Shloka 3

Characteristics of the King and His Servants

Rāja-dharma, Nīti, and Ethical Revenue

Devanagari script

पुष्पात्पुष्पं विचिन्वीत मूलच्छेदं न कारयेत् / मालाकार इवारण्ये न यथाङ्गारकारकः

Transliteration

puṣpātpuṣpaṃ vicinvīta mūlacchedaṃ na kārayet / mālākāra ivāraṇye na yathāṅgārakārakaḥ

Translation

പുഷ്പം പുഷ്പമായി മാത്രം തിരഞ്ഞെടുത്തെടുക്കണം; വേരറുക്കരുത്. വനത്തിൽ മാലാകാരനെപ്പോലെ പെരുമാറണം; കരിക്കാരനെപ്പോലെ അല്ല.

Word by Word

• puṣpāt: from a flower
• puṣpāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• puṣpam: a flower
• puṣpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• vicinvīta: should gather/select
• vicinvīta: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + ci (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mūla-cchedam: cutting of the root
• mūla-cchedam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + cheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मूलस्य छेदः)

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

• kārayet: should cause to be done / should do (make)
• kārayet: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) [णिच् causative: कारय]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• mālākāraḥ: a garland-maker
• mālākāraḥ: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mālā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मालां करोति इति)

• iva: like/as
• iva: Sambandha (Comparison marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• araṇye: in the forest
• araṇye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

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

• yathā: as (in the manner that)
• yathā: Sambandha (Comparison marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/उपमार्थक-अव्यय (as/just as)

• aṅgāra-kārakaḥ: a charcoal-maker
• aṅgāra-kārakaḥ: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅgāra (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अङ्गारं करोति इति)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Take resources incrementally without destroying the source; governance/economy should be sustainable.

Vedantic Theme: Ahimsa and aparigraha as ethical restraints supporting inner peace and social stability.

Application: Practice sustainable taxation and resource use; avoid policies that destroy productive bases (people, land, institutions).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: wilderness/forest

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana raja-dharma metaphors: non-destructive collection; protection of subjects as the ‘root’

FAQs

What is the importance of this 'garland-maker vs charcoal-maker' teaching in the Garuda Purana?

It teaches restrained, non-destructive action: take what is needed without uprooting the source, aligning daily conduct with dharma and ahimsa.

How does this verse relate to karmic consequences described in the Garuda Purana?

By discouraging needless destruction, it promotes sattvic action; such restraint reduces harmful karma that later becomes a cause of suffering in post-death evaluation narratives.

What is a practical application of this wisdom today?

Use resources sustainably—avoid waste, avoid destroying livelihoods/ecosystems, and choose work and habits that preserve rather than exploit.