Shloka 90

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

तस्मात्षड्गुणतो हीनः शंबरो लोककण्टकः / शंबरस्य समो ज्ञेयः शाल्वो दैत्येषु चाधमः

Transliteration

tasmātṣaḍguṇato hīnaḥ śaṃbaro lokakaṇṭakaḥ / śaṃbarasya samo jñeyaḥ śālvo daityeṣu cādhamaḥ

Translation

ତାଙ୍କ ଠାରୁ ଛଅ ଗୁଣରେ ହୀନ ଶମ୍ବର ହେଉଛନ୍ତି ଲୋକକଣ୍ଟକ | ଦୈତ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଅଧମ ଶାଲ୍ୱଙ୍କୁ ଶମ୍ବରଙ୍କ ସମାନ ବୋଲି ଜାଣିବା ଉଚିତ୍ |

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: from that (therefore)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• षट्-गुणतः: by/from six qualities (sixfold)
• षट्-गुणतः: Apadana (अपादान-अर्थे अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास/तद्धितान्त अव्यय: षड्गुणतः (ablatival adverb) ‘षड्गुणात्’ इत्यर्थे

• हीनः: deficient/less
• हीनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शंबरः: Śambara
• शंबरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंबर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लोक-कण्टकः: thorn of the world (public menace)
• लोक-कण्टकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): लोकस्य कण्टकः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शंबरस्य: of Śambara
• शंबरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंबर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• समः: equal
• समः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञेयः: to be known
• ज्ञेयः: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शाल्वः: Śālva
• शाल्वः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दैत्येषु: among the Daityas
• दैत्येषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अधमः: the lowest/worst
• अधमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘नीचतमः’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Deficiency in virtues leads to becoming a public harm; moral lack manifests as social suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Tamas/rajas dominance produces duḥkha for self and world; adharma is self-propagating within saṃsāra.

Application: Treat vice as not merely personal but societal; cultivate virtues to avoid becoming ‘lokakaṇṭaka’ in family/work/community.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.12.88–92 (continued comparative hierarchy; ‘lokakaṇṭaka’ evaluative epithet)

Characters & Entities

• Śambara
• Śālva
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the importance of ṣaḍguṇa (six virtues) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the loss of core virtues as the root of becoming a “thorn to the world,” showing that inner character (virtue) is central to dharma and social well-being.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

By condemning asuric, virtue-less conduct, it implies that adharma shapes one’s karmic trajectory—leading toward suffering and lower states described elsewhere in the Purana’s afterlife teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate the opposite of “deficiency in virtues”: practice self-restraint, truthfulness, compassion, and responsibility so one does not become a source of harm to society.