Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

नीधी पद्ममहापद्मौ सात्त्विकौ पुरुषौ स्मृती / मकरेणाङ्कितः खड्गबाणकुन्तादिसंग्रही

Transliteration

nīdhī padmamahāpadmau sāttvikau puruṣau smṛtī / makareṇāṅkitaḥ khaḍgabāṇakuntādisaṃgrahī

Translation

Nidhi, Padma und Mahāpadma werden als sāttvika, als Wesen reiner Natur, in Erinnerung gehalten. Und es gibt auch einen, der mit dem Makara-Zeichen versehen ist und Waffen wie Schwert, Pfeil, Speer und dergleichen trägt und sammelt.

Word by Word

• नीधी: the two treasures
• नीधी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; ‘निधी’ (nom. du.)

• पद्ममहापद्मौ: Padma and Mahāpadma
• पद्ममहापद्मौ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म + महापद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• सात्त्विकौ: sattvic (pure)
• सात्त्विकौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सात्त्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन

• पुरुषौ: two persons
• पुरुषौ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन

• स्मृती: are remembered/are said
• स्मृती: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृत (कृदन्त; स्मृ धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘स्मृत’ का द्विवचन प्रथमा; वाक्ये विधेय-विशेषणरूपेण ‘स्मृतौ’ अपेक्षितम् (पाठभेद/रूपभेद)

• मकरेण: with a makara (crocodile)
• मकरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• अङ्कितः: marked
• अङ्कितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्कित (कृदन्त; अङ्क्/अङ्कय् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• खड्गबाणकुन्तादिसंग्रही: collector/possessor of swords, arrows, spears, etc.
• खड्गबाणकुन्तादिसंग्रही: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खड्ग + बाण + कुन्त + आदि + संग्रही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘खड्ग-बाण-कुन्त-आदि’ इत्यस्य संग्रही = collecting/possessing

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Discrimination among treasure-types by guṇa (sāttvika vs other) and emblematic marks; recognition that wealth has moral-psychological ‘modes’ and associated behaviors.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-viveka: observing sattva/rajas/tamas in phenomena (including wealth and its custodians) as a step toward non-deluded engagement.

Application: When handling wealth/resources, cultivate sattvic qualities (clarity, generosity, restraint) and avoid weaponized/violent acquisition or hoarding tendencies.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.53.4-8: nidhi classifications by emblem and guṇa (immediate context)

Characters & Entities

• Nidhi
• Padma
• Mahāpadma
• Makara-marked weapon-bearer

FAQs

What is the importance of Nidhi, Padma, and Mahāpadma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse recalls them as sāttvika beings—pure, auspicious entities associated with prosperity/treasure traditions—indicating a classified order of beings by qualities (guṇas) and functions.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it is part of a descriptive catalog of beings and symbols, helping frame the Purana’s cosmological and moral universe in which the soul’s journey is understood.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sāttvika conduct (truthfulness, restraint, purity), since the text consistently links purity with higher states and auspicious associations.