Shloka 102

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

नदी बहूदका शाकमृत्पर्णानि समित्कुशाः / आग्नेयो ब्रह्मघोषश्च विप्राणां धनमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

nadī bahūdakā śākamṛtparṇāni samitkuśāḥ / āgneyo brahmaghoṣaśca viprāṇāṃ dhanamuttamam

Translation

Für Brahmanen sind die höchsten Reichtümer: ein wasserreicher Fluss; Gemüse und essbares Grün; Erde und Blätter für heilige Zwecke; Brennholz und Kuśa-Gras für die Riten; das heilige Feuer Agnis; und der vedische Rezitationsklang (brahma-ghoṣa).

Word by Word

• नदी: river
• नदी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• बहूदका: having much water
• बहूदका: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (नदी-विशेषण)

• शाक: vegetables/greens
• शाक: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मृत्: clay/earth
• मृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पर्णानि: leaves
• पर्णानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• समित्: fuel-stick (for fire)
• समित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कुशाः: kuśa grass
• कुशाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• आग्नेयः: Agneya (a kind of offering/thing related to Agni)
• आग्नेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मघोषः: Vedic recitation/chanting of Brahman (sacred sound)
• ब्रह्मघोषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + घोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

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

• विप्राणाम्: of the Brahmins
• विप्राणाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• धनम्: wealth/valuable possession
• धनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: best/supreme
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (धन-विशेषण)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True wealth for a Brahmana is ritual-sustaining, non-possessive resources and Vedic sound rather than hoarded property.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda-prāmāṇya and sattvic living: purity of means supports clarity for brahma-jñāna; external supports are subordinate to Vedic wisdom.

Application: Value and protect water sources; maintain simple stores for rites (kuśa, samit); prioritize study/recitation and teaching over accumulation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: natural feature

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213 (context: brāhmaṇa-vṛtti, acceptance of gifts, prāyaścitta)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmanas (Vipras)
• Agni (sacred fire)

FAQs

What is the importance of brahmaghoṣa (Vedic recitation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats brahmaghoṣa as “highest wealth,” implying that Vedic sound and correct chanting are central supports of dharma and the effectiveness of rites performed by vipras.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals like śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna?

Items named here—river water, kuśa, samit, and agni—are core ritual supports, and the verse frames them as the true resources enabling Brahmanas to conduct śrāddha-related ceremonies properly.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Value and support authentic learning, chanting, and simple ritual purity (clean water, sacred grass, fire/lamps) rather than viewing “wealth” only as money—especially when arranging priest-led rites.