Shloka 7

Ratna-parīkṣā: Vajra (Diamond/Thunderbolt) — Origin, Types, Testing, Defects, Weights, and Royal Auspiciousness

Devanagari script

महोदधौ सरिति वा पवर्त कानने ऽपि वा / तत्तदाकरतां यातं स्थानमाधेयगौरवात्

Transliteration

mahodadhau sariti vā pavarta kānane 'pi vā / tattadākaratāṃ yātaṃ sthānamādheyagauravāt

Translation

മഹാസമുദ്രത്തിലോ, നദിയിലോ, പർവ്വതത്തിലോ, വനത്തിലോ—പൂർവകർമ്മ-സംസ്കാരങ്ങളുടെ ഭാരമനുസരിച്ച് ജീവൻ അതനുസൃതമായ അവസ്ഥയും സ്ഥാനവും പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• महोदधौ: in the great ocean
• महोदधौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् उदधिः)

• सरिति: in a river
• सरिति: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Discourse (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• पर्वत: on a mountain
• पर्वत: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (पर्वते इति अपेक्षितम्; पाठभेद/सन्धि-लोपसम्भवः)

• कानने: in a forest
• कानने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कानन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha/Discourse (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (particle ‘also/even’)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Discourse (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• तत्: that (respective)
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘तत्-तत्’ इति पुनरुक्त-निर्देशः

• तत्: that (respective)
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; पूर्वपद-सम्बन्धः

• आकरताम्: the state of being a mine/source
• आकरताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकरता (प्रातिपदिक; आकर + ता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• यातम्: having become/attained
• यातम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यात’ = प्राप्त/गत

• स्थानम्: a place
• स्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• आधेयगौरवात्: due to the weight/heaviness of what is deposited/contained
• आधेयगौरवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधेय (प्रातिपदिक; आ-धा (धातु) + ण्यत्) + गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आधेयस्य गौरवम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Saṃskāra/karma-gurutva determines the gati and the matching ‘state and locale’ one reaches.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati under īśvara; saṃskāra as subtle causal seed shaping experience and embodiment.

Application: Cultivate wholesome saṃskāras through disciplined action, restraint, and remembrance; avoid planting harmful tendencies that later ‘pull’ one into corresponding conditions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: natural landscapes

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa themes: karma shaping gati and post-mortem trajectory (general parallel motifs)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of samskara (ādheya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that implanted impressions—formed by karma, habits, and intentions—carry a compelling “weight” that draws the being toward a matching state and environment.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It implies the post-death movement is not random: the soul (with its subtle tendencies) is pulled toward places and conditions that correspond to its dominant inner imprint and actions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattvic habits and dharmic actions consistently—because repeated choices become powerful impressions that shape one’s future experience and direction.