Shloka 17

Devanagari script

पुष्पाणि पञ्चरक्तानि गृहीत्वा यानि कानि च / तत्तुल्यञ्च प्रियङ्गुञ्च पेषयेदेकयोगतः / अनेन लिप्तलिङ्गस्य कामिनीवशतामियात्

Transliteration

puṣpāṇi pañcaraktāni gṛhītvā yāni kāni ca / tattulyañca priyaṅguñca peṣayedekayogataḥ / anena liptaliṅgasya kāminīvaśatāmiyāt

Translation

Man nehme fünf rote Blumen—welche immer verfügbar sind—und dazu die gleiche Menge Priyangu (priyaṅgu) und zerreibe alles gemeinsam zu einer einzigen Zubereitung. Bestreicht man damit den Liṅga, so heißt es, komme eine Frau unter den Einfluss des Handelnden.

Word by Word

• पुष्पाणि: flowers
• पुष्पाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• पञ्चरक्तानि: five red (ones) / five-red
• पञ्चरक्तानि: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (पुष्पाणि)

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• यानि: which (ones)
• यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• कानि: any (ones)
• कानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; प्रश्न/अनिश्चितार्थ

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (तुल्य)

• तुल्यम्: equal (amount)
• तुल्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रियङ्गु)

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

• प्रियङ्गुम्: priyaṅgu (a fragrant plant)
• प्रियङ्गुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रियङ्गु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्रव्यनाम), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• पेषयेत्: should grind
• पेषयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पिष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• एकयोगतः: in one mixture / together
• एकयोगतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एक + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अनेन: with this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• लिप्तलिङ्गस्य: of one whose phallus is anointed
• लिप्तलिङ्गस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिप्त + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासः—लिप्तं लिङ्गं यस्य/लिप्तलिङ्गः

• कामिनीवशताम्: subjugation of women
• कामिनीवशताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामिनी + वशता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—कामिन्याः वशता

• इयात्: would attain
• इयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual efficacy (prayoga) aimed at influencing interpersonal attraction.

Vedantic Theme: Prakṛti-driven desire (kāma) binding the mind; ritual as a means within saṃsāra rather than liberation.

Application: If treated as text-historical material: read as a cautionary example of desire-based rites; ethically, avoid coercive intent and redirect devotion toward non-harming relationships.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic/ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.185 (prayoga/auṣadha-vidhi context)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the purpose of this verse in the Garuda Purana?

This verse describes a kāmya (desire-driven) herbal/ritual preparation intended for attraction or influence, presented as a specific procedural instruction.

Does this shloka relate to death rituals or Yama’s realm in the Garuda Purana?

No. The content here is not about preta-kriyā, pinda-dāna, or Yama’s punishments; it is a ritual/medicine-style instruction focused on worldly desire (kāma).

What is a practical takeaway for readers today from this verse?

It highlights that the text also records kāmya practices; a modern ethical takeaway is to prioritize consent and self-discipline, treating such prescriptions as historical material rather than universal spiritual instruction.