Shloka 7

Marakata (Emerald): Mythic Origin, Anti-Poison Virtue, Qualities, Defects, and Proper Wearing

Devanagari script

तत्राकठोरशुककण्ठशिरीषपुष्पखद्योतपृष्ठचरशाद्वलशैवलानाम् / कल्हारशष्पकभुजङ्गभुजाञ्च पत्रप्राप्तत्विषो मरकताः शुभदा भवन्ति

Transliteration

tatrākaṭhoraśukakaṇṭhaśirīṣapuṣpakhadyotapṛṣṭhacaraśādvalaśaivalānām / kalhāraśaṣpakabhujaṅgabhujāñca patraprāptatviṣo marakatāḥ śubhadā bhavanti

Translation

तत्र शुककण्ठस्य मृदुत्वं शिरीषपुष्पस्य कान्तिं खद्योतपृष्ठस्य प्रभां शाद्वलशैवलयोर्नवत्वं च, तथा कल्हारपत्र-शष्प-भुजङ्गफणाभ्यां प्राप्तां त्विषं वहन्तो मरकताः शुभदाः सौभाग्यप्रदाश्च भवन्ति।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक अव्यय/adverb of place)

• अकठोर-शुक-कण्ठ-शिरीष-पुष्प-खद्योत-पृष्ठ-चर-शाद्वल-शैवलानाम्: of (those) like soft parrot-throat, sirīṣa-flower, glowworm-back, moving on grass and algae (i.e., having such luster)
• अकठोर-शुक-कण्ठ-शिरीष-पुष्प-खद्योत-पृष्ठ-चर-शाद्वल-शैवलानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकठोर (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरीष (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + खद्योत (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक) + शाद्वल (प्रातिपदिक) + शैवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (विशेषण-विशेष्यसम्बन्धः), ‘अकठोरशुककण्ठ…शैवल’ इत्यादीनां (वर्ण/उपमा-निर्देश)

• कल्हार-शष्पक-भुजङ्ग-भुजाः: (emeralds) like the arms/hoods of a serpent amid lotus-sprouts
• कल्हार-शष्पक-भुजङ्ग-भुजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्हार (प्रातिपदिक) + शष्पक (प्रातिपदिक) + भुजङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कल्हारशष्पकभुजङ्गस्य भुजाः = ‘lotus-sprout-serpent’s arms/hoods’ उपमावाचक)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

• पत्र-प्राप्त-त्विषः: having a leaf-attained (leaf-like) sheen
• पत्र-प्राप्त-त्विषः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राप्त (कृदन्त; √प्राप् धातु) + त्विष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘पत्रे प्राप्ता त्विष् यस्य’ इति; प्राप्त = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)

• मरकताः: emeralds
• मरकताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरकत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• शुभदाः: auspicious-giving
• शुभदाः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; ‘शुभं ददाति’ इति बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणप्रयोगः

• भवन्ति: are/become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śubha-lakṣaṇa: recognizing auspicious qualities (guṇa) in substances and using them appropriately.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva-guṇa orientation—purity/clarity reflected in luminous green; external śubha as a support for inner śuddhi.

Application: Select emeralds with clear, vivid, nature-like green sheen as auspicious objects (e.g., for adornment, gifting, or ritual use), avoiding dull/impure stones.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: mine/quarry region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.71 (gem/ākara section; marakata-lakṣaṇa and guṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the importance of emerald (marakata) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats emeralds as intrinsically auspicious, highlighting their pure, life-like green lustre through comparisons with sacred and natural forms, indicating their role as a favourable sign (śubha-lakṣaṇa).

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader spiritual narrative?

While not describing afterlife punishments directly, it fits the Purana’s didactic style: teaching dharmic perception of sacred places and auspicious markers in the world, which supports right conduct and ritual sensibility.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate a dharmic sense of auspiciousness: value purity, harmony with nature, and symbolism in worship or temple culture—seeing “śubha” not as superstition but as training the mind toward sattva and ethical living.