Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

एकमपि यस्य शृङ्गं विदलितमवलोक्यते विशीर्णं वा / गुणवदपि तन्न धार्यं वज्रं श्रेयो ऽर्थिभिर्भवने

Transliteration

ekamapi yasya śṛṅgaṃ vidalitamavalokyate viśīrṇaṃ vā / guṇavadapi tanna dhāryaṃ vajraṃ śreyo 'rthibhirbhavane

Translation

Auch wenn der Vajra sonst vortrefflich ist: Wenn auch nur ein „Horn“ (eine Spitze) sichtbar gespalten oder zerbrochen ist, soll man ihn nicht im Haus behalten; wer Wohlergehen sucht, tut besser daran, ihn wegzugeben.

Word by Word

• ekam: one (single)
• ekam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter, accusative, singular; adjective)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/समुच्चयार्थक (particle; 'even/also')

• yasya: of which/whose
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (genitive singular; pronoun)

• śṛṅgam: horn/point
• śṛṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (neuter, accusative, singular)

• vidalitam: split/broken
• vidalitam: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√dal (दल्) (धातु) + -ita (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/क्तवत्-प्राय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (past passive participle; neuter acc. sg.)

• avalokyate: is seen/observed
• avalokyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√lok (लोक्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (present, 3rd sg., middle; passive sense: 'is seen')

• viśīrṇam: shattered/crumbled
• viśīrṇam: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√śṝ (शॄ) (धातु) + -na (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्राय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (past participle; neuter acc. sg.)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• guṇavat: having qualities
• guṇavat: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter acc. sg.; 'possessing qualities')

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (neuter sg.; here: 'that (vajra)')

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• dhāryam: fit to be accepted/kept
• dhāryam: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dhṛ (धृ) (धातु) + -ya (यत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive: 'to be borne/accepted')

• vajram: diamond/thunderbolt (vajra)
• vajram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter sg.; subject/object by context)

• śreyaḥ: better (course)/good
• śreyaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक-भाव (neuter sg.; 'better/good')

• arthibhiḥ: by seekers/desirers
• arthibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arthin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (masc., instrumental plural)

• bhavane: in the house/home
• bhavane: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन (neuter, locative singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tyāga of doṣavat (defective/inauspicious) possessions for śreyas (welfare).

Vedantic Theme: Viveka (discrimination) and vairāgya (non-clinging) toward material supports of security.

Application: Do not keep cracked/broken ‘power’ objects or heirlooms at home; repair properly or discard to reduce risk, obsession, and inauspicious fixation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.68 (vajra-lakṣaṇa/śubha-aśubha signs); Garuda Purana sections on nimitta (omens) and gṛha-maṅgala

FAQs

What is the importance of identifying defects (doṣa) in Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that even a valuable thing becomes unfit to keep if it shows a clear defect; dharmic living includes removing what is inauspicious or harmful to one’s welfare (śreyas).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in Garuda Purana?

Indirectly, it supports the Purana’s broader ethic: one should avoid conditions that produce fear, disorder, or negative omens—since such negligence can contribute to adharma and suffering that the text links with post-death consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Do not normalize obvious “cracks” in life—replace unsafe or broken items, correct small faults early, and keep the home and habits aligned with safety, cleanliness, and well-being.