Shloka 176

Karma, Non-Violence, Tīrtha & Gaṅgā Merit, Vaiṣṇava Protection, Śālagrāma Worship, and Ekādaśī as Deliverance

Devanagari script

उपकर्तुं प्रियं वक्तुं गुणो नैसर्गिकः सताम् । शीतांशुः क्रियते केन शीतलोऽमृतमंडलः

Transliteration

upakartuṃ priyaṃ vaktuṃ guṇo naisargikaḥ satām | śītāṃśuḥ kriyate kena śītalo'mṛtamaṃḍalaḥ

Translation

Sifat semula jadi orang mulia ialah menolong dan menuturkan kata yang menyenangkan. Siapakah yang menjadikan bulan—sejuk bagaikan lingkaran amerta—tetap sejuk demikian?

Word by Word

• उपकर्तुम्: to help
• उपकर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप- कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); ‘to help/benefit’

• प्रियम्: pleasant (thing)
• प्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचन; ‘वक्तुम्’ (what is to be spoken) हेतु-भावे

• वक्तुम्: to speak
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); ‘to speak’

• गुणः: a quality; virtue
• गुणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) एकवचन

• नैसर्गिकः: natural; innate
• नैसर्गिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैसर्गिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन; ‘गुणः’ विशेषण

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• सताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन

• शीतांशुः: the moon (cool-rayed one)
• शीतांशुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक) + अंशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (śīta-aṃśu = cool-rayed); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन

• क्रियते: is made; becomes
• क्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• केन: by whom? by what?
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण) एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• शीतलः: cool
• शीतलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन; ‘अमृतमण्डलः’ विशेषण

• अमृतमंडलः: the nectar-orb (moon)
• अमृतमंडलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (amṛta-maṇḍala = orb of nectar); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (context not provided for dialogue attribution)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: शीतलः+अमृतमण्डलः → शीतलोऽमृतमण्डलः (o + a → o’).

Characters & Entities

• Śītāṃśu (Moon)

FAQs

What is the central teaching of this verse?

It teaches that kindness (helping others) and pleasant, considerate speech arise naturally in truly virtuous people; they do not need external prompting.

Why does the verse mention the moon and ‘nectar-orb’?

The moon is used as an analogy: just as the moon is naturally cool and nectar-like, the good are naturally disposed to beneficence and gentle speech.

What ethical lesson can be applied in daily life from this shloka?

Cultivate conduct where helping others and speaking kindly become habitual and spontaneous—signs of inner refinement rather than forced politeness.