Shloka 8

Nīti for Calamity, Wealth, Friendship, Charity, and Restraint of Kāma

Devanagari script

आपत्सु मित्रं जानी याद्रणे शूरं रहः शुचिम् / मार्या च विभवे क्षीणे दुर्भिक्षे च प्रियातिथिम्

Transliteration

āpatsu mitraṃ jānī yādraṇe śūraṃ rahaḥ śucim / māryā ca vibhave kṣīṇe durbhikṣe ca priyātithim

Translation

Dalam saat bencana, kenalilah sahabat; dalam pertempuran, kenalilah pahlawan; dalam kesunyian, kenalilah kesucian seseorang; ketika harta habis, kenalilah isteri; dan ketika kebuluran, kenalilah tetamu yang dikasihi.

Word by Word

• आपत्सु: in calamities
• आपत्सु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• मित्रम्: a friend
• मित्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जानीयात्: should know/recognize
• जानीयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• शूरम्: a hero, brave man
• शूरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रहः: in private, secretly
• रहः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘रहसि/एकान्ते’ इत्यर्थे

• शुचिम्: pure, honest
• शुचिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• भार्या: a wife
• भार्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• विभवे: in prosperity, in wealth
• विभवे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• क्षीणे: when diminished
• क्षीणे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीण (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दुर्भिक्षे: in famine
• दुर्भिक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्भिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

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

• प्रियातिथिम्: a dear guest
• प्रियातिथिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय + अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—प्रिय-अतिथि (dear/valued guest)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True qualities are known by tests: friend in calamity, hero in battle, purity in private, wife in poverty, guest-friendliness in famine.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-parīkṣā (testing character) and satya (truth) revealed under pressure; dharma as lived conduct.

Application: Assess reliability by behavior under stress; cultivate courage, integrity in private, mutual commitment in hardship, and hospitality even in scarcity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: battlefield/private chamber/household during famine

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.109 (nīti on testing virtues)

FAQs

What is the importance of testing relationships in adversity according to the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that real loyalty and virtue become visible under pressure—friends in calamity, spouses in poverty, and guests in scarcity reveal genuine dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it frames dharmic conduct—truthful friendship, courage, inner purity, fidelity, and hospitality—as the ethical foundation that supports auspicious outcomes after death in the Purana’s broader karmic worldview.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Evaluate trust and character by actions during hardship, maintain integrity in private, stand firm in duty under pressure, and practice generosity and hospitality even when resources are limited.