Shloka 5

Vaidūrya (Cat’s-eye) Examination: Origin, Auspicious Marks, Imitations, and Valuation Measures

Devanagari script

तस्यैव दानवपतेर्निनदानुरूपाः प्रवृट्पयोदवरदर्शित चारुरूपाः / वैदूर्यरत्नमणयो विविधावभासस्तस्मात्स्फुलिङ्गनिवहा इव संबभूवुः

Transliteration

tasyaiva dānavapaterninadānurūpāḥ pravṛṭpayodavaradarśita cārurūpāḥ / vaidūryaratnamaṇayo vividhāvabhāsastasmātsphuliṅganivahā iva saṃbabhūvuḥ

Translation

From that lord of the Dānavas there arose clusters of jewel-like stones—vaidūrya gems of many hues—beautiful as monsoon rain-clouds, resonant in accord with his roar, appearing like swarms of sparks bursting forth from him.

Word by Word

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• दानव-पतेः: of the lord of the Danavas
• दानव-पतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचनम्; ‘दानवानां पतिः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• निनद-अनुरूपाः: matching the sound/rumble
• निनद-अनुरूपाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निनद (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; ‘निनदस्य अनुरूपाः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम् (मणयः)

• प्रवृट्-पयोद-वर-दर्शित: shown by excellent rain-clouds of the monsoon
• प्रवृट्-पयोद-वर-दर्शित: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवृट् (प्रातिपदिक) + पयोद (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शित (√दृश् धातोः क्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; ‘प्रवृट्पयोदवरैः दर्शिताः’ इत्यर्थे (instrumental sense implied)

• चारु-रूपाः: beautiful in form
• चारु-रूपाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; ‘चारुं रूपं येषाम्’ इति कर्मधारयः; विशेषणम् (मणयः)

• वैदूर्य-रत्न-मणयः: vaidūrya gem-stones
• वैदूर्य-रत्न-मणयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; ‘वैदूर्यरूपाः रत्नमणयः’ इत्यर्थे तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-समाससन्निभः

• विविध-अवभासाः: of varied luster
• विविध-अवभासाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक) + अवभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (मणयः)

• तस्मात्: from that/from him
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचनम्; अपादान/हेतु-अर्थे

• स्फुलिङ्ग-निवहाः: masses of sparks
• स्फुलिङ्ग-निवहाः: Upamana-pratimana (Compared entity/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फुलिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + निवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; ‘स्फुलिङ्गानां निवहाः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• इव: like/as if
• इव: Upama (Simile marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-निपातः (comparative particle)

• संबभूवुः: came to be/arose
• संबभूवुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mythic etiology of gems: precious forms arise from potent beings/forces; resonance (nināda) and appearance (rūpa) correspond.

Vedantic Theme: Correspondence between nāma-rūpa and underlying śakti; the world’s splendor can arise from fierce sources, yet becomes ordered and meaningful.

Application: Read ‘origin stories’ as symbolic: channel intense energies into constructive, luminous outcomes; evaluate phenomena by qualities (rūpa/ābhāsa) rather than origin alone.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.73 (vaidūrya-utpatti and lakṣaṇa sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Danava
• Danava-pati
• Vaidurya (gem)

FAQs

What is the importance of this vivid ‘sparks and jewels’ imagery in the Garuda Purana?

It conveys overwhelming power and supernatural radiance through concrete symbols—roar, monsoon-cloud beauty, and gem-like brilliance—so the listener grasps the magnitude of the described being/event.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader themes?

While much of the Garuda Purana focuses on dharma, rites, and the soul’s journey, it also preserves Purāṇic cosmological narration; this verse exemplifies that descriptive mode within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat powerful inner impulses (anger, pride, fear) with awareness—what ‘erupts’ outward can shape one’s world; cultivate steadiness so one’s energy expresses as clarity rather than harm.