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Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

ये बालभावान्न पठन्ति विद्यां ये यौवनस्था ह्यधनात्मदाराः / ते शोचनीया इह जीवलोके मनुष्यरूपेण मृगाश्चरन्ति

Transliteration

ye bālabhāvānna paṭhanti vidyāṃ ye yauvanasthā hyadhanātmadārāḥ / te śocanīyā iha jīvaloke manuṣyarūpeṇa mṛgāścaranti

Translation

Wer in der Kindheit aus kindischem Sinn nicht lernt, und wer, obwohl in der Jugend, ohne Besitz und ohne Selbstzucht (oder ohne Verantwortung für die Familie) lebt—der ist in dieser Welt der Lebenden zu beklagen, denn in Menschengestalt streift er wie ein Tier umher.

Word by Word
येthose who
ये:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)
बाल-भावात्from childhood (due to childish state)
बाल-भावात्:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootबाल (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; (Masculine, Ablative, Singular)
नnot
न:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय
पठन्तिstudy/read
पठन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√पठ् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; (Present, 3rd person, Plural)
विद्याम्knowledge
विद्याम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootविद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)
येthose who
ये:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)
यौवन-स्थाःsituated in youth
यौवन-स्थाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootयौवन (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)
अधन-आत्म-दाराः(having) no wealth, self, and wife (i.e., bereft of wealth and family)
अधन-आत्म-दाराः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअधन (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)
तेthey
ते:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)
शोचनीयाःto be lamented
शोचनीयाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootशोचनीय (कृदन्त; √शुच्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भाव्य/अर्हार्थक कृदन्त (अनीयर्), (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'to be lamented')
इहhere
इह:
Desha-adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)
जीव-लोकेin the world of living beings
जीव-लोके:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootजीव (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (Masculine, Locative, Singular)
मनुष्य-रूपेणin human form
मनुष्य-रूपेण:
Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)
मृगाःanimals, deer (beasts)
मृगाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमृग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)
चरन्तिwander, live
चरन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√चर् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; (Present, 3rd person, Plural)
Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human life without learning in childhood and without responsible self-restraint/means in youth is a squandered incarnation—mere animality in human form.

Vedantic Theme: Durlabha-mānuṣa-janma and adhikāra: human birth is for dharma and higher aims; ignorance and indiscipline degrade consciousness.

Application: Prioritize education early; in youth cultivate livelihood skills, self-control, and responsibility toward dependents; avoid addictive/impulsive living.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: human society

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated emphasis on using human birth for dharma and higher goals (general)

FAQs

This verse frames learning as a core duty of human life: neglecting study in childhood is portrayed as a loss of the distinct purpose of human birth, reducing one to mere instinct-driven living.

Indirectly, it emphasizes that the soul’s progress depends on dharmic cultivation (knowledge and self-control). A life spent like an animal—without discipline and responsibility—fails to build the inner qualifications associated with higher destinies.

Invest early in education and character, and in youth cultivate self-discipline and responsible livelihood—so human life is used for conscious growth rather than mere consumption and impulse.

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