Shloka 22

Viṣṇv-ekapūjya-nirṇaya; Gaṅgā-Viṣṇupadī-māhātmya; Kali-yuga doṣa; Puṣkara-dharma of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

दीर्घं तक्रं स्वादुहीनं कडूष्टणमेते सर्वे कलिभार्याप्रियाश्च / सुदुर्मुखं निन्दनं चार्यजानां सतोवमत्यात्मजानां प्रसह्य

Transliteration

dīrghaṃ takraṃ svāduhīnaṃ kaḍūṣṭaṇamete sarve kalibhāryāpriyāśca / sudurmukhaṃ nindanaṃ cāryajānāṃ satovamatyātmajānāṃ prasahya

Translation

في عصر كالي يميل الناس إلى تفضيل لبن المخيض الحامض (تَكْرَ) الذي يُحفظ طويلًا—بلا طعم، مُرًّا ولاذعًا. ويستطيبون كذلك الخشونة: طبعًا قبيحًا سيّئ الأدب، وذمّ الأشراف، والسبَّ الوقح لأقارب المرء وأبنائه قسرًا وبلا حياء.

Word by Word

• dīrgham: long (kept long)
• dīrgham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• takram: buttermilk
• takram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: takra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• svādu-hīnam: devoid of sweetness
• svādu-hīnam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svādu (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ‘svādu-rahitam’ (नञ्/अभावार्थ-तत्पुरुष)

• kaḍūṣṭaṇam: pungent/harsh seasoning (kaḍūṣṭaṇa)
• kaḍūṣṭaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaḍūṣṭaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• kali-bhāryā-priyāḥ: dear to Kali’s wife
• kali-bhāryā-priyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kali (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; ‘kaleḥ bhāryāyāḥ priyāḥ’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• su-durmukham: very ill-mouthed/very rude
• su-durmukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + durmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; intensifier su-

• nindanām: censure/abuse
• nindanām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nindanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• ārya-jānām: of noble people
• ārya-jānām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārya (प्रातिपदिक) + jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural; ‘āryāṇāṃ janānām’ (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष sense: noble people)

• sataḥ: of/from the good (person)
• sataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive/Ablative (षष्ठी/पञ्चमी), Singular

• vamati: vomits/spits out
• vamati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vam (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• ātma-jānām: of one’s own children
• ātma-jānām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural; ‘ātmano jānām’ = one’s own children (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• prasahya: forcibly
• prasahya: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra + √sah (धातु) → prasahya (अव्यय/कृदन्त)
• Form: Gerund/absolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे ल्यप्), adverbial indeclinable

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kali-yuga inversion: people relish what is unwholesome and delight in adharma—harshness, nindā of the noble, and violence in speech toward one’s own.

Vedantic Theme: Speech and mind as instruments of karma; tamasic/rajasic tendencies obscure sattva and devotion.

Application: Avoid slander and harsh speech; cultivate satya, priya, hita-vākya; choose wholesome diet and habits that support clarity and compassion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.29.21 (unfit offerings/degenerate tastes); Garuda Purana 3.29.23 (karmic consequence/ordeal)

Characters & Entities

• Kali (Kali-yuga)

FAQs

What is the importance of Kali-yuga traits described in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse lists concrete markers of dharmic decline—preference for degraded tastes, harsh speech, and slander—showing how Kali-yuga manifests through everyday habits and interpersonal conduct.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teachings on the soul and consequences after death?

While not describing Yama’s punishments directly, it identifies behaviors (nindā, contempt for the righteous, abuse within family) that generate negative karma—central to the Purana’s afterlife framework where actions shape post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid slander, cultivate respectful speech, and protect family bonds; honoring the virtuous and restraining harshness are presented as simple, daily ways to uphold dharma amid Kali-yuga pressures.