Shloka 2

The Eight Nidhis: Guna-Based Types of Wealth, Giving, Hoarding, and Public Benefit

Devanagari script

मुकुन्दकु(न) न्दौ नीलश्च शङ्खश्चैवापरो निधिः / सत्यामृद्धौ भवन्त्येते स्वरूपं कथयाम्यहम्

Transliteration

mukundaku(na) ndau nīlaśca śaṅkhaścaivāparo nidhiḥ / satyāmṛddhau bhavantyete svarūpaṃ kathayāmyaham

Translation

মুকুন্দ, কুন্দ, নীল, শঙ্খ আৰু আন এটা নিধি—এইসকল সত্যযুগত সমৃদ্ধিৰ সময়ত প্ৰকাশ পায়। এতিয়া মই সিহঁতৰ স্বৰূপ ক’ম।

Word by Word

• मुकुन्दकुन्दौ: Mukunda and Kunda
• मुकुन्दकुन्दौ: Karta (Listed items/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukunda + kunda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (mukunda and kunda)

• नीलः: Nīla
• नीलः: Karta (Listed item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• शङ्खः: Śaṅkha
• शङ्खः: Karta (Listed item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• अपरः: another
• अपरः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; विशेषण (of ‘nidhiḥ’)

• निधिः: treasure
• निधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• सत्यामृद्धौ: Satyā and Ṛddhi
• सत्यामृद्धौ: Karta (Listed items/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satyā + ṛddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (Satyā and Ṛddhi)

• भवन्ति: are; exist
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद्)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• स्वरूपम्: nature; form
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• कथयामि: I describe; I tell
• कथयामि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (कथ्)
• Form: लट् (Present); उत्तमपुरुष (1st); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prosperity is yuga-conditioned: in Satya-yuga, auspicious forces (nidhis) manifest fully; cosmic time affects material and moral conditions.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-balance across yugas; when sattva predominates, śrī (prosperity) naturally increases; time (kāla) as a power of Īśvara.

Application: Align life with sattvic disciplines (truth, restraint, generosity) to invite stable prosperity; recognize cycles and avoid hubris in wealth.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.53: continuation describing nidhi-svarūpa and their effects

Characters & Entities

• Mukunda
• Kunda
• Nila
• Shankha
• Nidhi

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘nidhis’ in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces specific mythic ‘nidhis’ (treasures/treasure-entities) and states that they manifest in times of Satya-yuga prosperity, after which their forms will be described—linking cosmic order with abundance.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly discuss the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it shifts to a cosmological/auspicious topic—nidhis and prosperity—within Vishnu’s wider instruction to Garuda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat wealth as dharmically conditioned: prosperity is portrayed as aligned with truth and order (Satya). Use resources ethically, with restraint and charity, rather than as an end in itself.