Shloka 7
द्रव्याणामप्यनादानमापत्स्वपि तथेच्छया / अपरिग्रहमित्याहुस्तं प्रयत्नेन वर्जयेत्
dravyāṇāmapyanādānamāpatsvapi tathecchayā / aparigrahamityāhustaṃ prayatnena varjayet
Not accepting even material possessions—willingly, even in times of distress—is what the wise call aparigraha (non-possessiveness). One should diligently avoid its opposite: the urge to acquire and hoard.
Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa)
Concept: Aparigraha: willingly not accepting/accumulating possessions even under hardship; avoid the hoarding impulse.
Vedantic Theme: Tyāga and non-identification with possessions; reducing rāga-dveṣa to purify the mind.
Application: Set limits on acquisition; practice mindful receiving; declutter; cultivate dana and trust; distinguish needs from cravings especially during crises.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Ācāra/Dharma passages): aparigraha as a restraint supporting purity and good rebirth (general internal thematic link)
FAQs
This verse defines aparigraha as willingly not taking or accumulating possessions even in difficult situations, presenting it as a core discipline that protects dharma by reducing greed-driven actions.
By discouraging grasping and hoarding, it targets the mental roots of sinful acts (lobha/greed) that create binding karma—an underlying cause for suffering described elsewhere in the Garuda Purana’s afterlife narratives.
Practice mindful restraint: avoid unnecessary acquisitions, refuse unethical gains, and cultivate giving—especially in stressful times when the urge to hoard is strongest.