Shloka 8

Marakata (Emerald): Mythic Origin, Anti-Poison Virtue, Qualities, Defects, and Proper Wearing

Devanagari script

तद्यत्र भोगीन्द्रभुजाभियुक्तं पपात पित्तं दितिजाधिपस्य / तस्याकरस्यातितरां स देशो दुः खोपलभ्यश्च गुणैश्च युक्तः

Transliteration

tadyatra bhogīndrabhujābhiyuktaṃ papāta pittaṃ ditijādhipasya / tasyākarasyātitarāṃ sa deśo duḥ khopalabhyaśca guṇaiśca yuktaḥ

Translation

That region where the bile of the lord of the Daityas fell—struck by the arms of the king of serpents—became exceedingly harsh: a place where suffering is keenly felt, yet endowed with distinctive qualities.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (then/that place)
• तत्: Adhikarana (Discourse deictic/सन्दर्भ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययार्थे ‘तत्’ = ‘तदा/तस्मात्’ इत्यर्थे सन्दर्भसूचक

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध/स्थानवाचक relative adverb)

• भोगीन्द्र-भुजा-अभियुक्तम्: pressed/applied by the serpent-king’s arm/hood
• भोगीन्द्र-भुजा-अभियुक्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भोगीन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भुजा (प्रातिपदिक) + अभियुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज् धातु, अभि-उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘भोगीन्द्रस्य भुजया अभियुक्तम्’ = ‘serpent-king’s arm/hood applied/pressed’)

• पपात: fell
• पपात: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect; narrative past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पित्तम्: bile
• पित्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• दितिज-अधिपस्य: of the lord of the Daityas
• दितिज-अधिपस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दितिज (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘दितिजानाम् अधिपः’)

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• आकरस्य: of the mine/source
• आकरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• अतितराम्: exceedingly
• अतितराम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतितर (प्रातिपदिक; अतिशयार्थ)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb; ‘अतिशयेन’)

• सः: that
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• देशः: region/place
• देशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• दुःख-उपलभ्यः: difficult to obtain
• दुःख-उपलभ्यः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + उपलभ्य (कृदन्त; √लभ् धातु, उप-उपसर्ग, यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्यय; ‘उपलभ्य’ = obtainable/attainable)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘दुःखेन उपलभ्यः’ = ‘hard to obtain’)

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

• गुणैः: with qualities
• गुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

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

• युक्तः: endowed/connected
• युक्तः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √युज् (धातु) (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Places and substances can bear the imprint of violent/poisonous origins—mixed outcomes: suffering alongside special powers.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-miśratā in prakṛti: the same locus can manifest both duḥkha (tāmasa/rajasika harshness) and distinctive guṇa (potency).

Application: Approach potent substances/places with discernment: acknowledge risk (duḥkha) while responsibly harnessing unique properties (guṇa) for benefit.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: mythicized mineral region/ākara

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.71 (origin account of marakata-ākara; transition to therapeutic claims in 1.71.9-10)

Characters & Entities

• Bhogindra (Nāga-king)
• Ditijādhipa (Daitya-lord)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing such a suffering-filled region in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames certain regions as karmically significant landscapes—places where duḥkha is strongly felt—supporting the Purana’s broader teaching that experience (pleasant or painful) arises from specific causes and conditions.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

Indirectly: by characterizing a locale as duḥkha-upalabhya (where suffering is experienced), it aligns with Garuda Purana’s wider map of post-death realms where beings undergo results of actions before moving onward.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat suffering as causally grounded rather than random, and commit to dharmic conduct—truthfulness, restraint, and compassion—to reduce causes that lead to painful experiences in this life and beyond.