Shloka 34
The Examination of Pearls and Padmarāga (Ruby): Origins, Marks, Defects, and Valuation
वर्णदाप्त्यपपन्नं हि मणिरत्नं प्रशस्यते / ताभ्यामीषदपि भ्रष्टं मणिमूल्यात्प्रहीयते
varṇadāptyapapannaṃ hi maṇiratnaṃ praśasyate / tābhyāmīṣadapi bhraṣṭaṃ maṇimūlyātprahīyate
Una gema es alabada cuando posee color y brillo adecuados; pero si se aparta aunque sea un poco de ambos, se le rebaja su valor como joya.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda / Vinata-putra)
Concept: Value depends on essential qualities; small deviations in key attributes cause disproportionate loss—an appraisal principle applicable beyond gems.
Vedantic Theme: Viveka (discernment): distinguishing the essential from the non-essential; guna-kshaya leads to diminished ‘artha’ in vyavahara.
Application: Assess quality by core criteria; in any craft or character-building, protect the two or three key fundamentals that uphold excellence.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.70.31-33 (padmaraga qualities, benefits, valuation)
FAQs
This verse compares virtue to a gem: its worth depends on key qualities, and even slight loss of those qualities diminishes its value—teaching careful preservation of dharma.
By stressing that even minor moral decline reduces one’s ‘value,’ it implies the soul’s post-death trajectory is shaped by the integrity of one’s qualities and conduct (karma and character).
Guard core principles (truthfulness, restraint, compassion) consistently; small compromises, repeated, can erode character and the fruits of one’s spiritual practice.