Shloka 20

Viṣṇv-ekapūjya-nirṇaya; Gaṅgā-Viṣṇupadī-māhātmya; Kali-yuga doṣa; Puṣkara-dharma of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

सुजीर्णकन्थाजिनमेखलं च यज्ञोपवीतं च कलिप्रियं च / प्रियं गृहं चोर्णविता नकं च समित्कुशैः पूरितं कुत्सितं च

Transliteration

sujīrṇakanthājinamekhalaṃ ca yajñopavītaṃ ca kalipriyaṃ ca / priyaṃ gṛhaṃ corṇavitā nakaṃ ca samitkuśaiḥ pūritaṃ kutsitaṃ ca

Translation

À l’âge de Kali, les hommes s’attachent aux signes extérieurs : ils portent des haillons, une peau de daim et une ceinture, et même le cordon sacré (yajñopavīta) ; pourtant ils demeurent agrippés à ce qu’ils aiment : la vie de maison et la couverture de laine. Leurs mains sont pleines d’objets rituels, tels les bûchettes du feu et l’herbe kuśa, mais leur conduite reste vile et blâmable.

Word by Word

• su-jīrṇa-kanthā-ajina-mekhalam: a very worn rag/skin belt
• su-jīrṇa-kanthā-ajina-mekhalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + jīrṇa (√jṛ, क्त) + kanthā (प्रातिपदिक) + ajina (प्रातिपदिक) + mekhalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष “a belt (mekhalā) of a very worn (su-jīrṇa) rag/skin”

• ca: and
• ca: Sam uccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• yajña-upavītam: sacred thread
• yajña-upavītam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + upavīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुष “sacred thread (for yajña)”

• ca: and
• ca: Sam uccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• kali-priyam: dear to Kali
• kali-priyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kali (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुष “dear to Kali / liked by Kali”

• ca: and
• ca: Sam uccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• priyam: dear
• priyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• gṛham: house
• gṛham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sam uccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• ūrṇa-vitānam: woollen covering/canopy
• ūrṇa-vitānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + vitāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुष “woollen canopy/covering” (reading corṇavitā→ca ūrṇa-vitānam)

• nakaṃ: naka (unclear item)
• nakaṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; rare/unclear lexeme (possibly ‘heaven’ in other contexts; here an object item)

• ca: and
• ca: Sam uccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• samit-kuśaiḥ: with fuel-sticks and kuśa grass
• samit-kuśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samit (प्रातिपदिक) + kuśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana; द्वन्द्व “with fuel-sticks and kuśa-grass”

• pūritam: filled
• pūritam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pṝ (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP; Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; “filled”

• kutsitam: despicable
• kutsitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kutsita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; adjective “despicable”

• ca: and
• ca: Sam uccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In Kali, people cling to external ascetic/ritual markers while remaining attached and morally degraded; true dharma requires inner transformation, not costume.

Vedantic Theme: Bāhya-ācāra without antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi is fruitless; authenticity (sattva) over mere saṃskāra-display.

Application: Align symbols (thread, ritual tools, vows) with behavior; reduce identity-signaling; practice integrity audits: ‘Does my conduct match my claimed values?’

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana critiques of Kali-yuga conduct and hypocrisy (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Kali (Kali-yuga)

FAQs

What is the importance of condemning outward-only religiosity in the Garuda Purana?

This verse warns that in Kali-yuga, people may adopt sacred markers and ritual paraphernalia while lacking ethical purity; the Purana prioritizes inner dharma over mere appearance.

How does this verse explain the spiritual danger of Kali-yuga behavior?

It depicts a mismatch between external signs (sacred thread, deerskin, kuśa, samit) and inner character (kutsita—base conduct), implying that hypocrisy corrupts religious life and leads away from true merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use rituals and religious symbols as supports for integrity—truthfulness, restraint, and compassion—rather than as substitutes for them.