Shloka 11

Indranīla (Blue Sapphire): Source-Myth, Grades, Tests, Substitutes, and Price

Devanagari script

यावन्तं च क्रमेदग्निं पद्मरागोपयोगतः / इन्द्रनीलमणिस्तस्मात्क्रमेत सुमहत्तरम्

Transliteration

yāvantaṃ ca kramedagniṃ padmarāgopayogataḥ / indranīlamaṇistasmātkrameta sumahattaram

Translation

As far as fire can be made to advance by employing a Padmarāga ruby, the Indranīla (blue sapphire) makes it advance even much farther than that.

Word by Word

• यावन्तम्: as much as
• यावन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (सर्वनाम/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); परिमाणवाचक (quantitative)

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

• क्रमेत्: should endure/withstand
• क्रमेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अग्निम्: fire
• अग्निम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• पद्मरागोपयोगतः: by using a ruby (as reference)
• पद्मरागोपयोगतः: Sambandha (Cause/Means)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पद्मराग + उपयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'by/through the use of'); अर्थः: पद्मरागस्य उपयोगात्

• इन्द्रनीलमणिः: the sapphire-gem
• इन्द्रनीलमणिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रनील + मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (indranīlasya maṇiḥ)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/Reason/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• क्रमेत: should endure
• क्रमेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (पाठभेद; अर्थः 'should endure')

• सुमहत्तरम्: much greater (extent)
• सुमहत्तरम्: Karma (Extent/Measure as object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महत्तर (प्रातिपदिक; महत्-तरा)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); अतिशय-तुलनात्मक (intensive comparative)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (speaking to Garuḍa/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Comparative efficacy of upāyas: indranīla is said to amplify fire’s ‘advance’ more than padmarāga.

Vedantic Theme: Kārya-kāraṇa in vyavahāra: specific causes (materials) are taught to yield specific effects; not a mokṣa doctrine but a pragmatic causal claim.

Application: If following this tradition, treat sapphire as a stronger agent than ruby in contexts where ‘agni-krama’ (fire’s spread/advance) is relevant; apply with caution and under expert guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.72.11 (agni-krama comparison of padmarāga and indranīla)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Padmarāga (ruby)
• Indranīla (blue sapphire)

FAQs

What is the importance of gemstones in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents gems as materially distinct in potency, using the metaphor of how far they can make fire ‘advance,’ implying graded effectiveness of substances in prescribed ritual or applied contexts.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; rather, it belongs to an instructional section using comparative measures of efficacy (here, ruby vs. blue sapphire) to convey hierarchy among ritual substances.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat traditional prescriptions as context-sensitive: if one follows ritual traditions, prioritize clarity of purpose and proper guidance, recognizing that texts often rank materials by intended effect rather than by mere ornamentation.