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Shloka 18

Indranīla (Blue Sapphire): Source-Myth, Grades, Tests, Substitutes, and Price

Devanagari script

यस्य वर्णस्य भूयस्त्वात्क्षीरे शतगुणे स्थितः / नीलतां तन्नयेत्सर्वं महानीलः स उच्यते

Transliteration

yasya varṇasya bhūyastvātkṣīre śataguṇe sthitaḥ / nīlatāṃ tannayetsarvaṃ mahānīlaḥ sa ucyate

Translation

ಯಾವ ದ್ರವ್ಯವು ತನ್ನ ಸ್ವವರ್ಣದ ಪ್ರಾಬಲ್ಯದಿಂದ ಹಾಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಶತಗುಣವಾಗಿ ಬೆರೆತರೂ ಸಮಸ್ತವನ್ನು ನೀಲವರ್ಣಗೊಳಿಸಿತೋ—ಅದೇ ‘ಮಹಾನೀಲ’ ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತದೆ।

Word by Word
यस्यwhose
यस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter)
वर्णस्यof the color
वर्णस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)
भूयस्त्वात्because of predominance/excess
भूयस्त्वात्:
Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative)
TypeNoun
Rootभूयस् + त्व (प्रातिपदिक; भाववाचक-प्रत्यय)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)
क्षीरेin milk
क्षीरे:
Adhikarana (Location)
TypeNoun
Rootक्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)
शतगुणेhundredfold
शतगुणे:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootशत + गुण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); शतगुण = शतं गुणाः यस्य/शतगुणम् (hundredfold)
स्थितःsituated/placed
स्थितः:
Karta (Subject qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
नीलताम्blueness
नीलताम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootनीलता (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
तत्that
तत्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
नयेत्would lead/turn (into)
नयेत्:
Kriya (Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootनी (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्
सर्वम्everything/entirely
सर्वम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
महानीलः(the gem) Mahānīla
महानीलः:
Karta (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootमहान् + नील (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); महान् नीलः = very blue
सःhe/that (one)
सः:
Karta (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
उच्यतेis called
उच्यते:
Kriya (Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lakṣaṇa-pramāṇa: a thing is known by its defining power (here, color dominance even under dilution).

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa and vyavahāra-jñāna (empirical knowledge) as a basis for right action; guṇa reveals svabhāva.

Application: Use a dilution/mixture test to identify genuine mahānīla by its strong nīla-varṇa that pervades the whole medium.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.72 (ratna-lakṣaṇa context); Garuda Purana 1.73 (continuation into other gems and their tests)

FAQs

This verse defines ‘mahānīla’ as a deep blue quality so intense that it colors an entire mixture even in great dilution, using it as a precise descriptive standard.

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; it functions as a definitional/illustrative statement, typical of Purāṇic teaching that clarifies terms through vivid analogies.

It encourages discernment: even a subtle presence can strongly influence the whole—apply this to cultivating good qualities (sattva) and avoiding harmful influences.

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