Shloka 7

Devanagari script

तत्राकठोरशुककण्ठशिरीषपुष्पखद्योतपृष्ठचरशाद्वलशैवलानाम् / कल्हारशष्पकभुजङ्गभुजाञ्च पत्रप्राप्तत्विषो मरकताः शुभदा भवन्ति

Transliteration

tatrākaṭhoraśukakaṇṭhaśirīṣapuṣpakhadyotapṛṣṭhacaraśādvalaśaivalānām / kalhāraśaṣpakabhujaṅgabhujāñca patraprāptatviṣo marakatāḥ śubhadā bhavanti

Translation

Doon, ang mga esmeralda—may kislap na tulad ng malambot na lalamunan ng loro, ng bulaklak na śirīṣa, ng likod ng alitaptap, ng sariwang damo at lumot sa tubig, at ng ningning sa mga dahon ng lotus, sa murang usbong at sa talukbong ng ahas—ay itinuturing na mapalad at tagapagkaloob ng mabuting kapalaran.

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.