Shloka 20

Devanagari script

वश्यश्च पुर्त्रेर्ऽथ करी च विद्या अरोगिता सज्जनसङ्गतिश्च / इष्टा च भार्या वशवर्तिनी च दुः खस्य मूलोद्धरणानि पञ्च

Transliteration

vaśyaśca purtrer'tha karī ca vidyā arogitā sajjanasaṅgatiśca / iṣṭā ca bhāryā vaśavartinī ca duḥ khasya mūloddharaṇāni pañca

Translation

Fünf Dinge reißen die Wurzel des Kummers aus: ein gehorsamer Sohn; wahrhaft nützlicher Reichtum; Wissen; gute Gesundheit; der Umgang mit Tugendhaften; und eine geliebte Frau, hingebungsvoll und in Harmonie.

Word by Word

• वश्यः: obedient, controllable
• वश्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (विशेषण; ‘obedient/tractable’)

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

• पुत्रैः: by/with sons
• पुत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• अर्थः: wealth, means
• अर्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• करी: elephant-cow (female elephant)
• करी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

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

• विद्या: knowledge, learning
• विद्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• अरोगिता: health, freedom from disease
• अरोगिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-रोगिता (प्रातिपदिक; अ(नञ्)+रोगिता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष

• सज्जनसङ्गतिः: company of good people
• सज्जनसङ्गतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्-जन-सङ्गति (प्रातिपदिक; सज्जन+सङ्गति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘सज्जनानां सङ्गतिः’ (genitive-tatpurusha)

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

• इष्टा: desired, beloved
• इष्टा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → इष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

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

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• वशवर्तिनी: obedient, compliant
• वशवर्तिनी: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वश-वर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक; वश+वर्तिन्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘वशे वर्तते’ (locative-tatpurusha)

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

• दुःखस्य: of suffering
• दुःखस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• मूलोद्धरणानि: uprootings (remedies) at the root
• मूलोद्धरणानि: Karta (Predicate-nominative/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल-उद्धरण (प्रातिपदिक; मूल+उद्धरण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘मूलस्य उद्धरणानि’ (genitive-tatpurusha)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकरूप; अत्र प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थे (विशेषण)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sorrow is reduced by reliable supports: good progeny/discipline, useful wealth, learning, health, virtuous company, and marital concord.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva as a basis for clarity and reduced duhkha; right supports prepare the mind for higher pursuit.

Application: Invest in education and health, cultivate sat-sanga, earn and use wealth responsibly, raise children with discipline, and nurture mutual devotion in marriage.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.115 (lists of causes/remedies in niti style)

FAQs

What is the importance of satsanga (company of the virtuous) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse lists sajjana-saṅgati as a key factor that uproots sorrow at its root, implying that virtuous association stabilizes conduct, clarity, and dharmic decision-making.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

Indirectly: by emphasizing dharmic supports in embodied life—health, knowledge, and good company—it points to the conditions that strengthen right action (karma) and reduce causes of future suffering.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize health and learning, keep close to ethically grounded communities, cultivate harmonious family responsibilities, and seek wealth that is used rightly—these are presented as antidotes to recurring distress.