Shloka 3

Devanagari script

आलोहितस्तु पीतः स्वच्छः काषायकः स एकोक्तः / आनीलशुक्लवर्णः स्निग्धः सोमाल(न) कः सगुणः

Transliteration

ālohitastu pītaḥ svacchaḥ kāṣāyakaḥ sa ekoktaḥ / ānīlaśuklavarṇaḥ snigdhaḥ somāla(na) kaḥ saguṇaḥ

Translation

Sinasabing ito’y mapula, madilaw, malinaw, at may kulay na kayumangging-dilaw—kaya’t inilalarawan bilang iisang uri. Sinasabi rin na may bughaw-puting kulay, makinis at madulas, at taglay ang mga katangian nito.

Word by Word

• आलोहितः: somewhat red, reddish
• आलोहितः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — particle

• पीतः: yellow
• पीतः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular

• स्वच्छः: clear, transparent
• स्वच्छः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular

• काषायकः: brownish/reddish (astringent-colored)
• काषायकः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काषायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular

• सः: that (one)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular

• एकोक्तः: is said to be one (type)
• एकोक्तः: Kriya/Visheshana (Predicative descriptor)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त, क्त; वच् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular; तत्पुरुष (एकेन उक्तः/एक इति उक्तः)

• आनीलशुक्लवर्णः: having a bluish-white color
• आनीलशुक्लवर्णः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आनील (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular; कर्मधारय (आनीलः/नीलाभः शुक्लः च वर्णः यस्य)

• स्निग्धः: smooth, glossy
• स्निग्धः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्निग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular

• सोमालकः: (a variety called) somālaka
• सोमालकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular; (पाठभेद: सोमालनकः)

• सगुणः: possessing good qualities
• सगुणः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular; तत्पुरुष (गुणैः सह)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Guṇa-parīkṣā: multi-parameter evaluation (varṇa, svacchatā, snigdhata) rather than single-feature judgment.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva-like clarity (svacchatā) valued; discernment through comprehensive observation.

Application: When judging a gem, check combined traits—reddish/yellow/tawny tones, transparency, and smooth unctuous surface; do not rely on one hue alone.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: 1.74.2 (naming by hue); 1.74.4 (extreme red as padmarāga; indranīla as deep blue)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing colors and qualities in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that the post-death or subtle-state description is conveyed through observable-like attributes (colors, clarity, smoothness), helping explain how the subtle constitution is classified by qualities (guṇas).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By pointing to a 'saguṇa' (with attributes) condition, it implies the soul’s journey is experienced through a qualified subtle embodiment rather than an attribute-less state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivating sāttvika qualities (clarity, steadiness, purity) is implied as beneficial, since the subtle condition is described in terms of qualities that reflect one’s inner constitution.