Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

कर्केतनं सपुलकं रुधिराख्यसमन्वितं तथा स्फटिकम् / विद्रुममणिश्च यत्नादुद्दिष्टं संग्रहे तज्ज्ञैः

Transliteration

karketanaṃ sapulakaṃ rudhirākhyasamanvitaṃ tathā sphaṭikam / vidrumamaṇiśca yatnāduddiṣṭaṃ saṃgrahe tajjñaiḥ

Translation

The gem karketana, the pulaka, the stone called rudhirākhya, and also crystal (sphaṭika), as well as the coral-gem (vidruma)—all these have been carefully enumerated by experts in their compendia.

Word by Word

• कर्केतनम्: gomedaka/zircon (karketana)
• कर्केतनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्केतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• स-पुलकम्: together with ‘pulaka’ (a variety/feature)
• स-पुलकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपपद) + पुलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभावः (‘सह’ अर्थे)

• रुधिराख्य-समन्वितम्: associated with the ‘rudhirākhya’ (blood-red) variety/name
• रुधिराख्य-समन्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुधिराख्य (प्रातिपदिक; रुधिर + आख्य) + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; सम्+अन्वि (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (रुधिराख्येन समन्वितम्)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha/Discourse (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb ‘also/likewise’)

• स्फटिकम्: crystal
• स्फटिकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फटिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• विद्रुममणिः: coral-gem
• विद्रुममणिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्रुम (प्रातिपदिक) + मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (विद्रुमः मणिः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Discourse (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction ‘and’)

• यत्नात्: with effort/carefully
• यत्नात्: Hetu (Cause/Means/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे—‘यत्नात्’ = प्रयत्नेन (instrumental sense)

• उद्दिष्टम्: has been specified/mentioned
• उद्दिष्टम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• संग्रहे: in the compendium/collection
• संग्रहे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• तज्ज्ञैः: by experts/knowers
• तज्ज्ञैः: Karana (Agent/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; ज्ञा (धातु) + क)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तत्-ज्ञ) ‘तद्विद्’

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Reliance on expert-compiled saṅgrahas: knowledge is curated, verified, and transmitted by specialists.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa and āpta-vākya at the empirical level—trustworthy testimony of the competent.

Application: Consult domain experts and established references for identification and use; avoid ad-hoc claims about rare substances.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Immediate continuation of gem taxonomy in 1.68.9 and methodological guidance in 1.68.11

FAQs

What is the importance of gemstones like sphaṭika and vidruma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows that the text preserves traditional catalogues of substances—especially named gems—by citing them as carefully enumerated by expert authorities.

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

This specific verse is not about the soul’s journey; it is a classificatory listing of gems, indicating a descriptive/encyclopedic section rather than an afterlife narrative.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reference point for accurate identification and study of traditional Sanskrit material categories (e.g., gems used in ritual, donation, or cultural practice), ensuring terminology is preserved correctly.