Shloka 6

Devanagari script

अगुरुं गुग्गुलुं चैव नीलोत्पलसमन्वितम् / गुडेन धूपयित्वा तु राजद्वारे प्रियो भवेत्

Transliteration

aguruṃ gugguluṃ caiva nīlotpalasamanvitam / guḍena dhūpayitvā tu rājadvāre priyo bhavet

Translation

Having fumigated with incense of agaru (agarwood) and guggulu, combined with blue lotus (nīlotpala) and sweetened with jaggery, one becomes favoured at the king’s gate, gaining royal goodwill and access.

Word by Word

• अगुरुम्: aloeswood (aguru)
• अगुरुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुग्गुलुम्: guggulu resin
• गुग्गुलुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुग्गुलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis: just/indeed)

• नीलोत्पलसमन्वितम्: mixed with blue lotus
• नीलोत्पलसमन्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीलोत्पल + समन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नीलोत्पलेन समन्वितम्); विशेषणम् (अगुरुं गुग्गुलुं)

• गुडेन: with jaggery
• गुडेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• धूपयित्वा: having fumigated
• धूपयित्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धूपय् (धातु, णिच् causative of धूप्/धूप)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘धूपयित्वा’ = having fumigated/incensed

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अन्वय-अव्यय (particle)

• राजद्वारे: at the king's gate
• राजद्वारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजद्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राज्ञः द्वारम्)

• प्रियः: dear, favored
• प्रियः: Kartṛ-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषणम्

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Skillful action using auspicious substances can yield worldly success (artha) and social acceptance; intention matters.

Vedantic Theme: Karma yields phala within saṃsāra; sattvic refinement (gandha, śauca) supports harmony but is not liberation itself.

Application: Use ethical means to gain favor—cleanliness, good presentation, respectful approach; avoid coercion, prefer auspicious, non-harmful rites.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: royal-threshold/public-space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.178 (dhūpa/gandha-based siddhi for access/favor)

Characters & Entities

• King (Rāja)

FAQs

What is the importance of dhūpa (incense fumigation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats dhūpa as an upāya: a ritual fragrance-offering used to shape auspiciousness and human outcomes—here, securing goodwill and access in a royal/public setting.

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

It does not directly discuss the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it belongs to a pragmatic section of remedies (upāyas) focused on worldly success through prescribed ritual actions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

As a modern takeaway, it highlights the traditional use of fragrance and ritual cleanliness to create a favourable impression—ethically applied as cultivating dignity, preparedness, and respectful conduct when seeking entry or approval.