Shloka 14

The Eight Nidhis: Guna-Based Types of Wealth, Giving, Hoarding, and Public Benefit

Devanagari script

मिश्रावलोकनान्मिश्रस्वभावफलदायिनः / निधीनां रूपमुक्तं तु हरिणापि हरादिके / हरिर्भुवनकोशादि यथोवाच तथा वदे

Transliteration

miśrāvalokanānmiśrasvabhāvaphaladāyinaḥ / nidhīnāṃ rūpamuktaṃ tu hariṇāpi harādike / harirbhuvanakośādi yathovāca tathā vade

Translation

മിശ്രദർശനത്താൽ അവ മിശ്രസ്വഭാവഫലങ്ങൾ നൽകുന്നു. ‘നിധി’ എന്ന ദിവ്യനിധികളുടെ രൂപങ്ങളും ഹരി ഹരാദി ദേവന്മാർക്ക് ഉപദേശിച്ചു. ഹരി ഭുവനകോശാദി എങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു അതുപോലെ ഞാനും വിവരിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• miśra-avalokanāt: from mixed observation
• miśra-avalokanāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: miśra (प्रातिपदिक) + avalokana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (miśram avalokanam)

• miśra-svabhāva-phala-dāyinaḥ: of those who give fruits according to mixed nature
• miśra-svabhāva-phala-dāyinaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: miśra (प्रातिपदिक) + svabhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + dāyin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (miśra-svabhāvasya phalasya dāyinaḥ)

• nidhīnām: of the treasures
• nidhīnām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• rūpam: the form
• rūpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/कर्ता or 2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• uktam: has been stated
• uktam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) → ukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘said/declared’

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• hariṇā: by Hari
• hariṇā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• harādike: in (the section beginning with) Hara etc.
• harādike: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara-ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (haraḥ ādiḥ yasya)

• hariḥ: Hari
• hariḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• bhuvana-kośa-ādi: the world-sheath etc. (cosmic structure etc.)
• bhuvana-kośa-ādi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuvana (प्रातिपदिक) + kośa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः ‘ādi’ सहित); समासः—तत्पुरुष (bhuvanasya kośaḥ ādiḥ ca)

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (correlative adverb)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• tathā: so/thus
• tathā: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (correlative adverb)

• vade: I speak
• vade: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), narrating what Hari (Vishnu) taught

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Miśra (mixed) perception/constitution yields miśra-phala (mixed results); cosmological categories are taught as a map for understanding causality.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-miśratā and karma-phala-vyavasthā within the ordered cosmos (kośa/bhuvana as pedagogical structure).

Application: Cultivate clarity (sattva) in intention and perception to avoid mixed outcomes; study cosmological/dharmic categories as a guide for ethical choice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: cosmology/world-sheath (bhuvana-kośa) sections surrounding 1.53–1.54; Garuda Purana: nidhis (treasures/attendant deities) descriptions in cosmological catalogues

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Hara (Shiva)
• Nidhis

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘mixed results’ (miśra-phala) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that when causes or considerations are mixed, the outcomes are likewise mixed—reinforcing the Garuda Purana theme that karmic results precisely mirror the quality and combination of one’s actions and intentions.

How does this verse connect to the Garuda Purana’s cosmology (bhuvana-kośa)?

It serves as a transition: Garuda indicates he will repeat the cosmological teaching (world-sheaths and related structure) exactly as Vishnu previously explained it.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate clarity in intention and conduct—when motives and deeds are inconsistent, life results tend to be inconsistent as well; align actions with a single dharmic aim for steadier outcomes.