Shloka 16
Nīti-saṅgraha: Conduct, Association, Kali-yuga Decline, and the Supremacy of Vidyā
वणिक्प्रमादी भृकश्च मानी भिक्षुर्विलासी ह्यधनश्च कामी / वराङ्गना चाप्रियवादिनी च न ते च कर्माणि समारभन्ते
vaṇikpramādī bhṛkaśca mānī bhikṣurvilāsī hyadhanaśca kāmī / varāṅganā cāpriyavādinī ca na te ca karmāṇi samārabhante
Der nachlässige Händler, der betrügerische Schurke, der Hochmütige, der genussliebende Bettelmönch, der mittellose und doch von Begierde Getriebene, die Kurtisane und der, der hart spricht — solche Menschen beginnen wahrhaftig keine rechten Taten gemäß dem Dharma.
Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)
Concept: Adharma arises from pramada (negligence), mana (pride), kama (lust), and harsh speech; roles do not guarantee righteousness.
Vedantic Theme: Kleshas (kama, ahankara) and tamas/rajas overpowering sattva; outer ashrama/vesha without inner purification is hollow.
Application: Audit one’s motives: reduce negligence, pride, indulgence, and harsh speech; align livelihood and conduct with integrity.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: social landscape (town/market/monastic setting implied)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: satpurusha-lakshana vs durjana-lakshana lists in niti/dharma portions
FAQs
This verse highlights that inner faults—negligence, pride, indulgence, lust, and harsh speech—block a person from sincerely beginning and sustaining dharmic actions.
By stressing that dharmic action depends on character, it implies that a life driven by careless or unethical tendencies weakens one’s karmic foundation, which later shapes one’s post-death trajectory described elsewhere in the Garuda Purana.
Cultivate steadiness (avoid pramāda), humility (drop māna), restraint (control kāma), and kind speech—so daily duties, worship, and service are performed sincerely and consistently.