ्चन-मयेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (kāñcanena mayaḥ = made of gold)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• वेष्टयित्वा: having wrapped
• वेष्टयित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• तप्तम्: heated
• तप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (Time/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal conjunction: when)

• हुतवहे: in fire (Agni)
• हुतवहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुतवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्रकाशम्: bright, luminous
• प्रकाशम्: Karma (Result/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियापूरक (predicate accusative)

• रोग-प्रणाशन-करम्: destroying disease
• रोग-प्रणाशन-करम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रणाशन (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (roga-pranāśanaṃ karoti iti)

• कलि-नाशनम्: destroying Kali (evil/discord)
• कलि-नाशनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (kaleḥ nāśanam)

• तत्: that (gem)
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आयुः-करम्: promoting longevity
• आयुः-करम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (āyuḥ karoti iti)

• कुल-करम्: enhancing the family line
• कुल-करम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (kulaṃ karoti/puṣṇāti iti)

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

• सुख-प्रदम्: bestowing happiness
• सुख-प्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (sukhaṃ pradadāti iti)

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Saṃskāra (ritual processing) purifies and empowers an object, aligning it with health, longevity, and social continuity (kula).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa upāyas within saṃsāra: ordered ritual acts aim at āyuḥ, ārogya, and loka-saṅgraha; Kali-śamana reflects dharmic preservation in declining ages.

Application: If practiced, perform consecration with purity: wrap in gold leaf, heat in a sanctified fire under guidance; then wear/use as a protective auspicious support while maintaining ethical conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (agni/altar)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.75.2-1.75.3 (criteria for defects and purity before processing); Garuda Purana 1.74.5 (wearing a gem for specific fruits)

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Hutavaha)
• Kali (Kali-yuga personification)

FAQs

What is the importance of heating a substance in Agni as described in this Garuda Purana verse?

This verse presents Agni-heating (fire consecration) as a way to make the prepared item spiritually potent—bringing radiance and functioning as a remover of disease and negativity.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana’s broader concerns like Kali-yuga and human well-being?

Rather than afterlife geography here, the focus is protective dharmic practice: a consecrated preparation is said to counter Kali’s harmful influence and support longevity, family continuity, and happiness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat it as a principle of disciplined, sattvic ritual and purification: actions done with care, purity, and sacred intent are framed as supporting health, stability, and well-being.