Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

मनो ऽनुकूलाः प्रमदारूपवत्यः स्वलङ्कृताः / वसः प्रासादपृष्ठेषु स्वर्गः स्याच्छुभकर्मणः

Transliteration

mano 'nukūlāḥ pramadārūpavatyaḥ svalaṅkṛtāḥ / vasaḥ prāsādapṛṣṭheṣu svargaḥ syācchubhakarmaṇaḥ

Translation

Wer heilsame, glückverheißende Taten vollbracht hat, erlangt den Himmel: Dort sind Gefährtinnen wie Jungfrauen, schön geschmückt und dem Geist angenehm, und man weilt auf den Terrassen prächtiger Paläste.

Word by Word

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

• अनुकूलाः: favorable, pleasing
• अनुकूलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुकूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• प्रमदा-रूपवत्यः: women having lovely forms
• प्रमदा-रूपवत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमदा (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Feminine, Nominative, Plural)

• सु-लङ्कृताः: well-adorned
• सु-लङ्कृताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + लङ्कृत (कृदन्त; √लङ्कृ/लङ्कर्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; past participle)

• वसः: dwell (you should live)
• वसः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (Imperative, 2nd person, Singular)

• प्रासाद-पृष्ठेषु: on the terraces/rooftops of palaces
• प्रासाद-पृष्ठेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; (Neuter, Locative, Plural)

• स्वर्गः: heaven
• स्वर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• स्यात्: would be / may be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (संभावना/विधान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; (Optative, 3rd person, Singular)

• शुभ-कर्मणः: of good deeds
• शुभ-कर्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (कर्मन्), षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; (Neuter, Genitive, Singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śubha-karma yields svarga with refined enjoyments and elevated dwelling.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala as finite heavenly enjoyment (bhoga) distinct from mokṣa; reinforces the law of moral causality.

Application: Cultivate śubha-karmas (charity, worship, restraint) with awareness that their fruit is pleasurable yet impermanent.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial city/palace terraces (prāsāda-pṛṣṭha)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta/Phala sections): general svarga-phala descriptions of punya; Garuda Purana: contrasts of svarga vs naraka fruits in adjacent didactic passages

FAQs

What is the importance of śubha karma (auspicious deeds) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that auspicious actions yield pleasant post-death results—attainment of Svarga with refined enjoyments and elevated dwellings—showing that karma directly shapes one’s afterlife experience.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It presents the karmic outcome for the meritorious: the soul experiences Svarga as a result of punya, enjoying celestial comforts, implying a results-based journey governed by one’s deeds.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate śubha karma—ethical conduct, generosity, and dharmic living—since the text frames such actions as producing uplifting consequences beyond this life.