Shloka 52

Devanagari script

शीलं कुलं नैव न चैव विद्या ज्ञानं गुणा नैव न बीजशुद्धिः / भाग्यानि पूर्वं तपसार्जितानि काले फलन्त्यस्य यथैव वृक्षाः

Transliteration

śīlaṃ kulaṃ naiva na caiva vidyā jñānaṃ guṇā naiva na bījaśuddhiḥ / bhāgyāni pūrvaṃ tapasārjitāni kāle phalantyasya yathaiva vṛkṣāḥ

Translation

Ни нрав, ни род, ни учёность, ни знание, ни добродетели — даже не чистота семени — сами по себе не решают исхода; плоды же удачи, стяжанной прежде подвигом аскезы (тапас), созревают в свой срок, как деревья приносят плоды, когда приходит время.

Word by Word

• शीलम्: conduct, character
• शीलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular)

• कुलम्: family, lineage
• कुलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• विद्या: learning, knowledge
• विद्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge, wisdom
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular)

• गुणाः: qualities, virtues
• गुणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• बीजशुद्धिः: purity of seed/lineage
• बीजशुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज + शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बीजस्य शुद्धिः); (Feminine, Nominative, Singular; Genitive Tatpurusha)

• भाग्यानि: fortunes, destinies
• भाग्यानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• अर्जितानि: earned, acquired
• अर्जितानि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्ज् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; (Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc Plural)

• काले: in time, at the proper time
• काले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; (Masculine, Locative, Singular)

• फलन्ति: bear fruit
• फलन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: फल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; (Present indicative, Active, 3rd person plural)

• अस्य: of him/this (person)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; (Genitive, Singular)

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• वृक्षाः: trees
• वृक्षाः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prārabdha/previously accumulated fortune from tapas ripens in its own time; external markers alone do not guarantee outcomes.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati under kāla; limits of egoic agency; acceptance of prārabdha while cultivating right effort.

Application: Avoid pride or despair based on birth/education; practice steady discipline and patience, focusing on present dharma while accepting delayed results.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: general karma-phala and inevitability motifs (chapter context 1.113)

FAQs

What is the importance of tapas (austerity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that fortunes are specifically “earned by tapas” and ripen with time, emphasizing austerity as a powerful generator of karmic merit whose results manifest when conditions mature.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in terms of karma?

It frames life outcomes as the timed fruition of prior karmic deposits—especially merit gained through tapas—suggesting that the soul’s experiences unfold according to ripening karma rather than only present social status or learning.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady discipline and dharmic living without impatience for immediate rewards; results mature in their own season, like fruit on a tree.