Shloka 40

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and Dāna as the Soul’s True Companion on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

यो धर्मशीलो जितमानरोषो विद्याविनीतो न परोपतापी / स्वदारतुष्टः परदारदूरःस वै नरो नो भुवि वन्दनीयः

Transliteration

yo dharmaśīlo jitamānaroṣo vidyāvinīto na paropatāpī / svadāratuṣṭaḥ paradāradūraḥsa vai naro no bhuvi vandanīyaḥ

Translation

مَن كان مُلازِمًا للدهرما، مستقيم السيرة، قد قهر الكِبر والغضب، مهذَّبًا بالعلم ومنضبطًا، لا يُؤذي الآخرين؛ راضيًا بزوجته هو، بعيدًا عن زوجات الناس—فذلك الرجل وحده جديرٌ حقًّا بالتبجيل على هذه الأرض.

Word by Word

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ya (य-प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम

• dharma-śīlaḥ: of righteous conduct
• dharma-śīlaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of yaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (धर्म-प्रातिपदिक) + śīla (शील-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (dharme śīlam yasya / dharma-śīla), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• jita-māna-roṣaḥ: having conquered pride and anger
• jita-māna-roṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita (जित-प्रातिपदिक; √ji (जि-धातु) क्त) + māna (मान-प्रातिपदिक) + roṣa (रोष-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (mānaṃ ca roṣaṃ ca jitaḥ), क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vidyā-vinītaḥ: disciplined by learning
• vidyā-vinītaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidyā (विद्या-प्रातिपदिक) + vinīta (विनीत-प्रातिपदिक; √nī (नी-धातु) क्त with vi)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (vidyayā vinītaḥ), क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• para-upatāpī: one who troubles others
• para-upatāpī: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (पर-प्रातिपदिक) + upatāpin (उपतापिन्-प्रातिपदिक; √tap (तप्-धातु) णिनि/इनि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (parān upatāpayati), इनि/णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sva-dāra-tuṣṭaḥ: content with his own wife
• sva-dāra-tuṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (स्व-प्रातिपदिक) + dāra (दार-प्रातिपदिक) + tuṣṭa (तुष्ट-प्रातिपदिक; √tuṣ (तुष्-धातु) क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (svadāreṣu tuṣṭaḥ), क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• para-dāra-dūraḥ: far from others' wives
• para-dāra-dūraḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (पर-प्रातिपदिक) + dāra (दार-प्रातिपदिक) + dūra (दूर-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (paradārebhyaḥ dūraḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

• naraḥ: man/person
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (नर-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• naḥ: for us/our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor: for us)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive) बहुवचन/अस्माकम्-अर्थे; enclitic form ‘naḥ’

• bhuvi: on earth
• bhuvi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (भू-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• vandanīyaḥ: worthy of reverence
• vandanīyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vand (वन्द्-धातु) + anīya (अनीय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अनीय-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be praised/saluted’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma is embodied as self-control (manaḥ/roṣa-jaya), vidyā-vinaya, ahiṃsā/non-oppression, and fidelity (svadāra-tuṣṭi; parastrī-dūra).

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi (purification of mind) as the ground for higher knowledge; yama-niyama-like virtues supporting sattva.

Application: Practice anger management, humility, and non-harming speech/action; cultivate fidelity and clear boundaries; pursue learning that produces vinaya (discipline), not arrogance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: general world

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dharma-ācāra sections praising dama (self-restraint), ahiṃsā, and brahmacarya-like restraint (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of self-control (conquering pride and anger) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents mastery over pride (māna) and anger (roṣa) as core marks of a dharmic person; such inner restraint prevents harm to others and supports a life that is considered worthy of reverence.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s wider theme of consequences after death?

In the Preta Kanda’s moral framework, virtues like non-harming and sexual restraint are safeguards against sinful actions that lead to suffering under Yama’s justice; the verse summarizes the character traits that keep one aligned with dharma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice non-harming in speech and action, cultivate anger-management and humility, and uphold fidelity and clear boundaries—these are presented here as the everyday signs of a truly respectable, dharmic life.