Shloka 71

Nīti-saṅgraha: Conduct, Association, Kali-yuga Decline, and the Supremacy of Vidyā

Devanagari script

स्थानस्थितस्य पद्मस्य मित्रे वरुणभास्करौ / स्थानच्युतस्य तस्यैव क्लेदशोषणकारकौ

Transliteration

sthānasthitasya padmasya mitre varuṇabhāskarau / sthānacyutasya tasyaiva kledaśoṣaṇakārakau

Translation

اللوتسُ إذا ثبت في موضعه، فإن مِترا وڤارونا والشمس يمدّونه بالعون؛ فإذا زُحزِح ذلك اللوتس عن مكانه، صارت القوى نفسها سببًا في تجفيف رطوبته.

Word by Word

• स्थानस्थितस्य: of (that) staying in its place
• स्थानस्थितस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त; स्था धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्थाने स्थितस्य)

• पद्मस्य: of the lotus
• पद्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• मित्रे: two friends
• मित्रे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), द्विवचन

• वरुणभास्करौ: Varuṇa and the Sun
• वरुणभास्करौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास

• स्थानच्युतस्य: of (that) fallen from its place
• स्थानच्युतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक) + च्युत (कृदन्त; च्यु धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्थानात् च्युतस्य)

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण/emphasis)

• क्लेदशोषणकारकौ: causing drying up of moisture
• क्लेदशोषणकारकौ: Karta-puraka (Predicate adjective/कर्तृपूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लेद (प्रातिपदिक) + शोषण (कृदन्त; शुष् धातु, ल्युट्) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (क्लेदस्य शोषणं कुर्वन्तौ)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Alignment with one’s proper station (sthāna) invites support; deviation invites drying/decay—cosmic order is impartial.

Vedantic Theme: Ṛta/dharma as harmonizing principle; consequences arise from misalignment, not personal malice; nature mirrors moral causality.

Application: Stay grounded in one’s responsibilities and ethical boundaries; avoid environments that undermine virtue; recognize that ‘helpful’ forces can become harsh when conditions change.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: waterbody

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): emphasis on dharma as ‘sthiti’ (stability) and adharma as ‘chyuti’ (fall) leading to suffering

Characters & Entities

• Mitra
• Varuna
• Bhaskara (Surya)

FAQs

What is the importance of the lotus analogy in Garuda Purana?

It illustrates that when a being abides in its proper dharmic position, sustaining cosmic forces support it; when it deviates, those same forces manifest as hardship and loss.

How does this verse explain karmic consequence?

It frames consequence as intrinsic to order: the same divine principles that nourish a life aligned with dharma can, when one is 'displaced,' result in drying up—symbolizing decline due to misalignment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Stay rooted in one’s duties and ethical conduct; stability in right action sustains wellbeing, while abandoning responsibilities invites predictable deterioration in life and character.