Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

ये बालभावान्न पठन्ति विद्यां ये यौवनस्था ह्यधनात्मदाराः / ते शोचनीया इह जीवलोके मनुष्यरूपेण मृगाश्चरन्ति

Transliteration

ye bālabhāvānna paṭhanti vidyāṃ ye yauvanasthā hyadhanātmadārāḥ / te śocanīyā iha jīvaloke manuṣyarūpeṇa mṛgāścaranti

Translation

ബാല്യത്തിൽ വിദ്യ പഠിക്കാത്തവരും, യൗവനത്തിൽ ധനമില്ലാതെ ആത്മസംയമവും ഗൃഹധർമ്മബോധവും ഇല്ലാതെ ജീവിക്കുന്നവരും—ഈ ജീവലോകത്തിൽ കരുണാർഹർ; മനുഷ്യരൂപത്തിൽ മൃഗങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ അലഞ്ഞുതിരിയുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• बाल-भावात्: from childhood (due to childish state)
• बाल-भावात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; (Masculine, Ablative, Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• पठन्ति: study/read
• पठन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; (Present, 3rd person, Plural)

• विद्याम्: knowledge
• विद्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• यौवन-स्थाः: situated in youth
• यौवन-स्थाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)

• अधन-आत्म-दाराः: (having) no wealth, self, and wife (i.e., bereft of wealth and family)
• अधन-आत्म-दाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधन (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• शोचनीयाः: to be lamented
• शोचनीयाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोचनीय (कृदन्त; √शुच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भाव्य/अर्हार्थक कृदन्त (अनीयर्), (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'to be lamented')

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• जीव-लोके: in the world of living beings
• जीव-लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (Masculine, Locative, Singular)

• मनुष्य-रूपेण: in human form
• मनुष्य-रूपेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• मृगाः: animals, deer (beasts)
• मृगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• चरन्ति: wander, live
• चरन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; (Present, 3rd person, Plural)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human life without learning in childhood and without responsible self-restraint/means in youth is a squandered incarnation—mere animality in human form.

Vedantic Theme: Durlabha-mānuṣa-janma and adhikāra: human birth is for dharma and higher aims; ignorance and indiscipline degrade consciousness.

Application: Prioritize education early; in youth cultivate livelihood skills, self-control, and responsibility toward dependents; avoid addictive/impulsive living.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: human society

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated emphasis on using human birth for dharma and higher goals (general)

FAQs

What is the importance of vidyā (learning) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames learning as a core duty of human life: neglecting study in childhood is portrayed as a loss of the distinct purpose of human birth, reducing one to mere instinct-driven living.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it emphasizes that the soul’s progress depends on dharmic cultivation (knowledge and self-control). A life spent like an animal—without discipline and responsibility—fails to build the inner qualifications associated with higher destinies.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Invest early in education and character, and in youth cultivate self-discipline and responsible livelihood—so human life is used for conscious growth rather than mere consumption and impulse.