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Shloka 22

Nīti for Calamity, Wealth, Friendship, Charity, and Restraint of Kāma

Devanagari script

यदर्जितं प्राणहरैः परिश्रमैर्मृतस्य तं वै विभजन्तिरिक्थिनः / कृतं च यद्दुष्कृतमर्थलिप्सया तदेव दोषोपहतस्य यौतुकम्

Transliteration

yadarjitaṃ prāṇaharaiḥ pariśramairmṛtasya taṃ vai vibhajantirikthinaḥ / kṛtaṃ ca yadduṣkṛtamarthalipsayā tadeva doṣopahatasya yautukam

Translation

Welches Vermögen auch immer durch lebenszehrende Mühen erworben wurde—wenn der Mensch stirbt, teilen es die Erben wahrlich unter sich. Doch das Böse, das er aus Gier nach Reichtum tat, das allein wird zur „Mitgift“ (yautuka), die der vom Fehltritt Getroffene ins Jenseits mitnimmt.

Word by Word
यत्that which
यत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'that which'
अर्जितम्earned
अर्जितम्:
Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √अर्ज् (धातु) + क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त = 'earned'
प्राणlife-breath
प्राण:
Qualifier (विशेषण-पूर्वपद)
TypeNoun
Rootप्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद
हरैःlife-taking
हरैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootहर (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √हृ (धातु) + अच्/ण्वुल्-भाव)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; 'taking away' (qualifies परिश्रमैः)
प्राणहरैःby life-draining
प्राणहरैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्राण + हर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (प्राणान् हरन्ति ये)
परिश्रमैःby exertions/toils
परिश्रमैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootपरिश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन
मृतस्यof the dead person
मृतस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootमृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मृ (धातु) + क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; 'of the dead (man)'
तम्that (wealth)
तम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
वैindeed
वै:
Emphasis (निश्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)
विभजन्तिdivide/distribute
विभजन्ति:
Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवि + √भज् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
रिक्थिनःheirs
रिक्थिनः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootरिक्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'heirs'
कृतम्done
कृतम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) + क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; 'done (deed)'
चand
च:
Connector (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
यत्that which
यत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
दुष्कृतम्wrongdoing
दुष्कृतम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदुष्कृत (प्रातिपदिक; दुष् + कृत)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'evil deed'
अर्थwealth/aim
अर्थ:
Qualifier (विशेषण-पूर्वपद)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद
लिप्सयाby desire/greed
लिप्सया:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootलिप्सा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; 'by desire/greed'
अर्थलिप्सयाby greed for wealth
अर्थलिप्सया:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ + लिप्सा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अर्थस्य लिप्सा)
तत्that
तत्:
Anaphoric (संदर्भ)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
एवonly/indeed
एव:
Emphasis (अवधारण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (only/just)
दोषfault/sin
दोष:
Qualifier (विशेषण-पूर्वपद)
TypeNoun
Rootदोष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद
उपहतस्यof the afflicted
उपहतस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootउपहत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; उप + √हन् (धातु) + क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; 'of one who is afflicted'
दोषोपहतस्यof one struck by faults/sins
दोषोपहतस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootदोष + उपहत (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (दोषेण उपहतः / दोषैः उपहतः)
यौतुकम्inheritance/portion
यौतुकम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयौतुक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'dowry/portion; here: consequence/legacy'
Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worldly wealth earned with life-draining effort is divided by heirs after death; but sins committed for wealth become the only ‘dowry’ carried by the soul—karma alone follows.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-anubandha (bond of action) and asakti-tyaga (renouncing attachment); the body’s labor is finite, but karmic imprint persists.

Application: Earn ethically; avoid harmful shortcuts; practice charity and restraint; regularly contemplate death to correct priorities.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.109.21 (true wealth that follows); Garuda Purana 1.109.23 (hoarding leads to sorrow)

FAQs

It sharply distinguishes between external possessions (which remain in the world and go to heirs) and karmic consequences (which accompany the individual), urging dharmic earning and living.

It states that material wealth is left behind and redistributed, while the moral weight of actions—especially sins driven by greed—becomes the burden carried onward into the post-death journey.

Earn and use wealth ethically, reduce greed-driven choices, and prioritize virtue and charity—because only one’s deeds (not possessions) truly ‘travel’ with one.

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