Shloka 18

The Examination of Pearls and Padmarāga (Ruby): Origins, Marks, Defects, and Valuation

Devanagari script

ये कर्करच्छिद्रमलोपदिग्धाः प्रभाविमुक्ताः परुषा विवर्णाः / न ते प्रशस्ता मणयो भवन्ति समानतो जातिगुणैः समस्तैः

Transliteration

ye karkaracchidramalopadigdhāḥ prabhāvimuktāḥ paruṣā vivarṇāḥ / na te praśastā maṇayo bhavanti samānato jātiguṇaiḥ samastaiḥ

Translation

凡宝石粗砺多孔、污垢所染、失其光泽、触之涩硬、色相黯败者，皆不称善；纵然大体同类、具备共通根本之性，亦复如是。

Word by Word

• ये: which/those who
• ये: Karta (Relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• कर्कर-छिद्र-मल-उपदिग्धाः: smeared with gritty-hole impurities
• कर्कर-छिद्र-मल-उपदिग्धाः: Visheshana (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मल (प्रातिपदिक) + उपदिग्ध (कृदन्त; √दिह् + उप)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (कर्करछिद्र-मलेन उपदिग्धाः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of ‘ये/मणयः’)

• प्रभा-विमुक्ताः: devoid of luster
• प्रभा-विमुक्ताः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक) + विमुक्त (कृदन्त; √मुच् + वि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (प्रभायाः विमुक्ताः = deprived of radiance); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• परुषाः: rough
• परुषाः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विवर्णाः: discolored
• विवर्णाः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रशस्ताः: commendable/excellent
• प्रशस्ताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशस्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √शंस् + प्र, PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• मणयः: gems
• मणयः: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• समानतः: equally
• समानतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समानतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/रीत्यर्थक (adverb: “equally”)

• जाति-गुणैः: by (their) kinds and qualities
• जाति-गुणैः: Karaṇa/Hetu (Instrumental/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (जातयश्च गुणाश्च); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• समस्तैः: all/entire
• समस्तैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of जातिगुणैः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra, per the common Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Doṣa overrides jāti: belonging to a class is insufficient; defects negate excellence.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-doṣa viveka; external labels (nāma/jāti) do not guarantee inner fitness (yogyatā).

Application: Reject items with structural flaws (holes, cracks), contamination, loss of luster, harsh texture, or discoloration even if sold as 'same type'.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.70.17 (ideal qualities); Garuda Purana 1.70.19 (misfortunes from defective gems)

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'gem with defects' analogy in the Garuda Purana?

It teaches that excellence is judged by purity and refinement; defects and taints negate worth even if one shares the same general status or category.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey and karmic outcomes?

By implication, karmic results depend on the actual condition of one’s conduct (virtues vs. faults), not merely on external identity—moral blemishes diminish spiritual merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Focus on removing 'defects'—dishonesty, cruelty, impurity of habits—and cultivate clarity and good conduct, rather than relying on reputation, lineage, or labels.