Shloka 3

Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vows, Seasonal Tapas, and Equanimity

Devanagari script

भृत्यांस्तु तर्पयेच्छ्मश्रुजटालोमभृदात्मवान् / दान्तस्त्रिषवणस्नायी निवृत्तश्च प्रतिग्रहात्

Transliteration

bhṛtyāṃstu tarpayecchmaśrujaṭālomabhṛdātmavān / dāntastriṣavaṇasnāyī nivṛttaśca pratigrahāt

Translation

Orang yang menguasai diri, berjanggut, berambut gimbal (jaṭā) dan berbulu tubuh sebagai tanda tapa, hendaklah menunaikan keperluan para tanggungan serta para hamba dengan sepatutnya. Hendaklah ia berdisiplin, mandi pada tiga sandhyā setiap hari, dan menjauhi penerimaan hadiah atau pemberian.

Word by Word

• भृत्यान्: servants, dependents
• भृत्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय — particle (emphasis/contrast)

• तर्पयेत्: should satisfy/offer libations to
• तर्पयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Optative, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• श्मश्रु: beard
• श्मश्रु: Visheshana (Qualifier within compound/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मश्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — Neuter stem used as compound member

• जटा: matted hair
• जटा: Visheshana (Qualifier within compound/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — Feminine stem used as compound member

• लोम: body hair
• लोम: Visheshana (Qualifier within compound/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — Neuter stem used as compound member

• भृत्: bearing, possessing
• भृत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृ (धातु) + कृत्-प्रत्यय (क्विप्)
• Form: कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक ‘भृत्’ (धारक/युक्त), समासाङ्ग — Kridanta adjective meaning ‘bearing/possessing’, used as compound member

• श्मश्रुजटालोमभृत्: one who bears beard, matted hair and body hair
• श्मश्रुजटालोमभृत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्मश्रु + जटा + लोम + भृत् (समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बहूनि उपपदानि + भृत्), प्रातिपदिक — Tatpurusha compound adjective ‘one who bears beard, matted hair and body hair’

• आत्मवान्: self-controlled, possessed of self
• आत्मवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; ‘मतुप्’ प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

• दान्तः: restrained, tamed
• दान्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दम् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past participle ‘tamed’, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रि: three
• त्रि: Visheshana (Qualifier within compound/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — numeral stem used as compound member

• सवण: daily rite-time (morning/noon/evening)
• सवण: Visheshana (Qualifier within compound/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — Neuter stem used as compound member

• स्नायी: bather; one who bathes
• स्नायी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + णिनि/इन् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (कर्तरि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — agent-noun/adjective ‘one who bathes’, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रिषवणस्नायी: one who bathes at the three daily times
• त्रिषवणस्नायी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + सवण + स्नायी (समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (त्रिषु सवनेषु स्नायी), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Tatpurusha compound; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निवृत्तः: withdrawn, refraining
• निवृत्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + वृत् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — past participle ‘withdrawn/ceased’, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय — conjunction

• प्रतिग्रहात्: from accepting gifts
• प्रतिग्रहात्: Apadana (Source/Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन — Masculine, Ablative (5th), Singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tapas-yukta sadācāra: self-control, service to dependents, purity through regular bathing, and renunciation of gift-taking to avoid bondage and bias.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi (purification of mind) through niyama and aparigraha, preparing for higher knowledge/bhakti.

Application: Maintain disciplined daily routine (sandhyā-times hygiene/ritual), fulfill duties to those dependent on you, and reduce conflicts of interest by limiting gifts/quid-pro-quo benefits.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.102 (vrata/ācāra section continuing rules of tapas and restraint)

FAQs

What is the importance of trisandhya (three daily junction practices) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights triṣavaṇa-snāna as a core discipline: regular purification at dawn, noon, and dusk supports self-restraint and steadiness in dharma.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching on karma and destiny?

By emphasizing restraint, purity, and avoidance of gift-dependence, the verse frames ethical self-governance as the basis for favorable karmic outcomes taught throughout the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain daily routines of cleanliness and reflection, live with self-control, provide fairly for those who depend on you, and avoid compromising integrity through unethical or self-serving “gifts.”