Shloka 2

The Examination of Pearls and Padmarāga (Ruby): Origins, Marks, Defects, and Valuation

Devanagari script

जेत्त्रा सुराणां समरेष्वजस्त्रं वीर्यावलेपोद्धतमानसेन / लङ्काधिपेनार्धपथे समेत्य स्वर्भानुनेव प्रसभं निरुद्धः

Transliteration

jettrā surāṇāṃ samareṣvajastraṃ vīryāvalepoddhatamānasena / laṅkādhipenārdhapathe sametya svarbhānuneva prasabhaṃ niruddhaḥ

Translation

Er—der die Götter in den Schlachten unablässig besiegt hatte—wurde auf halbem Wege gewaltsam aufgehalten, als er dem Herrn von Laṅkā begegnete, dessen Geist vom Hochmut über die eigene Kraft geschwollen war, wie einst Svarbhānu das Gestirn verdunkelte.

Word by Word

• jettrā: by the conqueror
• jettrā: Karaṇa/Hetu (Agent-instrument: by the conqueror)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jetṛ (प्रातिपदिक; कर्तृ-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)

• surāṇām: of the gods
• surāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• samareṣu: in battles
• samareṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• ajastram: unceasingly
• ajastram: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ajasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative)

• vīrya-avalepa-uddhata-mānasena: with a mind arrogant from pride of strength
• vīrya-avalepa-uddhata-mānasena: Viśeṣaṇa (of laṅkādhipena)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक) + avalepa (प्रातिपदिक) + uddhata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: vīryasya avalepaḥ (pride of prowess) tena uddhatam mānasam yasya (mind made arrogant)

• laṅkā-adhipena: by the lord of Laṅkā (Rāvaṇa)
• laṅkā-adhipena: Karaṇa (Instrument/agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (laṅkāyāḥ adhipaḥ)

• ardha-pathe: midway on the path
• ardha-pathe: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ardha (प्रातिपदिक) + patha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (pathasya ardhaḥ)

• sametya: having met
• sametya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: i (धातु) + sam- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); 'having met/come together'

• svarbhānunā: by Svarbhānu (Rāhu)
• svarbhānunā: Upamāna (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarbhānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-सूचक (comparative particle)

• prasabham: forcibly
• prasabham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prasabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: forcibly)

• niruddhaḥ: was obstructed/checked
• niruddhaḥ: Kriyā (Predicate; passive state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni- (उपसर्ग) + rudh (धातु) → niruddha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vīrya-avalepa (arrogance of prowess) leads to obstruction and conflict; even the mighty are checked by counter-force.

Vedantic Theme: Ahaṅkāra as a binding factor that distorts right action and invites resistance.

Application: Cultivate strength with humility; treat success as stewardship, not entitlement—reduces conflict and rash decisions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: mythic waypoint / island-kingdom vicinity

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.70.4 (Rāvaṇa-Gaṅgā naming tied to Laṅkā’s lord)

Characters & Entities

• Surāḥ (Devas)
• Laṅkādhipa (Rāvaṇa)
• Svarbhānu

FAQs

What is the importance of pride (vīryāvalepa) in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights how arrogance born of power inflates the mind and becomes a cause for sudden restraint or reversal, even for one who was previously victorious.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it uses the motif of being ‘stopped midway’ to show that progress can be obstructed by overpowering forces when one is driven by ego—an idea later echoed in Garuda Purana’s broader moral causality (karma) framework.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate humility alongside capability; sustained success is protected by self-restraint, while ego invites resistance and collapse at critical moments.