Shloka 65
Nīti-saṅgraha: Conduct, Association, Kali-yuga Decline, and the Supremacy of Vidyā
अनर्थित्वान्मनुष्याणां भिया परिजनस्य च / अर्थादपेतमर्यादास्त्रयस्तिष्ठन्ति भर्तृषु
anarthitvānmanuṣyāṇāṃ bhiyā parijanasya ca / arthādapetamaryādāstrayastiṣṭhanti bhartṛṣu
Weil die Menschen hilflos sind und ihre Angehörigen in Furcht leben, gibt es drei Arten von Männern, die um des Reichtums willen jede Schranke abwerfen und sich an die klammern, die Macht besitzen.
Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Greed and fear erode maryādā (ethical boundaries), producing sycophancy and predatory attachment to rulers/authorities.
Vedantic Theme: Bandha through artha-tṛṣṇā (bondage by craving for wealth) and bhaya (fear); loss of inner restraint (dama) as a cause of moral fall.
Application: Cultivate independence of conscience; avoid compromising ethics for patronage; build transparent institutions that reduce fear-based dependence.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.115 (nīti aphorisms on artha, bhaya, maryādā)
FAQs
This verse warns that when fear and helplessness dominate, people abandon maryādā for wealth and attach themselves to power; dharma requires keeping moral limits even under pressure.
Indirectly, it highlights the karmic roots of unethical behavior—greed and fear—implying that abandoning restraint for artha creates adverse karmic consequences that affect one’s post-death journey described elsewhere in the Garuda Purana.
Do not let financial insecurity or social pressure justify unethical choices; maintain clear boundaries in dealings with authority, money, and influence.