Shloka 59

Nīti on Friendship (Mitra), Discretion, Restraint, Health-Regimens, Prosperity (Śrī), and Family Dharma

Devanagari script

लालयेत्पञ्च वर्षाणि दश वर्षाणि ताडयेत् / प्राप्ते तु षोडशे वर्षे पुत्रं मित्रवदाचरेत्

Transliteration

lālayetpañca varṣāṇi daśa varṣāṇi tāḍayet / prāpte tu ṣoḍaśe varṣe putraṃ mitravadācaret

Translation

For five years one should cherish the child; for the next ten years one should discipline him; but when the sixteenth year is reached, one should treat the son as a friend.

Word by Word

• लालयेत्: should fondle/cherish
• लालयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लल् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; धातु: लल् (लालन/पालन)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः) वर्षाणि इति विशेष्यस्य संख्या

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचनम्

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः) वर्षाणि इति विशेष्यस्य संख्या

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचनम्

• ताडयेत्: should punish/beat
• ताडयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; धातु: ताड् (ताडन)

• प्राप्ते: when (it is) reached/attained
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; ‘प्राप्ते (काले)’ = when (it is) reached

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः/अवधारणार्थक-समुच्चयार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• षोडशे: in the sixteenth
• षोडशे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; वर्षे इति विशेष्ये

• वर्षे: year
• वर्षे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम्

• मित्रवत्: like a friend
• मित्रवत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः (वत्-प्रत्ययान्तम्, manner-adverb): ‘मित्रस्य इव’

• आचरेत्: should behave (towards)
• आचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; धातु: आचर् (आचरण)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Age-appropriate parenting: affection in early years, discipline in formative years, friendship in youth.

Vedantic Theme: Cultivation of sattva and saṃskāra; shaping the mind toward dharma before passions harden.

Application: Use staged upbringing: nurture early, set boundaries and habits in school-age years, then shift to mentorship and dialogue in adolescence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.114 (nīti/dharma-śikṣā context)

Characters & Entities

• Putra (son)

FAQs

What is the importance of age-based discipline in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents a dharmic progression—early nurturing, then firm correction, and finally respectful friendship—so that character is formed without breaking trust as maturity arrives.

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

Indirectly, it supports the Purana’s larger ethic: right conduct (dharma) in family life shapes virtue and reduces harmful karma, which the text later connects to post-death consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Give young children warmth and security, set clear boundaries as they grow, and treat adolescents with dignity and dialogue—guiding them as responsible equals rather than controlling them.