Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

सञ्चितं क्रतुशतैर्न युज्यते याचितं गुणवते न दीयते / तत्कदर्यपरिरक्षितं धनं चोरपार्थिवगृहे प्रयुज्यते

Transliteration

sañcitaṃ kratuśatairna yujyate yācitaṃ guṇavate na dīyate / tatkadaryaparirakṣitaṃ dhanaṃ corapārthivagṛhe prayujyate

Translation

Das angehäufte Vermögen wird nicht einmal für Hunderte von Opfern (Yajña) verwendet; bittet ein Würdiger darum, wird es nicht gegeben. Dieses Geld, geizig bewacht, wird am Ende im Haus eines Diebes oder im Haus des Königs ausgegeben.

Word by Word

• सञ्चितम्: accumulated
• सञ्चितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + चि (धातु) → सञ्चित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे (that which is accumulated)

• क्रतुशतैः: by hundreds of sacrifices
• क्रतुशतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु + शत (प्रातिपदिक); क्रतु-शत
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्रतूनां शतम्)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• युज्यते: is used, is applied
• युज्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is employed/used)

• याचितम्: begged for
• याचितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याच् (धातु) → याचित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (that which is begged for)

• गुणवते: to a worthy/virtuous person
• गुणवते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• दीयते: is given
• दीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (is given)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (धनम् इति)

• कदर्यपरिरक्षितम्: guarded by a miser / miser-protected
• कदर्यपरिरक्षितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कदर्य + परि + रक्ष् (धातु) → परिरक्षित (कृदन्त); कदर्य-परिरक्षित
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (कदर्येण परिरक्षितम्)

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चोरपार्थिवगृहे: in the house of a thief or a king
• चोरपार्थिवगृहे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर + पार्थिव + गृह (प्रातिपदिक); चोर-पार्थिव-गृह
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चोरस्य पार्थिवस्य च गृहे)

• प्रयुज्यते: is utilized
• प्रयुज्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is put to use)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa / Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Wealth hoarded and withheld from worthy recipients is not truly ‘possessed’; it will be diverted to thieves or state exactions.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā of possessions; aparigraha/tyāga as purification; artha subordinated to dharma.

Application: Allocate wealth to dharmic ends (charity, sacrifice/ritual duty, community welfare); avoid hoarding beyond need.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ethical discourse (general human world)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: artha-dharma discussions and dāna-prasaṃsā in Pretakalpa-related moral sections

Characters & Entities

• Thief (cora)
• King/Ruler (pārthiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that wealth gains meaning when used for dharmic purposes—supporting the worthy and sacred acts—otherwise it is wasted and ultimately taken away.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By warning against miserliness, it implies that unused wealth does not aid one’s spiritual progress; dharmic giving supports merit (puṇya) that accompanies the soul, unlike hoarded money.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Don’t hoard resources out of fear—regularly allocate earnings to charity, community support, and meaningful duties, so wealth becomes merit rather than a cause of regret and loss.