Shloka 1

Karketana (Karketa) Lakṣaṇa: Origin, Color-Forms, Purity Marks, and Ritual Efficacy

Devanagari script

नाम चतुः सप्ततितमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / वायुर्नखान्दैत्यपतेर्गृहीत्वा चिक्षेप सत्पद्मवनेषु हृष्टः / ततः प्रसूतं पवनोपपन्नं कर्केतनं पूजयतमं पृथिव्याम्

Transliteration

nāma catuḥ saptatitamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / vāyurnakhāndaityapatergṛhītvā cikṣepa satpadmavaneṣu hṛṣṭaḥ / tataḥ prasūtaṃ pavanopapannaṃ karketanaṃ pūjayatamaṃ pṛthivyām

Translation

Sūta berkata: “Demikianlah bab yang ketujuh puluh empat. Vāyu, setelah merampas kuku-kuku raja para Daitya, dengan gembira melemparkannya ke rimba teratai suci. Dari perbuatan itu lahirlah Karketana, dianugerahi daya Angin, yang paling layak dipuja di bumi.”

Word by Word

• नाम: (called)
• नाम: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative/‘called’)

• चतुः-सप्ततितमः: seventy-fourth
• चतुः-सप्ततितमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुः (प्रातिपदिक) + सप्तति (प्रातिपदिक) + तम (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संख्यासमास (द्विगु): ‘चतुःसप्ततिः’ = 74, तस्य तमः = 74th

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वायुः: Vāyu (Wind-god)
• वायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नखान्: nails, claws
• नखान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• दैत्य-पतेः: of the lord of the Daityas
• दैत्य-पतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (daityānāṃ patiḥ)

• गृहीत्वा: having seized
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• चिक्षेप: threw
• चिक्षेप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सत्-पद्म-वनेषु: in forests of noble lotuses
• सत्-पद्म-वनेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (satāṃ padmāni yatra / satpadmāni yatra)

• हृष्टः: delighted
• हृष्टः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘then/from there’)

• प्रसूतम्: produced, born
• प्रसूतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसू (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पवन-उपपन्नम्: endowed with wind (air-born)
• पवन-उपपन्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवन (प्रातिपदिक) + उपपन्न (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (pavanena upapannam = endowed/caused by wind)

• कर्केतनम्: the karketana gem
• कर्केतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्केतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पूजयतमम्: most worthy of worship
• पूजयतमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive-like: ‘to be worshipped’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अतिशयार्थे तमप् (superlative)

• पृथिव्याम्: on earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred origin narratives legitimize ritual reverence: an object born from divine agency becomes pūjya on earth.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-śakti manifesting in prakṛti; sanctification of matter through divine contact (adhiṣṭhāna).

Application: Approach such objects with reverence; if used ritually, treat them as consecrated items rather than mere commodities.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: forest/grove

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.75.2-1.75.4 (karketana’s colors, defects, purity marks, and processing/benefits)

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Vāyu
• Daityapati (lord of the Daityas)
• Karketana

FAQs

What is the importance of Karketana in this Garuda Purana verse?

This verse presents Karketana as a being/manifestation arising from a divine act connected with Vāyu, explicitly describing him as “most worthy of worship on earth,” indicating ritual or devotional significance.

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

It does not directly discuss the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it functions as narrative setup, describing a divine-origin event and the arising of an entity associated with Vāyu.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

The verse emphasizes reverence for sacred forces and places (like padmavanas) and suggests that devotional respect toward revered manifestations supports dharmic living.