The Examination of the Indranila (Sapphire)

Verse 1 (garuda.1.72.1)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ तत्रैव सिंहलवधूकरपल्लवाग्रव्यालूनबाललवलीकुसुमप्रवाले ॥ देशे पपात दितिजस्य नितान्तकान्तं प्रोत्फुल्लनीरजसमद्युति नेत्रयुग्मम्

. sūta uvāca . tatraiva siṁhalavadhūkarapallavāgravyālūnabālalavalīkusumapravāle . deśe papāta ditijasya nitāntakāntaṁ protphullanīrajasamadyuti netrayugmam

Suta said: In that very region, where fresh lavali blossoms are plucked by the fingertip-shoots of Sinhala women, there fell the pair of eyes of that demon — exceedingly lovely, shining like fully blossomed lotuses.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.72.2)

तत्प्रत्ययादुभयशोभनवीचिभासा विस्तारिणी जलनिधेरुपकच्छभूमिः ॥ प्रोद्भिन्नकेतकवनप्रतिबद्धलेखासान्द्रेन्द्रनीलमणिरत्नवती विभाति

tatpratyayādubhayaśobhanavīcibhāsā vistāriṇī jalanidherupakacchabhūmiḥ . prodbhinnaketakavanapratibaddhalekhāsāndrendranīlamaṇiratnavatī vibhāti

For this reason, that coastal region of the ocean, spreading with the beautiful splendor of waves on both sides, marked with lines bound by sprouting ketaki groves, shines dense with sapphire gems.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.72.3)

तत्रासिताब्जहलभृद्वसनासिभृंगशार्ङ्गायुधांगहरकण्ठकषायपुष्पैः ॥ शुष्केतरैश्च कुसुमैर्गिरिकर्णिकायास्तस्माद्भवन्ति मणयः सदृशावभासः

tatrāsitābjahalabhṛdvasanāsibhṛṁgaśārṅgāyudhāṁgaharakaṇṭhakaṣāyapuṣpaiḥ . śuṣketaraiśca kusumairgirikarṇikāyāstasmādbhavanti maṇayaḥ sadṛśāvabhāsaḥ

There arise gems of matching hue — from the blue lotus, Balarama's garment, a sword, a bee, the limbs of the bow-bearer (Vishnu), Yama's throat, and the astringent-colored flowers, both dried and fresh,

Verse 4 (garuda.1.72.4)

अन्ये प्रसन्नपयसः पयसां निधातुरम्बुत्विषः शिखिगणप्रतिमास्तथान्ये ॥ नीलीरसप्रभवबुद्वुदभाश्च केचित्केचित्तथा समदकोकिलकण्ठभासः

anye prasannapayasaḥ payasāṁ nidhāturambutviṣaḥ śikhigaṇapratimāstathānye . nīlīrasaprabhavabudvudabhāśca kecitkecittathā samadakokilakaṇṭhabhāsaḥ

some of the hue of the clear-watered ocean's own light, some like the reflection of a peacock's plumage, some like bubbles arising from indigo-dye, and some like the throat of an intoxicated cuckoo.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.72.5)

एकप्रकारा विस्पष्टवर्णशोभावभासिनः ॥ जायन्ते मणयस्तस्मिन्निन्द्रनीला महागुणाः

ekaprakārā vispaṣṭavarṇaśobhāvabhāsinaḥ . jāyante maṇayastasminnindranīlā mahāguṇāḥ

Of a single kind, radiant with distinct and beautiful color, sapphires of great quality arise there.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.72.6)

मृत्पाषाणशिलारन्ध्रकर्करात्राससंयुताः ॥ अभ्रिकापटलच्छायावर्णदोषैश्च दूषिताः

mṛtpāṣāṇaśilārandhrakarkarātrāsasaṁyutāḥ . abhrikāpaṭalacchāyāvarṇadoṣaiśca dūṣitāḥ

Gems also arise, from that same mine, defiled with the faults of clay, stone, rock-holes, grit, cracks, and a mica-like shadowy hue.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.72.7)

तत एव हि जायन्ते मणयस्तत्र सूरयः ॥ शास्त्रसम्बोधितधियस्तान्प्रशंसन्ति सूरयः

tata eva hi jāyante maṇayastatra sūrayaḥ . śāstrasambodhitadhiyastānpraśaṁsanti sūrayaḥ

From that same source these gems arise; scholars whose understanding has been illumined by scripture praise only the flawless ones.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.72.8)

धार्य्यमाणस्य ये दृष्टा पद्मरागमणेर्गुणाः ॥ धारणादिन्द्रनीलस्य तानेवाप्नोति मानवः

dhāryyamāṇasya ye dṛṣṭā padmarāgamaṇerguṇāḥ . dhāraṇādindranīlasya tānevāpnoti mānavaḥ

Whatever qualities have been observed in the wearer of a padmaraga gem — a person obtains those very same qualities by wearing an indranila.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.72.9)

यथा च पद्मरागाणां जातकत्रितयं भवेत् ॥ इन्द्र नीलेष्वपि तथा द्रष्टव्यमविशेषतः

yathā ca padmarāgāṇāṁ jātakatritayaṁ bhavet . indra nīleṣvapi tathā draṣṭavyamaviśeṣataḥ

And just as there are three counterfeit kinds of padmaraga, so too, without distinction, should it be understood for indranila as well.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.72.10)

परीक्षाप्रत्ययैर्यैश्च पद्मरागः परीक्ष्यते ॥ त एव प्रत्यया दृष्टा इन्द्रनीलमणेरपि

parīkṣāpratyayairyaiśca padmarāgaḥ parīkṣyate . ta eva pratyayā dṛṣṭā indranīlamaṇerapi

The very same tests by which the padmaraga is examined are also seen to apply to the examination of the indranila gem.

Verse 11 (garuda.1.72.11)

यावन्तं च क्रमेदग्निं पद्मरागोपयोगतः ॥ इन्द्रनीलमणिस्तस्मात्क्रमेत सुमहत्तरम्

yāvantaṁ ca kramedagniṁ padmarāgopayogataḥ . indranīlamaṇistasmātkrameta sumahattaram

To whatever degree of fire the padmaraga can withstand, the indranila gem can withstand to a much greater degree.

Verse 12 (garuda.1.72.12)

तथापि न परीक्षार्थं गुणानामभि (ति) वृद्धये ॥ मणिरग्नौ समाधेयः कथञ्चिदपि कश्चन

tathāpi na parīkṣārthaṁ guṇānāmabhi (ti) vṛddhaye . maṇiragnau samādheyaḥ kathañcidapi kaścana

Nevertheless, even for the sake of testing to confirm its qualities, no gem should ever, under any circumstance, be placed into fire.

Verse 13 (garuda.1.72.13)

अग्निमात्रापरिज्ञाने दाहदोषैश्च दूषितः ॥ सोऽनर्थाय भवेद्भर्त्तुः कर्त्तुः कारयितुस्तथा

agnimātrāparijñāne dāhadoṣaiśca dūṣitaḥ . so'narthāya bhavedbharttuḥ karttuḥ kārayitustathā

Through ignorance of the proper use of fire, a gem marred by the fault of burning becomes a source of misfortune for its owner, the craftsman, and the one who commissioned the work alike.

Verse 14 (garuda.1.72.14)

काचोत्पलकरवीरस्फटिकाद्या इह बुधैः सवैदूर्य्याः ॥ कथिता विजातय इमे सदृशा मणिनेन्द्रनीलेन

kācotpalakaravīrasphaṭikādyā iha budhaiḥ savaidūryyāḥ . kathitā vijātaya ime sadṛśā maṇinendranīlena

Glass, blue-lotus-colored stone, oleander-colored stone, crystal and the like, together with vaidurya — these are declared by the wise to be counterfeit varieties resembling the indranila gem.

Verse 15 (garuda.1.72.15)

गुरुभावकठिनभावावेतेषां नित्यमेव विज्ञेयौ ॥ काचाद्यथावदुत्तरविवर्द्धमानौ विशेषेण

gurubhāvakaṭhinabhāvāveteṣāṁ nityameva vijñeyau . kācādyathāvaduttaravivarddhamānau viśeṣeṇa

The weight and hardness of these should always be recognized, increasing in due order starting from glass, in particular.

Verse 16 (garuda.1.72.16)

इन्द्रनीलो यथा कश्चिद्विभर्त्त्याताम्रवर्णताम् ॥ रक्षणयौ तथा ताम्रौ करवीरोत्पलावुभौ

indranīlo yathā kaścidvibharttyātāmravarṇatām . rakṣaṇayau tathā tāmrau karavīrotpalāvubhau

Just as a genuine indranila sometimes bears a coppery tinge, so too, as a caution, both the coppery oleander- and lotus-colored imitations should be recognized.

Verse 17 (garuda.1.72.17)

यस्य मध्यगता भाति नीलस्येन्द्रायुधप्रभा ॥ तमिन्द्रनीलमित्याहुर्महार्हं भुवि दुर्लभम्

yasya madhyagatā bhāti nīlasyendrāyudhaprabhā . tamindranīlamityāhurmahārhaṁ bhuvi durlabham

That in whose middle shines a rainbow-like blue radiance — that is called true indranila, exceedingly precious and rare upon the earth.

Verse 18 (garuda.1.72.18)

यस्य वर्णस्य भूयस्त्वात्क्षीरे शतगुणे स्थितः ॥ नीलतां तन्नयेत्सर्वं महानीलः स उच्यते

yasya varṇasya bhūyastvātkṣīre śataguṇe sthitaḥ . nīlatāṁ tannayetsarvaṁ mahānīlaḥ sa ucyate

That whose color is so abundant that, when placed in milk a hundred times its own volume, it turns the whole of it blue — that is called 'Mahanila' (the great blue).

Verse 19 (garuda.1.72.19)

यत्पद्मरागस्य महागुणस्य मूल्यं भवेन्माषसमुन्मितस्य ॥ तदिन्द्रनीलस्य महागुणस्य सुवर्ण संख्याकुलितस्य मूल्यम्

yatpadmarāgasya mahāguṇasya mūlyaṁ bhavenmāṣasamunmitasya . tadindranīlasya mahāguṇasya suvarṇa saṁkhyākulitasya mūlyam

Whatever price a padmaraga of great quality, measured by mashas, would command — the very same is the price of an indranila of great quality, reckoned by the count of gold coins.