Shloka 21

Nīti-saṅgraha: Conduct, Association, Kali-yuga Decline, and the Supremacy of Vidyā

Devanagari script

कुरङ्गमातङ्गपतङ्गंभृग मीना हताः पञ्चबिरेव पञ्च / एकः प्रमाथी स कथं न घात्यो यः सेवते पञ्चभिरेव पञ्च

Transliteration

kuraṅgamātaṅgapataṅgaṃbhṛga mīnā hatāḥ pañcabireva pañca / ekaḥ pramāthī sa kathaṃ na ghātyo yaḥ sevate pañcabhireva pañca

Translation

മാൻ, ആന, പതംഗം, ഭ്രമരം, മീൻ—ഈ അഞ്ചും ഓരോന്നും ഒരൊറ്റ വിഷയത്താൽ തന്നെ നശിക്കുന്നു. എന്നാൽ അഞ്ചിന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളാൽ അഞ്ചുവിഷയങ്ങളെ സേവിക്കുന്ന പ്രമത്തൻ എങ്ങനെ നശിക്കാതിരിക്കും?

Word by Word

• कुरङ्ग: deer
• कुरङ्ग: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (समाहार-गणनायां सूची)

• मातङ्ग: elephant
• मातङ्ग: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• पतङ्ग: moth/insect
• पतङ्ग: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• भृग: bee
• भृग: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृङ्ग/भृग (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेदः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• मीनाः: fish
• मीनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• हताः: were killed
• हताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) — ‘(they are) killed’

• पञ्चभिः: by five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन (संख्याविशेषण)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रथमा (1st case) बहुवचनार्थे (संख्याशब्दः; ‘five (ones)’)

• एकः: one
• एकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• प्रमाथी: the tormentor/destroyer (mind)
• प्रमाथी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-मथ् (धातु) + इन् (प्रत्यय) → प्रमाथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• सः: he/that
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• घात्यः: should be killed
• घात्यः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) + ण्यत् (प्रत्यय) → घात्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive; ‘to be killed’)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय; relative pronoun)

• सेवते: serves, indulges in
• सेवते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• पञ्चभिः: by/with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात

• पञ्च: five (objects)
• पञ्च: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रथमा (1st case) बहुवचनार्थे

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Each creature falls by one dominant sense-object; a human who indulges all five senses is at greater risk—therefore practice indriya-nigraha (sense-restraint).

Vedantic Theme: Indriya-vijaya as prerequisite for inner peace; bondage arises from attachment to vishayas (sense-objects).

Application: Adopt disciplined consumption (food, media, sex, speech), cultivate mindfulness, and set boundaries that reduce sensory over-stimulation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.115 (sense-control and ethical instruction)

FAQs

What is the importance of sense-control in the Garuda Purana?

This verse warns that even one uncontrolled sense can cause ruin; therefore mastery of all five senses is essential to avoid moral downfall and the karmic suffering that follows.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By highlighting how desire overpowers a person, it points to the karmic chain: indulgence → harmful actions/attachments → heavier consequences that obstruct the soul’s auspicious post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice moderation and vigilance over each sense (food, speech, sexuality, consumption, and entertainment), because a single unchecked craving can escalate into broader ethical and spiritual harm.