Shloka 11

Vaidūrya (Cat’s-eye) Examination: Origin, Auspicious Marks, Imitations, and Valuation Measures

Devanagari script

यदिन्द्रनीलस्य महागुणस्य सुवर्णसंख्याकलितस्य मूल्यम् / तदेव वैदूर्यमणेः प्रदिष्टं पलद्वयोन्मापि तगौरवस्य

Transliteration

yadindranīlasya mahāguṇasya suvarṇasaṃkhyākalitasya mūlyam / tadeva vaidūryamaṇeḥ pradiṣṭaṃ paladvayonmāpi tagauravasya

Translation

মহাগুণসম্পন্ন ইন্দ্ৰনীল (নীলমণি)ৰ যি মূল্য সোণৰ গণনাৰে নিৰ্ধাৰিত, সেই একে মূল্য বৈদূৰ্য মণিৰো বিধৃত—যদিও তাৰ ওজন দুটা পল পৰ্যন্ত হয়।

Word by Word

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

• इन्द्रनीलस्य: of sapphire (indranīla)
• इन्द्रनीलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रनील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• महागुणस्य: of great quality
• महागुणस्य: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (महान् गुणः यस्य)

• सुवर्णसंख्याकलितस्य: reckoned by a number of gold (pieces)
• सुवर्णसंख्याकलितस्य: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्ण + संख्या + कलित (कृदन्त; √कल्/√कलि (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (measured/valued)

• मूल्यम्: value/price
• मूल्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• वैदूर्यमणेः: of the vaidūrya gem
• वैदूर्यमणेः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदूर्य + मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः

• प्रदिष्टम्: is stated/declared
• प्रदिष्टम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दिष्ट (कृदन्त; √दिश् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• पलद्वयोन्मा: (for) the weight-measure of two palas
• पलद्वयोन्मा: Adhikarana (Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पल + द्वय + उन्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पलद्वयस्य उन्मा = weight/measure of two palas)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; (गौरवस्य इत्यस्य विशेषण)

• गौरवस्य: weight/heaviness
• गौरवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right valuation (mūlya) based on guṇa and accepted standards; fairness in exchange.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-karma-based assessment; order (ṛta/dharma) expressed as proper measure and proportion.

Application: Price precious items by agreed standards (quality + weight), preventing arbitrary pricing and exploitation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.73 (mūlya-nirṇaya for gems; comparison with indranīla)

FAQs

What is the importance of gemstone valuation in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves a traditional standard of assessing gems in gold-equivalent value, presenting dharmic norms for fair valuation rather than arbitrary pricing.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly discuss the soul’s journey; instead, it belongs to an instructive section on worldly standards (here, gem value), which supports righteous conduct and honest livelihood.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use transparent, consistent standards in trade and appraisal—especially for high-value goods—so that wealth is earned without deception and aligned with dharma.