Shloka 21
Nīti on Friendship (Mitra), Discretion, Restraint, Health-Regimens, Prosperity (Śrī), and Family Dharma
सधनो हि तपस्वी च दूरतो वै कृतश्रमः / मद्यप स्त्री सतीत्येवं विप्र न श्रद्दधाम्यहम्
sadhano hi tapasvī ca dūrato vai kṛtaśramaḥ / madyapa strī satītyevaṃ vipra na śraddadhāmyaham
O brāhmaṇa, I do not believe these claims—that an ascetic is truly wealthy, that toil can be undone from afar, or that a woman who drinks liquor is ‘chaste’ (satī).
Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda; the line itself addresses a brāhmaṇa as ‘vipra’ within the teaching)
Concept: Do not accept inverted claims that contradict dharma and lived reality; discernment (viveka) is required in judging character and statements.
Vedantic Theme: Viveka against viparyaya (inverted cognition); sattvic discrimination guards against delusion.
Application: Verify claims; do not romanticize contradictions (e.g., ‘wealthy ascetic’ as a blanket claim, ‘effort undone at distance’, ‘intoxication compatible with chastity’)—judge by conduct and consistency.
Primary Rasa: hasya
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: sadachara and character-evaluation passages; warnings about intoxication and moral decline (general thematic link).
FAQs
This verse stresses that not every claim deserves acceptance; dharmic life requires discriminating between true virtue and misleading labels.
It reinforces that outward titles (like ‘ascetic’ or ‘chaste’) are not sufficient; conduct and truth determine spiritual credibility.
Evaluate character by consistent behavior, not by reputation or convenient redefinitions of virtue; avoid normalizing harmful habits as ‘acceptable’.