Shloka 14

Characteristics of the King and His Servants

Rāja-dharma, Nīti, and Ethical Revenue

Devanagari script

एतदर्थं हि कुर्वन्ति राजानो धनसञ्चयम् / रक्षयित्वा तु चात्मानं यद्धनं तद्द्विजातये

Transliteration

etadarthaṃ hi kurvanti rājāno dhanasañcayam / rakṣayitvā tu cātmānaṃ yaddhanaṃ taddvijātaye

Translation

Wahrlich, zu eben diesem Zweck häufen Könige Reichtum an: Haben sie sich selbst geschützt, so soll das verbleibende Vermögen den Dvijas als heilige Gabe dargebracht werden.

Word by Word

• एतदर्थम्: for this purpose
• एतदर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (एतस्य अर्थः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• कुर्वन्ति: do, make
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• धनसञ्चयम्: accumulation of wealth
• धनसञ्चयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + सञ्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (धनस्य सञ्चयः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रक्षयित्वा: having protected
• रक्षयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having protected)

• तु: but, however
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय निपात (contrastive particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आत्मानम्: oneself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative)

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karta/Karma (Correlative; context: that wealth)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्-सम्बन्ध (correlative)

• द्विजातये: for the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजातये: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Royal wealth-accumulation is justified for protection; remaining wealth should be offered to the twice-born as dāna, aligning artha with dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Artha subordinated to dharma; purification of possession through dāna reduces attachment and supports sattva.

Application: Earn and save responsibly for security, then practice structured giving to education, spiritual institutions, and public welfare; treat surplus as stewardship, not entitlement.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: kingdom/treasury/royal court

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dāna and brāhmaṇa-sustenance motifs (general parallel motifs)

Characters & Entities

• Kings
• Dvijati (twice-born)

FAQs

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

This verse frames wealth as purposeful: after ensuring protection and stability, surplus wealth should be directed toward dharmic giving—here, specifically to qualified dvija—so it becomes a means of merit rather than mere possession.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

While not describing the post-death journey directly, it supports a core Garuda Purana theme: righteous actions like dana shape one’s punya, which influences one’s fate after death and the quality of one’s onward passage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain financial security responsibly, then treat surplus as a tool for dharma—support genuine learning, spiritual service, and ethical causes through disciplined, intentional giving.