Shloka 22

Devanagari script

आर्जवं चान्सूया च तीर्थानुसरणं तथा / सत्यं संतोष आस्तिक्यं तथा चेन्द्रियनिग्रहः

Transliteration

ārjavaṃ cānsūyā ca tīrthānusaraṇaṃ tathā / satyaṃ saṃtoṣa āstikyaṃ tathā cendriyanigrahaḥ

Translation

आर्जवं चानसूया च तीर्थानुसरणं तथा। सत्यं संतोष आस्तिक्यं चेन्द्रियनिग्रह एव च साधनीयाः॥

Word by Word

• आर्जवम्: straightforwardness
• आर्जवम्: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अन्सूया: non-envy
• अन्सूया: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्-सूया/असूया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (spelling variant of असूया)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• तीर्थानुसरणम्: following sacred places/pilgrimage observance
• तीर्थानुसरणम्: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुसरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तीर्थस्य/तीर्थानाम् अनुसरणम् = following pilgrimages); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमबोधक (adverb: likewise/also)

• सत्यम्: truthfulness
• सत्यम्: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• संतोषः: contentment
• संतोषः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आस्तिक्यम्: faith (in Veda/God)
• आस्तिक्यम्: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्तिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमबोधक (adverb)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• इन्द्रियनिग्रहः: restraint of the senses
• इन्द्रियनिग्रहः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (इन्द्रियाणां निग्रहः = restraint of senses); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sadācāra as a composite of inner honesty (ārjava), non-envy (anasūyā), sacred observance (tīrtha), truth, contentment, faith, and sense-restraint.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi: moral and sensory discipline stabilizes the mind for higher inquiry; contentment reduces rajas-driven craving.

Application: Practice ‘ārjava’ by aligning speech and intent; reduce envy by gratitude journaling; set periodic tīrtha-like observances (temple visit, river-cleanup, or silent retreat) paired with satya and indriya-nigraha vows.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: pilgrimage network (rivers/temples)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.49.21 (virtues and abhyāsa); Garuda Purana 1.49.23 (worship, ahiṃsā, speech-ethics)

Characters & Entities

• Tirthas (sacred places)
• Indriyas (senses)

FAQs

What is the importance of indriya-nigraha (sense control) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse places sense-restraint alongside truth, contentment, and faith, indicating that disciplined senses are essential for sustaining dharma and preventing actions driven by desire, anger, or envy.

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

By listing core virtues (truth, integrity, faith, self-control), it outlines the moral foundations that shape karma—central to the Purana’s broader teaching that one’s post-death journey is conditioned by conduct in life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice honest speech, cultivate contentment, avoid envy and fault-finding, keep steady faith in ethical principles, and adopt daily sense-discipline (moderation in food, speech, media, and impulses).