Shloka 20

Varṇāśrama Dharma, Ethical Virtues, and Aṣṭāṅga-Yoga Culminating in ‘Ahaṃ Brahma’

Devanagari script

धर्मात्संजायते मोक्षो ह्यर्थात्कामो ऽभिजायते / प्रवृत्तिश्च निवृत्तिश्च द्विविधं कर्म वैदिकम्

Transliteration

dharmātsaṃjāyate mokṣo hyarthātkāmo 'bhijāyate / pravṛttiśca nivṛttiśca dvividhaṃ karma vaidikam

Translation

Del dharma nace la liberación (mokṣa); y del artha, la prosperidad rectamente adquirida, nace el deseo (kāma). La acción védica es de dos clases: pravṛtti, la inclinación a la actividad mundana, y nivṛtti, el retiro hacia la renunciación.

Word by Word

• धर्मात्: from dharma
• धर्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th), एकवचन; अपादान (from dharma)

• संजायते: arises
• संजायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु, जनने) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘arises/is produced’

• मोक्षः: liberation
• मोक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• अर्थात्: from wealth (artha)
• अर्थात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th), एकवचन; अपादान (from wealth/artha)

• कामः: desire
• कामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• अभिजायते: arises
• अभिजायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु, जनने) + अभि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘is born/arises’

• प्रवृत्तिः: engagement / activity
• प्रवृत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

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

• निवृत्तिः: withdrawal / cessation
• निवृत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

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

• द्विविधम्: twofold
• द्विविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘द्वौ विधौ यस्य’ (twofold)

• कर्म: action / ritual duty
• कर्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here: ‘action/ritual duty’

• वैदिकम्: Vedic
• वैदिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (Vedic)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (teaching Garuḍa/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Puruṣārtha causality and Vedic bifurcation: dharma supports mokṣa; artha tends to generate kāma; Vedic karma is twofold—pravṛtti (engagement) and nivṛtti (withdrawal).

Vedantic Theme: Reconciliation of karma and renunciation: pravṛtti purifies and orders life; nivṛtti culminates in liberation; dharma as the bridge from worldly life to transcendence.

Application: Pursue artha under dharma to prevent desire from becoming binding; consciously choose phases of engagement and withdrawal (service/work vs contemplation/retreat) and keep mokṣa as the highest compass.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.49 (āśrama and renunciation framework; preceding yogin/bhāvanā taxonomy)

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Dharma
• Moksha
• Artha
• Kama
• Pravritti
• Nivritti

FAQs

What is the importance of the pravṛtti–nivṛtti teaching in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse frames Vedic life as having two legitimate orientations—responsible worldly duty (pravṛtti) and inward renunciation (nivṛtti)—so a seeker can choose a path aligned with maturity and aim, without abandoning dharma.

How does this verse connect dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa?

It states that dharma is the root that culminates in mokṣa, while artha tends to generate kāma; thus prosperity and desire must be governed by dharma to support, rather than obstruct, liberation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Pursue wealth and pleasure only through ethical means, and regularly cultivate nivṛtti through restraint, study, prayer/meditation, and detachment—so daily life steadily supports liberation.