Shloka 34

Devanagari script

किं जीवितेन धनमानविवर्जितेन मित्रेण किं भवति भीतिसशङ्कितेन / सिंहव्रतं चरत गच्छत मा विषादं काको ऽपि जीवति चिरं च बलिं च भुङ्क्ते

Transliteration

kiṃ jīvitena dhanamānavivarjitena mitreṇa kiṃ bhavati bhītisaśaṅkitena / siṃhavrataṃ carata gacchata mā viṣādaṃ kāko 'pi jīvati ciraṃ ca baliṃ ca bhuṅkte

Translation

What use is life without wealth and honor? What use is a friend shaken by fear and suspicion? Live with a lion’s resolve—go forward, do not grieve; even a crow lives long and eats its share of the bali-offerings.

Word by Word

• किम्: what? (of what use?)
• किम्: Prayojana/Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun, neuter)

• जीवितेन: with life; by living
• जीवितेन: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• धनमानविवर्जितेन: devoid of wealth and honor
• धनमानविवर्जितेन: Visheshana (Qualifier of जीवितेन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक) + māna (प्रातिपदिक) + vivarjita (कृदन्त; वि+वर्ज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; 'धन' च 'मान' च ताभ्यां विवर्जितः इति (devoid of wealth and honor)

• मित्रेण: with a friend
• मित्रेण: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• किम्: what? (what use?)
• किम्: Prayojana/Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• भवति: is/comes to be
• भवति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भीतिसशङ्कितेन: with one who is fearful/suspicious
• भीतिसशङ्कितेन: Visheshana (Qualifier of मित्रेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīti (प्रातिपदिक) + saśaṅkita (कृदन्त; शङ्क् धातु, क्त; स-उपसर्ग/सहभाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; भीत्या सशङ्कितः (fearful and suspicious)

• सिंहव्रतम्: the lion’s vow (lion-like resolve)
• सिंहव्रतम्: Karma (Object of चरत)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सिंहस्य व्रतम् (lion-like vow/resolve)

• चरत: practice; follow
• चरत: Kriya (Imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• गच्छत: go; proceed
• गच्छत: Kriya (Imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मा: do not
• मा: Nishedha (Prohibition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• विषादम्: despondency; grief
• विषादम्: Karma (Object of implied 'कुरुत/गच्छत' with मा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• काकः: a crow
• काकः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (nominative singular)

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: even/also)

• जीवति: lives
• जीवति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kala-adhikarana (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cira (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• बलिम्: offering; food morsel
• बलिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• भुङ्क्ते: eats; enjoys
• भुङ्क्ते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra; proverbial teaching tone)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Utsaha (lion-like resolve) and avoidance of despair; life gains meaning through honor, purposeful striving, and fearless action rather than timid survival.

Vedantic Theme: Purushartha-viveka; tamas (vishada) as a binding tendency to be overcome by sattvic courage.

Application: Choose courageous, value-aligned action; avoid fear-driven alliances; cultivate resilience and self-respect in livelihood and duty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.115.36 (trivarga-shunya life as non-life); Garuda Purana 1.115.37 (paradhinata as living death)

FAQs

What is the importance of siṁha-vrata (lion’s resolve) in Garuda Purana?

This verse praises steadfast courage and forward action—urging one to abandon fear-based hesitation and live with confident discipline, which supports dharmic conduct.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it supports the broader Garuda Purana ethic: fear and weakness obstruct right action, while steady resolve helps one live righteously—shaping karma that influences one’s post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid paralysis from anxiety and negative counsel; cultivate disciplined courage, act ethically, and persist—like a “lion’s vow”—even in adverse circumstances.