Shloka 99

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

Devanagari script

अर्धेन चात्मभरणं नित्यनैमित्तिकांन्वितम् / पादं चेत्यर्थयामस्य मूलभूतं विवर्धयेत्

Transliteration

ardhena cātmabharaṇaṃ nityanaimittikāṃnvitam / pādaṃ cetyarthayāmasya mūlabhūtaṃ vivardhayet

Translation

With one half one should maintain oneself, while remaining engaged in obligatory daily and occasional duties; and with one quarter one should pursue rightful aims—thus one should steadily strengthen the very foundation of a meaningful life.

Word by Word

• अर्धेन: by half; with one-half (share)
• अर्धेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• आत्मभरणम्: self-maintenance; supporting oneself
• आत्मभरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + भरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (self’s maintenance)

• नित्यनैमित्तिकान्वितम्: accompanied by daily and occasional (rites/duties)
• नित्यनैमित्तिकान्वितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √इ ‘to go’/अन्वि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; ‘युक्त/समन्वित’ अर्थे

• पादम्: a quarter (share)
• पादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-निपात (quotative particle)

• अर्थयामस्य: of the one seeking wealth/means of livelihood
• अर्थयामस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थयाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मूलभूतम्: being the root; fundamental
• मूलभूतम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √भू)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मूलं च तत् भूतं च)

• विवर्धयेत्: should increase; should augment
• विवर्धयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: वि-

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proportional living: half for sustenance, engagement in daily/occasional rites, and a quarter for rightful aims—strengthening life’s foundation.

Vedantic Theme: Integration of pravritti (worldly duty) with sattvic order; karma purified by regularity and right proportion supports inner peace.

Application: Create a sustainable routine: allocate resources to necessities, keep daily/seasonal obligations (family, community, worship), and invest a portion in dharmic goals (education, skill, service, long-term stability).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (nitya-naimittika karma references across dharma sections; adjacent verses on allocation and livelihood)

FAQs

What is the importance of nitya and naimittika duties in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that daily (nitya) and occasional (naimittika) obligations should accompany one’s livelihood, because they preserve dharma and become the foundation of a purposeful life.

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

By urging a life structured around sustenance plus obligatory duties, it implies that one’s life-journey (yāma) gains a stable moral base, which supports favorable outcomes after death in the broader Garuda Purana framework.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain your household responsibly, keep regular spiritual/ethical disciplines (daily and occasion-based), and pursue prosperity in a dharmic way—so your life’s foundations remain strong.