Shloka 79

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

Devanagari script

जगत्पतिर्हि याचित्वा विष्णुर्वामनतां यतः / कान्यो ऽधिकतरस्तस्य योर्ऽथो याति न लाघवम्

Transliteration

jagatpatirhi yācitvā viṣṇurvāmanatāṃ yataḥ / kānyo 'dhikatarastasya yor'tho yāti na lāghavam

Translation

Even Viṣṇu, Lord of the universe, after making a request, assumed the form of Vāmana; who, then, could be greater than He—He whose intended purpose never falls into insufficiency?

Word by Word

• जगत्पतिः: lord of the world
• जगत्पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जगतः पतिः)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• याचित्वा: having requested
• याचित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having begged/asked’

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वामनताम्: the state of being Vāmana (dwarf-form)
• वामनताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामनता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यतः: because/for which reason
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेतु-अर्थे (causal adverb: ‘because/from which reason’)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

• अन्यः: another (person)
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अधिकतरः: greater/more
• अधिकतरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिकतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• योः: of whom/of the two
• योः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी-द्विवचन (Genitive/Locative dual)

• अर्थः: purpose/meaning/benefit
• अर्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• लाघवम्: lightness/triviality
• लाघवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (teaching Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine humility and unfailing divine purpose: even Bhagavān adopts supplicant form to accomplish līlā and uphold dharma; true greatness includes humility.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-līlā and anugraha: the Supreme appears limited without losing sovereignty; purpose (saṅkalpa) remains inviolable.

Application: Cultivate humility while pursuing righteous aims; trust that dharmic intention, aligned with higher good, need not be ‘insufficient’—act without ego, like Vāmana’s model.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: yajña-śālā / royal sacrificial ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): sections praising Viṣṇu-nāma and avatāras; didactic nīti passages around 1.115

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Vāmana

FAQs

What is the importance of humility (vinaya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows that even Viṣṇu adopts a humble, requesting posture as Vāmana to fulfill dharma—implying humility is a sacred strength, not weakness.

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

Indirectly, it teaches that spiritual progress depends on right conduct and surrender; the Lord’s purposeful action models how dharma-guided intent leads to fulfillment rather than “lāghava” (insufficiency).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Pursue goals through ethical means, ask with humility when needed, and trust that dharma-aligned intention brings true completion rather than short-lived gains.