Shloka 2

Varṇāśrama-ācāra, Aśauca (Sūtaka) Regulations, and Prāyaścitta with Funeral-Rite Notes

Devanagari script

श्रुतिः स्मृतिः सदाचरो यः कश्चिद्वे दकर्तृकः / वेदाः स्मृता ब्राह्मणादौ धर्मा मन्वादिभिः सदा

Transliteration

śrutiḥ smṛtiḥ sadācaro yaḥ kaścidve dakartṛkaḥ / vedāḥ smṛtā brāhmaṇādau dharmā manvādibhiḥ sadā

Translation

ശ്രുതി, സ്മൃതി, സദാചാരം—വേദപ്രമാണത്തിൽ അധിഷ്ഠിതമായതെല്ലാം—പ്രമാണമായി കണക്കാക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. അതിനാൽ വേദങ്ങളും ബ്രാഹ്മണാദി മുതൽ ആരംഭിക്കുന്ന സ്മൃതികളും മനു മുതലായ ധർമ്മവിദ്വാൻമാർ സദാ ധർമ്മമായി നിർണ്ണയിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• श्रुतिः: Śruti (revealed scripture)
• श्रुतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• स्मृतिः: Smṛti (remembered tradition)
• स्मृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदाचारः: good conduct
• सदाचारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद् + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सद्-आचारः = good conduct)

• यः: who/which
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• कश्चित्: someone/any
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• वेदकर्तृकः: Veda-based
• वेदकर्तृकः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तृक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वेदः कर्ता यस्य/वेदेन कर्तृकः = based on the Veda)

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्मृताः: are remembered/are called
• स्मृताः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• ब्राह्मणादौ: in/among (the classes) beginning with brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणादौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्राह्मण-आदि = beginning with brāhmaṇa)

• धर्माः: duties/laws
• धर्माः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मन्वादिभिः: by Manu and others
• मन्वादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मनु-आदि = Manu and others)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pramāṇa for dharma: Śruti, Smṛti, and Sadācāra, all Veda-grounded, as authoritative; Manu and other lawgivers as transmitters.

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra-prāmāṇya (scriptural authority) and dharma as a Veda-rooted order sustaining loka-saṅgraha.

Application: When uncertain about right conduct, consult Śruti/Smṛti and the established conduct of the virtuous; prefer Veda-consistent norms over personal preference.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma-kāṇḍa sections on sadācāra and varṇāśrama duties)

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Śruti
• Smṛti
• Sadācāra
• Brāhmaṇas
• Manu

FAQs

What is the importance of śruti, smṛti, and sadācāra in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that dharma is validated through Śruti (Veda), Smṛti (tradition), and the established good conduct of the righteous—provided it is Veda-based—making them the core standards for deciding right practice.

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

Indirectly, it sets the rulebook: the after-death teachings and duties (rites, ethics, restraints) are to be followed as dharma only when aligned with Vedic revelation and its tradition, ensuring the soul’s journey is guided by legitimate authority.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use Veda-consistent scripture, ethical tradition, and the example of genuinely virtuous people as filters for deciding religious practice—especially for rituals and life-conduct claimed to be “dharma.”