Shloka 20

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

प्रियाप्रियपरिष्वङ्गेसुखदुः खाधिकारिता / सबाह्याभ्यन्तरे शौचं वाग्यमो ध्यानचारिता

Transliteration

priyāpriyapariṣvaṅgesukhaduḥ khādhikāritā / sabāhyābhyantare śaucaṃ vāgyamo dhyānacāritā

Translation

True happiness and true sorrow are governed by one’s clinging to the embrace of what is dear and what is not dear. Outer and inner purity, restraint of speech, and a life of meditation—these are the disciplines that lead to steadiness and right conduct.

Word by Word

• प्रिय: pleasant; dear
• प्रिय: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (समासाङ्ग)

• अप्रिय: unpleasant; not dear
• अप्रिय: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रिय (प्रातिपदिक; अ- + प्रिय)
• Form: विशेषण (समासाङ्ग); नञ्-निर्मित

• परिष्वङ्गे: in (pleasant and unpleasant) contacts/embraces
• परिष्वङ्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिष्वङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (प्रिय+अप्रिय) ततः परिष्वङ्गे (in contacts/embraces)

• सुख: pleasure
• सुख: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• दुःख: pain
• दुःख: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• अधिकारिता: being subject to pleasure and pain
• अधिकारिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिकारिता (प्रातिपदिक; अधिकारिन् + ता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तान्त-भाववाचक; द्वन्द्व-समास (सुख+दुःख) ततः अधिकारिता (being subject to/under the sway of)

• स: with
• स: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासाङ्ग) सर्वनाम; सह/समेतार्थे (with)

• बाह्य: external
• बाह्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (समासाङ्ग)

• अभ्यन्तरे: in the outer and inner (spheres)
• अभ्यन्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (बाह्य+अभ्यन्तर) ततः सप्तमी (in outer and inner)

• शौचम्: purity; cleanliness
• शौचम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• यमः: restraint
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वाक्-यमः = restraint of speech)

• ध्यान: meditation
• ध्यान: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक; √ध्यै (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त

• चारिता: practice (of meditation)
• चारिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारिता (कृदन्त; √चर् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (practice/observance)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Attachment to the dear/undesirable conditions one’s experience of sukha/duhkha; purification, restraint of speech, and meditation stabilize conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka-vairagya: recognizing that dualities (priya/apriya) bind the mind; cultivating shauca and dhyana to transcend dvandvas.

Application: Observe triggers of craving/aversion; practice clean habits, truthful measured speech, and daily meditation to reduce reactivity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.21 (sense-restraint, dharana-dhyana, inner purification)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of śauca (purity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses śauca as both external cleanliness and internal purity of mind, presented as a core discipline that stabilizes conduct and supports spiritual progress.

How does this verse explain the cause of happiness and suffering?

It links sukha and duḥkha to pariṣvaṅga—clinging attachment to what we like and dislike—implying that mastery over attachment reduces mental disturbance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice daily cleanliness with mindful inner purification, restrain speech (avoid harsh/impulsive words), and maintain a meditation routine to lessen attachment-driven reactions.