Shloka 16

Devanagari script

गजाजिनं चापवित्रं यतो धारयते हरः / लोकानमङ्गलान्सर्वान्हरते च सदा हरः

Transliteration

gajājinaṃ cāpavitraṃ yato dhārayate haraḥ / lokānamaṅgalānsarvānharate ca sadā haraḥ

Translation

ਹਾਥੀ ਦੀ ਖਾਲ ਵੀ ਅਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਮੰਨੀ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ; ਪਰ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਹਰ (ਸ਼ਿਵ) ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਧਾਰਨ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਇਸ ਲਈ ਉਹ ਹਰ ਸਦਾ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਭ ਅਮੰਗਲ ਦੂਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• गजाजिनम्: elephant-hide
• गजाजिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + अजिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गजस्य अजिनम्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपवित्रम्: impure
• अपवित्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय (impure)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (because)

• धारयते: wears/bears
• धारयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लोकान्: worlds/people
• लोकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अमङ्गलान्: inauspicious
• अमङ्गलान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय (inauspicious)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हरते: removes/takes away
• हरते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• हरः: Hara
• हरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The sanctifying power of divine association: what is ordinarily impure becomes auspicious when borne by a deity; the deity functions as remover of inauspiciousness.

Vedantic Theme: Śakti of the divine to purify and transform guṇa-based impurity; auspiciousness grounded in the Lord’s presence rather than in material substance.

Application: Cultivate reverence for the deity’s protective function; interpret ritual/ethical purity with discernment—context and divine intent matter more than mere material classification.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): themes of auspiciousness-removal (amaṅgala-nāśa) and deity-iconography used for instruction

Characters & Entities

• Hara (Shiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of impurity and purity in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows that impurity is not only material but contextual: what is normally impure can become spiritually significant when associated with a divine purpose, while the ultimate aim is the removal of amaṅgala (inauspiciousness).

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

By emphasizing the removal of inauspiciousness (amaṅgala) from the worlds, it aligns with Garuda Purana’s broader concern that spiritual protection, right conduct, and sacred association help avert obstacles that trouble beings—especially during death rites and transitional states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Judge ritual “purity” with dharmic context: avoid superstition and focus on intention, ethical living, and practices that reduce harm and negativity—seeking what genuinely removes amaṅgala in one’s life.