Shloka 4

Marakata (Emerald): Mythic Origin, Anti-Poison Virtue, Qualities, Defects, and Proper Wearing

Devanagari script

सहसैव मुमोच तत्फणीन्द्रः सुरसाभ्यक्ततुरुष्क (रष्क) पादपायाम् / कलिकाघनगन्धवासिता यां वरमाणिक्यगिरेरुपत्यकायाम्

Transliteration

sahasaiva mumoca tatphaṇīndraḥ surasābhyaktaturuṣka (raṣka) pādapāyām / kalikāghanagandhavāsitā yāṃ varamāṇikyagirerupatyakāyām

Translation

तत्क्षण वह फणीन्द्र ने उसे छोड़ दिया—सुगन्धित तुलसी से अभ्यक्त तुरुष्क-वृक्ष के पाद में; उस श्रेष्ठ माणिक्य-पर्वत की उपत्यका में, जहाँ पुष्पों की घनी गन्ध से वायु सुवासित थी।

Word by Word

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• मुमोच: released/let go
• मुमोच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitival relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; समासपूर्वपद (that)

• फणीन्द्रः: the lord of serpents
• फणीन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फणि + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (फणिनाम् इन्द्रः)

• सुरसा: Surasā (a name)
• सुरसा: Instrumental relation (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• अभ्यक्त: anointed
• अभ्यक्त: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-ञ्ज्/अञ्ज् (धातु) → अभ्यक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग); ‘smeared/anointed’

• तुरुष्क: Turushka (a substance/term)
• तुरुष्क: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरुष्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग); पाठभेदः ‘तुरुष्क/रष्क’

• पादपायाम्: at the foot/base of the tree
• पादपायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादप + आयाम् (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पादपस्य आयाम्/आयामः) = at the base/extent of the tree

• कलिका: buds
• कलिका: Qualifier (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• घन: dense
• घन: Qualifier (in compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग); ‘dense’

• गन्ध: fragrance
• गन्ध: Qualifier (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• वासिता: perfumed
• वासिता: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वास् (धातु) → वासित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘perfumed’

• याम्: which (valley)
• याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत्

• वर: excellent
• वर: Qualifier (in compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग); ‘excellent’

• माणिक्य: ruby/gem
• माणिक्य: Qualifier (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माणिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• गिरेः: of the mountain
• गिरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; ‘of the mountain’ (समासाङ्ग)

• उपत्यकायाम्: in the valley
• उपत्यकायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपत्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred ecology: tulasī fragrance and auspicious landscape as supports for purity and devotion; the environment mirrors inner sattva.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva as clarity and fragrance (metaphorically) that uplifts consciousness; beauty as a doorway to remembrance of the divine.

Application: Create devotional ambience—tulasī, cleanliness, fragrance, and nature-contact—to steady mind and cultivate reverence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Geographic Context

Type: mountain valley / sacred grove

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana passages praising tulasī and sacred places; descriptive interludes that frame mythic action with tīrtha-like landscapes

Characters & Entities

• Nāga (Phanindra)
• Tulasī (Surasā)

FAQs

What is the importance of Tulasī (surasā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses tulasī-anointing as a marker of sanctity and auspiciousness, indicating a purified, dharmic setting where sacred actions are performed.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly discuss the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it paints a sacred landscape within the ongoing narration, a common Purāṇic way to frame events in spiritually charged locations.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate purity and devotion in daily practice—keeping tulasī with reverence and performing prayers/ritual acts in a clean, sattvic environment.