Shloka 64

Oṣadhi-nāma-nirdeśa: Paryāya (Synonyms) of Herbs, Minerals, and Classical Measures

Devanagari script

शिला मनः शिला ज्ञेया नेपाली कुलटीति च / आलं मनस्तालकं वा हरितालं विनिर्दिशेत्

Transliteration

śilā manaḥ śilā jñeyā nepālī kulaṭīti ca / ālaṃ manastālakaṃ vā haritālaṃ vinirdiśet

Translation

‘शिला-मनः’ को शिला-सदृश (पत्थर जैसा) मनः समझना चाहिए; इसे ‘नेपाली’ और ‘कुलटी’ भी कहते हैं। इसी प्रकार ‘आल’ को ‘मनस्तालक’ अर्थात ‘हरिताल’ (पीला हरताल) के रूप में निर्दिष्ट किया गया है।

Word by Word

• शिला: śilā (stone; mineral name)
• शिला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मनः: manaḥ (name)
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिला: śilā (also called)
• शिला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञेया: is to be known as
• ज्ञेया: Predicate (Vidhi/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/विधेय-कर्तरि कृदन्त (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be known’

• नेपाली: nepālī (name)
• नेपाली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेपाली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुलटी: kulaṭī (name)
• कुलटी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलटी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus/called
• इति: Marker (Iti/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/नामनिर्देश-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Connector (Samuccaya/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आलम्: āla (name)
• आलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मनस्तालकम्: manas-tālaka (name)
• मनस्तालकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् + तालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मनसः तालकम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (Vikalpa/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• हरितालम्: haritāla (orpiment)
• हरितालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + ताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (हरितं तालम्)

• विनिर्दिशेत्: one should specify/declare
• विनिर्दिशेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + निर् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Synonymy and provenance-names can mislead unless anchored to the actual substance; correct identification is the basis of safe practice.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka (discrimination) between word and referent; avoiding bhrānti (error) in applied knowledge.

Application: Treat ‘śilā-manaḥ/nepālī/kulaṭī’ and ‘āla/manastālaka/haritāla’ as controlled synonym sets; verify the mineral (yellow orpiment) before use.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204 (haritāla/manastālaka and related mineral synonyms)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of identifying terms like haritāla (haritala) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions like a glossary, clarifying synonyms and correct identifications of technical terms so ritual or procedural instructions are not misunderstood.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana ritual practice?

By equating variant names (nepālī, kulaṭī, manastālaka) with specific substances/terms (śilā-manaḥ, haritāla), it standardizes terminology that may appear in ritual or instructional passages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When reading or performing tradition-based rites, verify technical Sanskrit names and their synonyms to avoid errors—especially where materials, medicines, or ritual items are specified.