Shloka 14

Devanagari script

हित्वा च हरितभावं यस्यान्तर्विनिहिता भवेद्दीप्तिः / अचिरप्रभाप्रभाहतनवशाद्वलसन्निभा भाति

Transliteration

hitvā ca haritabhāvaṃ yasyāntarvinihitā bhaveddīptiḥ / aciraprabhāprabhāhatanavaśādvalasannibhā bhāti

Translation

Casting off its greenish hue, that form wherein an inner radiance is lodged shines with a pale glow, its body enfeebled as its brief brilliance is struck down.

Word by Word

• हित्वा: having abandoned
• हित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Conjunctive action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा (धातु) → हित्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

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

• हरित: green
• हरित: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (हरित-भावम्)

• भावम्: state, nature
• भावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासोत्तरपद (हरितभावम्)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• अन्तर्: within
• अन्तर्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तर् (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (within)

• विनिहिता: placed, deposited
• विनिहिता: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + नि + धा (धातु) → विनिहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (दीप्तिः)

• भवेत्: would be, may become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• दीप्तिः: brilliance, radiance
• दीप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अचिर: not long-lasting, fleeting
• अचिर: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (अचिर-प्रभा-...)

• प्रभा: splendor, light
• प्रभा: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासमध्यपद (अचिर-प्रभा-प्रभा-हत-...)

• प्रभा: splendor, light
• प्रभा: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासमध्यपद (…प्रभा-हत-…)

• हत: struck, diminished
• हत: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), समासमध्यपद (…हत-नव-…)

• नव: new
• नव: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासमध्यपद (…नव-शात्)

• शात्: from the keen/newly-sharpened (state)
• शात्: Apādāna (Cause-from/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शा (धातु) → शात (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; तद्धित/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक ‘शात’ (from ‘sharpened/keen’ sense); समासोत्तरपद (…नवशात्)

• वल: hair; fiber/strand (contextual)
• वल: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (वल-सन्निभा)

• सन्निभा: resembling, similar to
• सन्निभा: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासोत्तरपद (वलसन्निभा)

• भाति: shines
• भाति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda / Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Anitya (impermanence) and kṣaya (decline): brilliance that is ‘acira’ (short) fades; outer form weakens when struck/overpowered.

Vedantic Theme: Kṣaṇikatva of phenomenal qualities; reliance on transient luster leads to disappointment—seek the enduring substratum.

Application: Do not overvalue short-lived shine (status, novelty); test for stability over time and under stress.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.71 (defective/lesser luster signs within gem-lore progression)

FAQs

What is the importance of inner radiance (dīpti) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats dīpti as an inwardly seated luminosity whose weakening changes the being’s visible appearance, indicating decline of vitality in the post-death or transitional condition.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By describing a shift in color and a fading brilliance, it points to experiential markers of transition—where the embodied condition becomes weaker and the inner light no longer manifests strongly.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattvic conduct and disciplined living so one’s inner clarity remains strong; the verse emphasizes that inner luminosity is tied to strength and stability of one’s condition.