Shloka 23

मुक्ता-उत्पत्ति-भेदाः, मूल्य-मान-निर्णयः, शोधन-परीक्षा-लक्षणानि

Pearl Sources, Valuation, Refinement, and Identification

Devanagari script

सैंहलिकपारलौकिकसौराष्ट्रिकताम्रपर्णपारशवाः / कौवेरपाण्ड्यहाटकहेमकमित्याकरास्त्वष्टौ

Transliteration

saiṃhalikapāralaukikasaurāṣṭrikatāmraparṇapāraśavāḥ / kauverapāṇḍyahāṭakahemakamityākarāstvaṣṭau

Translation

Es gibt acht berühmte Bergwerke (Metallquellen): die von Siṃhala, Pāralaukika, Saurāṣṭra, Tāmraparṇa und Pāraśava; sowie die genannten Kauvera, Pāṇḍya, Hāṭaka und Hemaka.

Word by Word

• सैंहलिक: Sinhalese (from Sri Lanka)
• सैंहलिक: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिंहल (प्रातिपदिक) + इक (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तद्धित-विशेषण (देशसम्बन्ध)

• पारलौकिक: from the other world; transcendent
• पारलौकिक: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परलोक (प्रातिपदिक) + इक (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तद्धित-विशेषण

• सौराष्ट्रिक: Saurashtrian
• सौराष्ट्रिक: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौराष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इक (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तद्धित-विशेषण

• ताम्रपर्ण: Tamraparṇa-related
• ताम्रपर्ण: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/नामधातु-सम्बन्ध (place-name: Tamraparṇa)

• पारशवाः: Parashavas (a people/region)
• पारशवाः: Visheshya (Head noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; जातिवाचक/देशवाचक

• कौवेर: Kauvera (Kubera’s/Alaka-related)
• कौवेर: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुबेर (प्रातिपदिक) + अण्/एर (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तद्धित-विशेषण (Kubera-related)

• पाण्ड्य: Pandyan
• पाण्ड्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाण्ड्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; देश/वंशवाचक विशेषण

• हाटक: Haṭaka (a kind of gold)
• हाटक: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हाटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण (gold-related/Haṭaka)

• हेमक: golden/related to gold
• हेमक: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तद्धित-विशेषण

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-निर्देशक/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• आकराः: mines, sources
• आकराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Contrast (Nipata/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विभेदसूचक निपात (adversative particle)

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right knowledge of sources and classifications supports proper use of wealth (artha) within dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Artha subordinated to dharma: material resources become instruments when governed by right understanding and restraint.

Application: Use resources transparently and responsibly; know provenance; avoid harm in extraction and trade; employ wealth for dāna and sacred purposes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: regions/mining sources

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.69 (ratna/ākara enumeration context)

Characters & Entities

• Kubera

FAQs

What is the importance of listing ākaras (mines) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves a Purāṇic catalog of renowned mineral sources, linking sacred geography with traditional knowledge of metals (especially gold) used in dharmic life—dāna (charity), ritual vessels, and social economy.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it appears in a descriptive/cataloging context, outlining worldly resources and regions as part of the Purāṇa’s broader encyclopedic teaching.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder that wealth and resources are region-bound and impermanent—supporting ethical earning, responsible use of resources, and dharmic giving (dāna) rather than attachment.