Shloka 69
Haristuti-saṅgraha: Devatā–Ṛṣi Praṇāma, Nāma-māhātmya, and Vairāgya from Deha-āsakti
वैश्यादिकेषु धनिकेषु परा च शक्तिः सद्ब्राह्मणेष्वपि न शक्तिरहो मुरारे
vaiśyādikeṣu dhanikeṣu parā ca śaktiḥ sadbrāhmaṇeṣvapi na śaktiraho murāre
بين الأغنياء كأمثال الفيشيا توجد قوّة عظيمة حقًّا؛ ولكن حتى بين البراهمة الصالحين لا توجد مثل تلك القوّة—وا أسفاه، يا مُراري (فيشنو)!
Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu (Murari)
Concept: Worldly power tends to follow wealth rather than virtue; the devotee laments the eclipse of spiritual authority and seeks divine redress.
Vedantic Theme: Artha-kāma dominance as a symptom of kali-like inversion; need to re-center dharma and sattva.
Application: Honor and support genuine learning and virtue; practice dana to dharmic causes; resist equating status with righteousness.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: critiques of kali-dharma where wealth overrides virtue; exhortations to honor brāhmaṇas and dharma
FAQs
The verse contrasts worldly influence that often follows wealth with the lack of comparable social power even among virtuous Brāhmaṇas, highlighting a tension between material strength and spiritual merit.
By lamenting unequal “śakti” (capacity/influence), it frames a dharmic concern: society may reward wealth more than righteousness, prompting inquiry into what truly sustains dharma—virtue, charity, and divine order.
Do not equate money with moral authority; cultivate integrity and support dharmic learning and service through fair giving, while using resources responsibly rather than as a measure of worth.