Shloka 29

Devanagari script

सम्पदः स्वप्नसंकाशा यौवनं कुसुमोपमम् / तडिच्चपलमायुष्यं कस्य स्याज्जानतो धृतिः

Transliteration

sampadaḥ svapnasaṃkāśā yauvanaṃ kusumopamam / taḍiccapalamāyuṣyaṃ kasya syājjānato dhṛtiḥ

Translation

സമ്പത്ത് സ്വപ്നസദൃശം, യൗവനം പുഷ്പസമം; ആയുസ്സ് മിന്നലുപോലെ ക്ഷണഭംഗുരം—ഇതു അറിഞ്ഞിട്ട് ആര് പ്രമാദത്തിൽ ശിഥിലനാകും, ധൃതിയിൽ കുലുങ്ങും?

Word by Word

• sampadaḥ: prosperities/wealths
• sampadaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sampad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• svapna-saṃkāśāḥ: dream-like
• svapna-saṃkāśāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svapna (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘like a dream’

• yauvanam: youth
• yauvanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yauvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kusuma-upamam: flower-like
• kusuma-upamam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kusuma (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘comparable to a flower’

• taḍit-capalam: lightning-fickle
• taḍit-capalam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: taḍit (प्रातिपदिक) + capala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘fickle like lightning’

• āyuṣyam: life-span
• āyuṣyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyuṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kasya: of whom/for whom
• kasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• syāt: would be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• jānataḥ: of the knowing person
• jānataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñā (ज्ञा धातु) → jānāt (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine/Neuter; ‘of one who knows’

• dhṛtiḥ: steadfastness/fortitude
• dhṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All worldly supports are transient—wealth like a dream, youth like a flower, lifespan like lightning—therefore cultivate unwavering resolve toward the highest good.

Vedantic Theme: Anitya-vastu-viveka leading to vairāgya; dhṛti (steadfastness) as a prerequisite for sustained sādhana.

Application: Use impermanence as motivation: simplify attachments, prioritize practice, service, and remembrance of the Divine daily.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.49.25-28 (urgency; tattva practice; delusion; time)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of impermanence (anityatā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that wealth, youth, and even lifespan vanish quickly; remembering impermanence strengthens dhṛti (steady resolve) to live dharmically and prepare spiritually rather than chase unstable pleasures.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s teachings on death and the afterlife?

In the Preta Kanda context, death is presented as certain and near; the verse functions as a wake-up call to cultivate right conduct, detachment, and spiritual preparedness before the post-death journey and its consequences of karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat wealth and status as temporary, use youth and health for disciplined living, charity, and worship, and make daily choices that build steady character (dhṛti) rather than impulsive attachment.