Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

यस्य त्रिवर्गशून्यानि दिनान्यायान्ति यान्ति च / स लौहकारभस्त्रेव श्वसन्नपि न जीवति

Transliteration

yasya trivargaśūnyāni dinānyāyānti yānti ca / sa lauhakārabhastreva śvasannapi na jīvati

Translation

One whose days come and go devoid of the three aims of life—dharma, artha, and kāma—though breathing, does not truly live, like the blacksmith’s bellows.

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (genitive singular)

• त्रिवर्गशून्यानि: devoid of the three aims (dharma-artha-kāma)
• त्रिवर्गशून्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier of दिनानि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक) + śūnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; त्रिवर्गेण (धर्म-अर्थ-काम) शून्यानि (devoid of the three aims)

• दिनानि: days
• दिनानि: Karta (Subject of आयान्ति/यान्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (nominative plural)

• आयान्ति: come
• आयान्ति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+या (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संकेत सर्वनाम

• लौहकारभस्त्रा: (like) a blacksmith’s bellows
• लौहकारभस्त्रा: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lauhakāra (प्रातिपदिक) + bhastrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; लौहकारस्य भस्त्रा (blacksmith’s bellows)

• इव: like
• इव: Upama (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• श्वसन्: breathing
• श्वसन्: Karta (Agent as participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: even (though)
• अपि: Sambandha (Concessive particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कार (particle: even/though)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

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

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Days devoid of trivarga (dharma-artha-kama) are wasted; mere biological breathing is not true living.

Vedantic Theme: Manuṣya-janma as sādhanā-kṣetra; pramāda (heedlessness) as bondage; need for puruṣārtha-niścaya.

Application: Review daily life against dharma (ethics), artha (right livelihood), kama (wholesome joy); set intentional goals rather than drifting.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.115.34-35 (fruitless living); Garuda Purana 1.115.37 (living death via dependence)

FAQs

What is the importance of trivarga (dharma, artha, kāma) in Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse teaches that daily life becomes spiritually hollow if it is not guided by dharma, supported by rightful artha, and balanced with disciplined kāma—otherwise one merely “breathes” without truly living.

How does this verse relate to the Garuḍa Purāṇa’s wider message on the soul’s journey?

By stressing purposeful living, it implies that one’s post-death condition is shaped by how life was spent; days devoid of dharma and right conduct do not build merit or inner readiness for higher states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Plan each day around dharma (ethical duties), earn artha without harm, and enjoy kāma with restraint—so life is not reduced to routine survival without meaning.