Shloka 24

मुक्ता-उत्पत्ति-भेदाः, मूल्य-मान-निर्णयः, शोधन-परीक्षा-लक्षणानि

Pearl Sources, Valuation, Refinement, and Identification

Devanagari script

शुक्त्युद्भवं नातिनिकृष्टवर्णं प्रमाणसंस्थानगुणप्रभाभिः / उत्पद्यते वर्धनपारसीकपाताललोकान्तरसिंहलेषु

Transliteration

śuktyudbhavaṃ nātinikṛṣṭavarṇaṃ pramāṇasaṃsthānaguṇaprabhābhiḥ / utpadyate vardhanapārasīkapātālalokāntarasiṃhaleṣu

Translation

Née des coquilles d’huître, elle n’est pas d’une couleur médiocre ; et par sa mesure, sa forme, ses qualités et son éclat, elle se produit en des lieux tels que Vardhana, Pārasīka (la Perse), Pātāla, d’autres contrées et Siṃhala (Sri Lanka).

Word by Word

• शुक्त्युद्भवम्: that which arises from an oyster (pearl)
• शुक्त्युद्भवम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष (शुक्तेः उद्भवः)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अति: excessively
• अति: Visheshana (Modifier/विशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अतिशयवाचक (intensifier: excessively)

• निकृष्टवर्णम्: of inferior color
• निकृष्टवर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निकृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नि+√कृष् ‘to draw down’) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय; विशेषण

• प्रमाणसंस्थानगुणप्रभाभिः: by (its) measure, shape, qualities, and luster
• प्रमाणसंस्थानगुणप्रभाभिः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (प्रमाण-सम्स्थान-गुण-प्रभाभिः)

• उत्पद्यते: is produced, arises
• उत्पद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• वर्धन: in Vardhana (region)
• वर्धन: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (समासान्त-बहुवचन-स्थाने); देशवाचक (place-name)

• पारसीक: in Persia
• पारसीक: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारसीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; देशवाचक

• पाताललोकान्तर: in the regions within the netherworld
• पाताललोकान्तर: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (पातालस्य लोकस्य अन्तरम्/अन्तरे)

• सिंहलेषु: in Sinhala lands
• सिंहलेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; देशवाचक

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in discourse to Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lakṣaṇa (criteria) for judging quality—measure, shape, guṇa, and luster—supports right valuation and right use.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka in the empirical domain: discernment prevents delusion by appearances; quality is known by marks, not mere desire.

Application: Develop standards for evaluating what you adopt—objects, advice, habits—by consistent criteria (fit, integrity, benefit, clarity).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: production regions

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.69.22 (pearl formation); Garuda Purana ratna-parīkṣā style passages (qualities/marks)

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Garuḍa
• Śukti (oyster-shell)
• Pārasīka
• Pātāla
• Siṃhala

FAQs

What is the importance of pearls (muktā/śukti-udbhava) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats pearls as a valued natural substance, emphasizing their non-inferior color and their assessment by size, shape, qualities, and luster—criteria used in Purāṇic gemology.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not address the soul’s journey or afterlife themes; it is a descriptive verse focused on the origin and recognized regions of pearl production.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a traditional checklist for evaluating quality—consider appearance, proportion, form, and radiance—while also recognizing that classical texts often preserve historical knowledge of trade regions and materials.