Shloka 32

The Examination of Pearls and Padmarāga (Ruby): Origins, Marks, Defects, and Valuation

Devanagari script

दोषोपसर्गप्रभवाश्च ये ते नोपद्रवास्तं समभिद्रवन्ति / गुणैः समुत्तेजितचारुरागं यः पद्मरागं प्रयतो बिभर्ति

Transliteration

doṣopasargaprabhavāśca ye te nopadravāstaṃ samabhidravanti / guṇaiḥ samuttejitacārurāgaṃ yaḥ padmarāgaṃ prayato bibharti

Translation

ദോഷങ്ങളും മലിനതകളും മൂലം ഉദ്ഭവിക്കുന്ന ഉപദ്രവങ്ങൾ, ശാസ്ത്രീയമായ ജാഗ്രതയോടെ തന്റെ ഗുണങ്ങളാൽ ദീപ്തമായ മനോഹര വർണ്ണമുള്ള പദ്മരാഗം (മാണിക്യം) ധരിക്കുന്നവനെ ആക്രമിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• दोषोपसर्गप्रभवाः: arising from faults and afflictions
• दोषोपसर्गप्रभवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दोष + उपसर्ग + प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दोष-उपसर्गेभ्यः प्रभवः येषाम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ये: which/who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; निर्देशक (correlative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• उपद्रवाः: troubles/harms
• उपद्रवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपद्रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• तम्: him/that (padmarāga)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• समभिद्रवन्ति: assail/attack
• समभिद्रवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अभि + द्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• गुणैः: by qualities
• गुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• समुत्तेजितचारुरागम्: whose lovely color is enhanced by qualities
• समुत्तेजितचारुरागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उत् + तेजित (तिज्/तेज् धातु, क्त) + चारु + राग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गुणैः समुत्तेजितः चारुः रागः यस्य)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• पद्मरागम्: the ruby (padmarāga)
• पद्मरागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मराग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय

• प्रयतः: careful/attentive
• प्रयतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• बिभर्ति: bears/keeps
• बिभर्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Efficacy depends not only on the object (ruby) but on the bearer’s disciplined, careful conduct (prayata).

Vedantic Theme: Sattva-shuddhi as a support: purity and restraint reduce disturbances; external aids are secondary to inner discipline.

Application: If adopting gem remedies, do so with cleanliness, restraint, and ethical living; treat the gem as a reminder to cultivate virtues.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.70.31 (protective claim of padmaraga); Garuda Purana 1.70.34 (quality criteria: color and luster)

FAQs

What is the importance of padmarāga (ruby) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents padmarāga as a protective aid: when worn with discipline and right conduct, it is said to help prevent afflictions born of faults and contaminations from overtaking a person.

How does this verse relate to overcoming suffering or misfortune?

It frames misfortunes as ‘upadravas’ arising from ‘doṣas’; the teaching emphasizes that cultivated virtue and disciplined living—symbolized by wearing a ruby with care—keeps such troubles from “rushing upon” the person.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize ethical discipline (prayata) and character (guṇa); if following traditional practice, treat any remedial item (like a gemstone) as secondary to inner conduct rather than a substitute for it.