Shloka 86

Veṅkaṭeśa-Māhātmya: Varāha Prelude, Descent of Śeṣācala, Svāmipuṣkariṇī and the Network of Tīrthas

with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

गोयूथवत्सवर्णं च चतुश्चक्रसमन्वितम् / गोखुरैश्च समायुक्तं सुवर्णकिणसंयुतम्

Transliteration

goyūthavatsavarṇaṃ ca catuścakrasamanvitam / gokhuraiśca samāyuktaṃ suvarṇakiṇasaṃyutam

Translation

สิ่งนั้นมีสีดุจฝูงโค ประกอบด้วยจักรสี่ประการ ประดับด้วยเครื่องตกแต่งรูปกีบโค และงดงามด้วยหมุด/เดือยและเครื่องประดับทองคำ

Word by Word

• गोयूथवत्सवर्णम्: having the color like a herd of cows/like calves (cow-herd colored)
• गोयूथवत्सवर्णम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोयूथवत्स-वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चतुःचक्रसमन्वितम्: endowed with four wheels
• चतुःचक्रसमन्वितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुः-चक्र-समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• गोखुरैः: with cow-hooves
• गोखुरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोखुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• समायुक्तम्: joined/combined
• समायुक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सुवर्णकिणसंयुतम्: endowed with golden marks/blemishes (golden spots)
• सुवर्णकिणसंयुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्ण-किṇ-सम्युत (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred emblems (cakra, auspicious ornaments) and śubha-varṇa support arcā-bhakti; beauty and correct marks are vehicles for reverence and merit.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-upāsanā: the divine approached through recognizable auspicious attributes; symbols (cakra) point to cosmic order and protection.

Application: In worship spaces and sacred commissions, prioritize authentic iconographic marks (especially cakra for Vaiṣṇava forms); treat ornamentation as consecrated, not merely decorative.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.26.84-85 (shape and proportion specifications)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of describing vehicles and their features in the Garuda Purana?

Such descriptions function as symbolic markers of the post-death journey, emphasizing that the preta’s passage is structured and governed by cosmic order (dharma), not random.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By depicting a specific, well-appointed conveyance, the verse implies an organized transit in the intermediate (preta) phase, aligning with the Purana’s broader narrative of travel toward Yama’s domain under prescribed conditions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reflect on the inevitability of death and live with dharma—truthfulness, restraint, and charity—while also honoring ancestral rites (śrāddha/pinda-dāna) as taught in the Garuda Purana tradition.