Shloka 28

Nīti for Calamity, Wealth, Friendship, Charity, and Restraint of Kāma

Devanagari script

अतिक्लेशेन ये ऽप्यर्था धर्मस्यातिक्रमेण च / अरेर्वा प्रणिपातेन मा भूतस्ते कदाचन

Transliteration

atikleśena ye 'pyarthā dharmasyātikrameṇa ca / arervā praṇipātena mā bhūtaste kadācana

Translation

അതിക്ലേശത്തോടെ, ധർമ്മലംഘനത്തോടെ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ശത്രുവിന് മുമ്പിൽ നമിഞ്ഞ് ലഭിക്കുന്ന ലാഭങ്ങൾ—അത്തരം ലാഭങ്ങൾ നിനക്കൊരിക്കലും ഉണ്ടാകരുത്.

Word by Word

• अतिक्लेशेन: by excessive hardship
• अतिक्लेशेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति + क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक); अति-क्लेश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुषभावः (अत्यन्तः क्लेशः)

• ये: which/that (those)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक सर्वनाम

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थक (even/also)

• अर्थाः: wealth, gains
• अर्थाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• धर्मस्य: of dharma
• धर्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अतिक्रमेण: by transgression/overstepping
• अतिक्रमेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति + क्रम (धातु) → अतिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अरेः: of an enemy
• अरेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• प्रणिपातेन: by prostration, by submission
• प्रणिपातेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + नि + पत् (धातु) → प्रणिपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (prohibitive particle)

• भूतः: let it be / become
• भूतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; 'मा' सह—निषेधार्थे (prohibitive)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कदाचन: ever, at any time
• कदाचन: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Not all artha is desirable: gains obtained through adharma, degrading submission, or crushing hardship are spiritually and ethically unfit.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as higher than artha; inner freedom through refusing corrupt means; śreyas over preyas.

Application: Choose livelihood aligned with ethics; refuse corrupt deals and humiliating compromises; prioritize sustainable, dharmic earning.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: ethical counsel

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: artha-śuddhi and dharma-atikkrama warnings in moral sections

FAQs

What is the importance of dharma-based earning in the Garuda Purana?

This verse warns that gains obtained by violating dharma—or by degrading oneself before hostile forces—are not worth having; righteous means matter as much as results.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey and karmic consequences?

By discouraging adharma-driven acquisition, it points to the karmic principle that unethical actions bind the soul; pure conduct supports a safer post-death trajectory described throughout the Garuda Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose income and success that do not require unethical shortcuts, harmful overstrain, or humiliating compromise—prioritize dignity and dharma over expedient profit.