Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

अहोरात्रमयो लोके जरारूपेण संचरेत् / मृत्युर्ग्रसति भूतानि पवनं पन्नगो यथा

Transliteration

ahorātramayo loke jarārūpeṇa saṃcaret / mṛtyurgrasati bhūtāni pavanaṃ pannago yathā

Translation

Di dunia ini, Kala—terbina daripada siang dan malam—bergerak dalam rupa ketuaan; dan Maut menelan segala makhluk, laksana ular menelan angin.

Word by Word

• अहोरात्रमयः: having the nature of day and night
• अहोरात्रमयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अहोरात्रेण मयः = ‘अहोरात्र-स्वरूपः’ (made of day and night)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• जरारूपेण: in the form of old age
• जरारूपेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• संचरेत्: would move/roam
• संचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ग्रसति: devours
• ग्रसति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भूतानि: beings
• भूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्म (object)

• पवनम्: the wind
• पवनम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपमान-प्रयोगे (object of comparison)

• पन्नगः: a serpent
• पन्नगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपमेय (that which is compared)

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-प्रदर्शक अव्यय (comparative particle: ‘as/like’)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāla manifests as jarā (aging) and culminates in mṛtyu; embodied life is devoured inevitably, so one should not delay higher pursuit.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā of the body and world; impetus toward vairāgya and mumukṣutva.

Application: Contemplate mortality daily; prioritize dharma and bhakti over procrastination and sense-indulgence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta-kalpa themes): impermanence, death’s certainty, urgency of dharma and śrāddha

Characters & Entities

• Mrityu (Death)
• Jara (Old Age/Decay)
• Kala (Time)

FAQs

What is the importance of Time (kāla) and aging (jarā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames aging as the visible movement of Time in the world, urging detachment and timely practice of dharma before death arrives.

How does this verse explain the certainty of death?

It states that death inevitably “devours” all beings, using a vivid simile to emphasize that no embodied life escapes mortality.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with urgency and clarity: practice dharma, reduce harmful actions, and cultivate spiritual discipline now rather than postponing it until old age.