Shloka 43

Nīti on Friendship (Mitra), Discretion, Restraint, Health-Regimens, Prosperity (Śrī), and Family Dharma

Devanagari script

अजारजः खररजो यत्तु संमार्जनीरजः / एतद्रजो महापापं महाकिल्बिषकारकम्

Transliteration

ajārajaḥ khararajo yattu saṃmārjanīrajaḥ / etadrajo mahāpāpaṃ mahākilbiṣakārakam

Translation

ആടിന്റെ പൊടി, കഴുതയുടെ പൊടി, തൂത്തുവാരുമ്പോൾ ഉയരുന്ന പൊടി—ഇത് മഹാപാപം, മഹാകില്ബിഷം ഉണ്ടാക്കുന്നതെന്ന് പറയുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अजा-रजः: dust of a goat
• अजा-रजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजा (प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अजायाः/अजस्य रजः)

• खर-रजः: dust of a donkey
• खर-रजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर (प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (खरस्य रजः)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle)

• संमार्जनी-रजः: broom-dust/sweeping dust
• संमार्जनी-रजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संमार्जनी (प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (संमार्जन्याः रजः)

• एतत्-रजः: this dust
• एतत्-रजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (एतत् रजः)

• महा-पापम्: great sin (highly sinful)
• महा-पापम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय; विधेय-विशेषण

• महा-किल्बिष-कारकम्: causing great guilt/sin
• महा-किल्बिष-कारकम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महाकिल्बिषस्य कारकम्) ‘producer of great demerit’; विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

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

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aśubha-saṅga leads to kilbiṣa (demerit); contact and context are karmically consequential in a purity-based moral ecology.

Vedantic Theme: Tamasic influences cloud the mind and increase karmic burden; discipline in conduct supports sattva.

Application: Avoid unclean dust exposure; keep living/ritual spaces clean; interpret ‘sweeping dust’ as a hygiene warning and as a metaphor for engaging with refuse/negativity without safeguards.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: street/yard/unclean spaces

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.114.40 (avoid sweeping dust for longevity); Garuda Purana 1.114.42 (contrast: dust that destroys sins)

FAQs

What is the importance of ritual purity (śauca) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats certain kinds of dust as spiritually harmful, highlighting that purity and avoidance of contaminating substances are integral to dharma and to preventing karmic demerit.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By warning that specific impurities generate mahāpāpa and kilbiṣa, it implies that such actions burden karma—affecting post-death outcomes described elsewhere in the Garuda Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain cleanliness and mindful hygiene in ritual spaces; treat acts of cleaning and handling impurities with care and reverence, aligning daily conduct with principles of purity and restraint.