Shloka 64

Saṅkara-jāti-nirṇaya and Gṛhastha-ācāra: Daily Rites, Purity, Anadhyāya, and Food Discipline

Devanagari script

बन्दिनां स्वर्णकाराणामन्नमेषां कदाचन / न भोक्तव्यं वृथा मांसं केशकीटसमन्वितम्

Transliteration

bandināṃ svarṇakārāṇāmannameṣāṃ kadācana / na bhoktavyaṃ vṛthā māṃsaṃ keśakīṭasamanvitam

Translation

Qu’on ne mange jamais la nourriture des bardes et panégyristes, ni celle des orfèvres. De même, qu’on ne mange pas de viande obtenue sans juste motif ni rite convenable : viande souillée, comme mêlée de cheveux et d’insectes.

Word by Word

• bandinām: of bards/panegyrists
• bandinām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bandin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम्

• svarṇakārāṇām: of goldsmiths
• svarṇakārāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarṇakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम्

• annam: food
• annam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम्

• eṣām: of these (people)
• eṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-प्रयोगे, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• kadācana: ever/at any time
• kadācana: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācana (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time: ever/at any time)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• bhoktavyam: should be eaten
• bhoktavyam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु) + -tavya (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; भावे/कर्तरि प्रयोगे: ‘to be eaten/should be eaten’ (here with na = ‘must not be eaten’)

• vṛthā: in vain/needlessly
• vṛthā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vṛthā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्या/निरर्थकत्वे अव्ययम् (adverb: in vain/without cause)

• māṃsam: meat
• māṃsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम्

• keśa-kīṭa-samanvitam: infested with hair-worms/insects
• keśa-kīṭa-samanvitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: keśa + kīṭa + samanvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम्; समासः तत्पुरुषः (keśakīṭaiḥ samanvitam = ‘accompanied with hair-worms/insects’)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Anna-śuddhi: avoid food from certain sources and avoid improperly obtained/impure meat; purity of intake supports purity of mind and conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Āhāra-śuddhi leading to sattva-śuddhi (purity of mind) as a support for spiritual life.

Application: Be mindful of food sourcing and hygiene; avoid exploitative or ethically compromised food chains; avoid indulgence in meat without necessity/rite and avoid contaminated food.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.96.60–63 (avoidance of persons; here applied to food and meat purity)

FAQs

What is the importance of food restrictions in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats diet as a dharmic discipline: consuming food from questionable professions or impure sources is discouraged because it can transmit moral/ritual impurity and negative karmic consequences.

How does this verse relate to karma and the afterlife themes of the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda’s ethical framework, everyday actions like eating are karmically significant; avoiding impure or improperly obtained food supports purity of conduct that affects one’s post-death trajectory.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prefer ethically sourced, clean food; avoid consumption linked to exploitation, deceit, or impurity, and treat diet as part of personal discipline (śauca) and responsible living.