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Shloka 19

Ratna-parīkṣā: Vajra (Diamond/Thunderbolt) — Origin, Types, Testing, Defects, Weights, and Royal Auspiciousness

Devanagari script

अत्यर्थं लघु वर्णतश्च गुणवत्पार्श्वेषु सम्यक् समंरेखाबिन्दुकलङ्ककाकपदकत्रासादिभिर्वर्जितम् / लोके ऽस्मिन्परामाणुमात्रमपि यद्वज्रं क्रचिद्दृश्यते तस्मिन्देवसमाश्रयो ह्यवितथस्तीक्ष्णाग्रधारं यदि

Transliteration

atyarthaṃ laghu varṇataśca guṇavatpārśveṣu samyak samaṃrekhābindukalaṅkakākapadakatrāsādibhirvarjitam / loke 'sminparāmāṇumātramapi yadvajraṃ kraciddṛśyate tasmindevasamāśrayo hyavitathastīkṣṇāgradhāraṃ yadi

Translation

Überaus leicht und von vortrefflicher Gestalt; an den Seiten wohlgeformt und gleichmäßig; frei von Linien, Punkten, Makeln, „Krähenfuß“-Zeichen, Rissen und dergleichen. Wenn in dieser Welt irgendwo ein Vajra (Diamant/Donnerkeil) auch nur von atomarer Größe erblickt wird, dann ist in jenem Gegenstand die Stütze der Devas wahrlich unfehlbar—sofern er eine scharfe, schneidende Spitze besitzt.

Word by Word
अत्यर्थम्exceedingly
अत्यर्थम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्यर्थ (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययम्; तीव्रतावाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (indeclinable adverb: exceedingly)
लघुlight/small
लघु:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootलघु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter nom./acc. singular; adjective)
वर्णतःas to color
वर्णतः:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम्; ‘वर्णतः’ = वर्णदृष्ट्या (ablatival adverb: in respect of color)
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)
गुणवत्possessing good qualities
गुणवत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootगुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter nom./acc. singular)
पार्श्वेषुon the sides
पार्श्वेषु:
Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootपार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन (Locative plural)
सम्यक्properly
सम्यक्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसम्यक् (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: properly/well)
समम्evenly
समम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणम्; ‘evenly’ (adverbial use)
रेखाlines
रेखा:
Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootरेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासान्तर्गत (Feminine, Instrumental plural; in compound)
बिन्दुdots
बिन्दु:
Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootबिन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासान्तर्गत (Masculine, Instrumental plural; in compound)
कलङ्कstains
कलङ्क:
Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकलङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासान्तर्गत (Masculine, Instrumental plural; in compound)
काकपदcrow-foot marks
काकपद:
Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकाक (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; काक-पद (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) = काकचिह्न (Neuter, Instrumental plural; in compound)
कत्रासfissures/cracks (defects)
कत्रास:
Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकत्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासान्तर्गत (Masculine, Instrumental plural; in compound)
आदिभिःetc., and the like
आदिभिः:
Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootआदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = इत्यादि (Instrumental plural: ‘and the like’)
वर्जितम्devoid of/avoiding
वर्जितम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootवर्ज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (Neuter nom./acc. singular; ‘devoid of’)
लोकेin the world
लोके:
Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (Locative singular)
अस्मिन्in this
अस्मिन्:
Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Locative singular; pronoun)
परमाणुof an atom
परमाणु:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootपरमाणु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदम् (Genitive singular; prior member)
मात्रम्only the measure (as small as)
मात्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; परमाणु-मात्र (तत्पुरुष) (Neuter nom./acc. singular)
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसम्भावना/अप्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: even/also)
यत्which
यत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)
वज्रम्vajra (diamond/thunderbolt)
वज्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular)
क्वचित्somewhere
क्वचित्:
Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootक्वचित् (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: somewhere/at times)
दृश्यतेis seen
दृश्यते:
Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदृश् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (is seen)
तस्मिन्in that
तस्मिन्:
Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Locative singular)
देवof the gods
देव:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपदम् (Genitive plural; prior member)
समाश्रयःdivine support/abode
समाश्रयः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसम्-आ-श्रि (धातु) + घञ् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक ‘समाश्रय’)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; देव-समाश्रय (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) = देवाधिष्ठानः (Masculine, Nominative singular)
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: indeed)
अवितथःnot false, genuine
अवितथः:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअवितथ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Nominative singular)
तीक्ष्णsharp
तीक्ष्ण:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदम् (Neuter nom./acc. singular; prior member)
अग्रpoint/tip
अग्र:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeNoun
Rootअग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तीक्ष्ण-अग्र (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष) (Neuter nom./acc. singular; in compound)
धारम्edge/blade
धारम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootधार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तीक्ष्णाग्र-धार (तत्पुरुष) (Neuter nom./acc. singular)
यदिif
यदि:
Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदि (अव्यय)
Formशर्तार्थक-अव्ययम् (conditional particle: if)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lakṣaṇa-parīkṣā: the epistemology of signs—absence of doṣas (blemishes) indicates auspicious potency; sharpness and symmetry matter.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva-lakṣaṇa and śuddhi: purity/defectlessness as a marker of higher alignment within the empirical world.

Application: For evaluating a diamond/vajra: prefer lightness, symmetry, even sides; reject specimens with lines, dots, stains, crow-foot marks, cracks; ensure a keen point/edge before deeming it auspicious.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.68.20 (classification by color); Garuda Purana 1.68.21 (deva-color mapping)

Characters & Entities
D
Devas

FAQs

This verse treats a perfectly formed vajra—free from defects and possessing a sharp point—as a locus of auspicious, “unfailing” divine support, emphasizing purity and ideal characteristics as carriers of sacred potency.

By linking divine support to defect-free form and sharpness, the verse reinforces a recurring Purāṇic idea: inner and outer purity, precision, and integrity are conditions for higher power to manifest—mirroring how dharma depends on removing flaws (doṣas) in conduct and ritual.

Use it as an ethical metaphor: cultivate “defect-free” intentions (no stains or cracks in integrity) and “sharpness” in discernment; in ritual contexts, prefer cleanliness, careful workmanship, and well-maintained sacred items.

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