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Shloka 11

Characteristics of the King and His Servants

Rāja-dharma, Nīti, and Ethical Revenue

Devanagari script

निः शङ्कं किं मनुष्याः कुरुत परहितं युक्तमग्रे हितं यन्मोदध्वं कामिनीभिर्मदनशरहता मन्दमन्दातिदृष्ट्या / मा पापं संकुरुध्वं द्विजहरिपरमाः संभजध्वं सदैव आयुर्निः शेषमेति स्खलति जलघटीभूतमृत्युच्छलेन

Transliteration

niḥ śaṅkaṃ kiṃ manuṣyāḥ kuruta parahitaṃ yuktamagre hitaṃ yanmodadhvaṃ kāminībhirmadanaśarahatā mandamandātidṛṣṭyā / mā pāpaṃ saṃkurudhvaṃ dvijahariparamāḥ saṃbhajadhvaṃ sadaiva āyurniḥ śeṣameti skhalati jalaghaṭībhūtamṛtyucchalena

Translation

ഹേ മനുഷ്യരേ, എന്തിന് നിർഭയമായ അനാസക്തി? പരഹിതം ചെയ്യുക; ഭാവിക്കു യഥാർത്ഥ ഹിതമായതിനെ യുക്തമെന്ന് സ്വീകരിക്കുക. മന്മഥന്റെ അമ്പുകളാൽ വേദനപ്പെട്ടവരായി, സ്ത്രീകളുടെ മന്ദമന്ദ മോഹനദൃഷ്ടിയിൽ മദിച്ചു രമിക്കരുത്. പാപം കൂട്ടിക്കൂട്ടരുത്; ദ്വിജരെ ആദരിക്കുക, ഹരിയെ പരമനായി അറിഞ്ഞ് സദാ ഭജിക്കുക—കാരണം ആയുസ്സ് ക്രമേണ ക്ഷയിച്ചു, മരണതരംഗങ്ങളുടെ കുലുക്കത്തിൽ ഘടത്തിലെ വെള്ളംപോലെ വഴുതി പോകുന്നു.

Word by Word
निःशङ्कम्without fear, confidently
निःशङ्कम्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनिः (उपसर्ग) + शङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
किम्what? why?
किम्:
Prayojana/Alam (Interrogative focus)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative)
मनुष्याःO humans
मनुष्याः:
Sambodhyam/Karta (Addressed persons/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
कुरुतdo (you all)
कुरुत:
Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन
परहितम्others' welfare
परहितम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (परस्य हितम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
युक्तम्proper, fitting
युक्तम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootयुज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (परहित-विशेषण)
अग्रेfirst, beforehand
अग्रे:
Kāla (Time/काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकाल/देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: beforehand/first)
हितम्benefit, good
हितम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootहित (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
यत्which
यत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)
मोदध्वम्rejoice (you all)
मोदध्वम्:
Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootमुद् (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन
कामिनीभिःwith women
कामिनीभिः:
Karaṇa (Instrument/Association/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
मदनशरहताstruck by Cupid's arrows
मदनशरहता:
Karta (Descriptive of agent/कर्ता-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमदन (प्रातिपदिक) + शर (प्रातिपदिक) + हत (कृदन्त)
Formतत्पुरुष (मदनस्य शरैः हता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (मनुष्याः-विशेषण)
मन्दमन्दाvery soft/slow
मन्दमन्दा:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय (मन्दं मन्दम् = very gently/slowly); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (अतिदृष्ट्या-विशेषण)
अतिदृष्ट्याby (their) intense/overpowering glance
अतिदृष्ट्या:
Karaṇa (Instrument/means/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
माdo not
मा:
Sambandha (Prohibition marker/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमा (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle used with imperative)
पापम्sin
पापम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपाप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
संकुरुध्वम्commit, do
संकुरुध्वम्:
Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम्- कृ (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन
द्विजहरिपरमाःO you who revere Brahmins and Hari as supreme
द्विजहरिपरमाः:
Sambodhyam (Vocative sense though nominative form/सम्बोधनार्थ)
TypeAdjective
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + परम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (द्विजाः हरिः च परमा यस्य/येषाम्—contextually: द्विज-हरि-परम); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (मनुष्याः-विशेषण)
संभजध्वम्worship, serve, associate with
संभजध्वम्:
Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-भज् (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन
सदैवalways
सदैव:
Kāla (Time/काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसदा (अव्यय) + एव (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: always)
आयुःlife-span
आयुः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootआयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
निःशेषम्entirely, without remainder
निःशेषम्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनिः (उपसर्ग) + शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (completely)
एतिgoes, passes away
एति:
Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootइ (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
स्खलतिslips, falters
स्खलति:
Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootस्खल् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
जलघटीभूतbecome like a water-clock (dripping vessel)
जलघटीभूत:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootजल (प्रातिपदिक) + घटिका/घटी (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त)
Formतत्पुरुष (जलघटी इव/रूपेण भूतः); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (मृत्युच्छलेन-विशेषण)
मृत्युच्छलेनby the trick/stratagem of death
मृत्युच्छलेन:
Karaṇa (Instrument/means/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + छल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (मृत्योः छलः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Choose parahita and future welfare; avoid kāma-driven indulgence and pāpa; honor dvijas and worship Hari as supreme because life rapidly diminishes.

Vedantic Theme: Śreyas vs preyas; bhakti as the stabilizing refuge amid kāla and mṛtyu; karma-śuddhi through restraint and right action.

Application: Practice self-control (brahmacarya/indriya-nigraha), serve others, avoid harmful actions, maintain daily Hari-smaraṇa and respectful conduct toward teachers/learned.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana ethical exhortations preceding/alongside Preta-kalpa: warnings about kāma, pāpa, and the need for Hari-bhakti (general parallel motifs)

Characters & Entities
H
Hari (Vishnu)
M
Madana (Kama)
D
Dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

This verse frames sin as a self-built burden that becomes urgent to avoid because lifespan is steadily consumed; therefore one should choose parahita (benefit of others) and devotion to Hari instead of accumulating pāpa.

It compares life to water in a jar that can spill at any moment when “death surges,” teaching that time is not stable; hence worship (saṃbhajana) and dharmic choices must be made now, not postponed.

Prioritize actions that help others, restrain impulse-driven indulgence, reduce harmful habits that create guilt and karmic consequences, and keep a steady daily practice of remembrance/worship of Vishnu.

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