Shloka 17

Vaidūrya (Cat’s-eye) Examination: Origin, Auspicious Marks, Imitations, and Valuation Measures

Devanagari script

सुवर्णो मनुना यस्तु प्रोक्तः षोडशमाषकः / तस्य सप्ततिमो भागः संज्ञारूपं करिष्यति

Transliteration

suvarṇo manunā yastu proktaḥ ṣoḍaśamāṣakaḥ / tasya saptatimo bhāgaḥ saṃjñārūpaṃ kariṣyati

Translation

摩奴所宣说的金之标准为十六摩沙迦（māṣaka）；其七十分之一，即构成名为“僧若”（saṃjñā）的计量单位。

Word by Word

• suvarṇaḥ: a suvarṇa (gold-unit)
• suvarṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• manunā: by Manu
• manunā: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• yaḥ: which/that
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Contrast/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• proktaḥ: declared/said
• proktaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु) (वचने)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ṣoḍaśa-māṣakaḥ: (as) sixteen māṣakas
• ṣoḍaśa-māṣakaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + māṣaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगुसमास (numerical)

• tasya: of that/of it
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc./Neut.), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• saptatimaḥ: seventieth
• saptatimaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saptati (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + -ma (तद्धित)
• Form: क्रमवाचक (ordinal), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• bhāgaḥ: part/fraction
• bhāgaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• saṃjñā-rūpam: a named form/technical designation
• saṃjñā-rūpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषसमास

• kariṣyati: will make/constitute
• kariṣyati: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) (करणे)
• Form: लृट् लकार (Simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra, in the dharma/measurements context of Kāṇḍa 1)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Authoritative standardization of gold weight (as per Manu) and derivation of a named fractional unit (saṃjñā) for precise transactions.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as order (niyati) in society; shastra as pramana for regulated conduct.

Application: Use standardized measures in commerce and offerings; avoid fraud by adhering to recognized units and transparent accounting.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana sections listing measures/weights for ritual and commerce (contextual parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Manu

FAQs

What is the importance of defining gold measures (suvarṇa, māṣaka) in the Garuda Purana?

It standardizes ritual and charitable offerings (dāna) so that prescribed gifts and expiations can be performed with clear, traditional units rather than vague quantities.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by defining precise standards for dāna and dharmic observance, it supports the broader Garuḍa Purāṇa framework where right conduct and correctly performed rites aid the departed and improve post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When following traditional śrāddha/dāna instructions from classical sources, use consistent, well-defined measures (or their carefully researched equivalents) to keep ritual intent accurate and avoid arbitrary substitutions.