Shloka 27

Nīti-saṅgraha: Conduct, Association, Kali-yuga Decline, and the Supremacy of Vidyā

Devanagari script

शत जीवितमत्यल्पं रात्रिस्तस्यार्धहारिणी / व्याधिशोकजरायासैरर्धं तदपि निष्फलम्

Transliteration

śata jīvitamatyalpaṃ rātristasyārdhahāriṇī / vyādhiśokajarāyāsairardhaṃ tadapi niṣphalam

Translation

Even a hundred-year lifespan is extremely short; night itself steals away half of it. Of what remains, even that half becomes fruitless through disease, grief, old age, and exhaustion.

Word by Word

• शतम्: a hundred (years)
• शतम्: Measure (परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘hundred (years)’ (आयुः-परिमाणे)

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अति-अल्पम्: very little
• अति-अल्पम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + अल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः ‘अत्यल्पम्’ = very small

• रात्रिः: night
• रात्रिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तस्य: of it/of that (life)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अर्धहारिणी: taking away half
• अर्धहारिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + हारिणी (कृदन्त; √हृ धातु, णिनि-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘अर्धं हरति’ इति उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयभावः; रात्रेः विशेषणम्

• व्याधिशोकजरायासैः: by disease, grief, old age, and toil
• व्याधिशोकजरायासैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक) + शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + जरा (प्रातिपदिक) + आयास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• अर्धम्: half
• अर्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Anaphoric (अनुवाद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘अर्धम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/अनुवादक

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) ‘also/even’

• निष्फलम्: fruitless
• निष्फलम्: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणं (अर्धं…निष्फलम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda / Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even a century is ‘aty-alpa’ when half is lost to night and the rest is eroded by disease, sorrow, old age, and toil—therefore do not postpone the higher aim.

Vedantic Theme: Kāla-vaśyatā (subjection to time) and duḥkha-doṣa-darśana (seeing the defects of saṃsāra) as impetus toward vairāgya and sādhanā.

Application: Use waking hours intentionally: daily spiritual practice, ethical duties, and health discipline; reduce procrastination in what truly matters.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: universal/gnomic (time-focused)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana reflections on kāla, jarā, vyādhi, and the need for dharma/bhakti before death (theme-parallel)

FAQs

What is the importance of understanding the brevity of life in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that most of life is lost to sleep and unavoidable suffering, so one should prioritize dharma, devotion, and meritorious acts rather than postponing spiritual practice.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana’s broader message?

By highlighting how quickly life passes, it supports the text’s larger warning: the soul faces consequences after death, so preparing through dharma and right conduct must happen now, not later.

What is a practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat time as scarce: reduce wasteful habits, cultivate ethical living, daily remembrance of the divine, charity/service, and conscious preparation for death through dharmic choices.