Shloka 24

Explanation of the Sapiṇḍana Rite; Causes of Pretahood; Viṣṇu Worship and Preta-ghaṭa Dāna

Devanagari script

वैदिशं नाम नगरं सर्वसम्पत्समन्वितम् / नानाजनपदाकीर्णं नानारत्नसमाकुलम् / नानापुण्यसमायुक्तं नानावृक्षसमाकुलम्

Transliteration

vaidiśaṃ nāma nagaraṃ sarvasampatsamanvitam / nānājanapadākīrṇaṃ nānāratnasamākulam / nānāpuṇyasamāyuktaṃ nānāvṛkṣasamākulam

Translation

‘വൈദിശ’ എന്നൊരു നഗരം ഉണ്ട്; അത് സർവ്വസമ്പത്തുകളാൽ സമന്വിതം—പല ജനപദങ്ങളിലെ ജനങ്ങളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞത്, നാനാരത്നങ്ങളാൽ സമാകുലം, അനേകം പുണ്യങ്ങളാൽ സമ്പന്നം, നാനാവൃക്ഷങ്ങളാൽ പരിപൂർണ്ണം.

Word by Word

• वैदिशम्: (called) Vaidiśa
• वैदिशम्: Karma-visheshana (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैदिश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नगरम् इति विशेषण

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha-bodhaka (Naming particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) = ‘by name/called’

• नगरम्: city
• नगरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सर्वसम्पत्समन्वितम्: endowed with all wealth/prosperity
• सर्वसम्पत्समन्वितम्: Karma-visheshana (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + सम्पद् + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘सर्वाभिः सम्पद्भिः समन्वितम्’ (endowed with all prosperities)

• नानाजनपदाकीर्णम्: crowded with many regions/peoples
• नानाजनपदाकीर्णम्: Karma-visheshana (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना + जनपद + आकीर्ण (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘नानाजनपदैः आकीर्णम्’ (filled with many districts/peoples)

• नानारत्नसमाकुलम्: full of various jewels
• नानारत्नसमाकुलम्: Karma-visheshana (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना + रत्न + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘नानारत्नैः समाकुलम्’ (abounding in various gems)

• नानापुण्यसमायुक्तम्: endowed with many virtuous merits
• नानापुण्यसमायुक्तम्: Karma-visheshana (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना + पुण्य + समायुक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘नानापुण्यैः समायुक्तम्’ (associated with many merits/holy acts)

• नानावृक्षसमाकुलम्: full of many trees
• नानावृक्षसमाकुलम्: Karma-visheshana (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना + वृक्ष + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘नानावृक्षैः समाकुलम्’ (abounding in many trees)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worldly prosperity can coexist with puṇya (merit); civic abundance is portrayed as the fruit of collective dharma and auspicious conditions.

Vedantic Theme: Impermanence implied: even splendid settings are within saṃsāra; merit supports order but does not by itself guarantee liberation.

Application: Use prosperity to support dharma—charity, worship, and stewardship of nature (trees, public goods).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: city (nagara)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: descriptions of places to contextualize karmic narratives; prosperity linked with puṇya and dāna

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the city Vaidiśa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Vaidiśa as an auspicious, prosperous city—symbolizing a realm or location characterized by abundance, merit (puṇya), and orderly richness within the narrative geography of the Preta Kanda.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

By describing specific cities and their qualities, the text frames the soul’s post-death journey as moving through distinct regions; here, Vaidiśa is depicted as a prosperous station marked by merit and auspicious features.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

The verse emphasizes that prosperity is linked with puṇya—encouraging ethical living, charity, and dharmic conduct so one’s life becomes “well-endowed” in both material order and spiritual merit.