Shloka 23

Nītisāra: Virtuous Association, Household Dharma, and Kāla (Time) as the Supreme Regulator

Devanagari script

यस्य भार्या श्रितान्यञ्च परवेश्माभिकाङ्क्षिणी / कुक्रिया त्यक्तलज्जा च सा जरा न जरा जरा

Transliteration

yasya bhāryā śritānyañca paraveśmābhikāṅkṣiṇī / kukriyā tyaktalajjā ca sā jarā na jarā jarā

Translation

ఎవని భార్య ఇతరులను ఆశ్రయించునో, పరాయి ఇండ్లను కోరునో, దుష్కార్యములు చేయుచు సిగ్గు విడిచి ప్రవర్తించునో, ఆమెయే ముసలితనము; నిజమైన ముసలితనము ముసలితనము కాదు.

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Masculine/Neuter Genitive Singular

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Feminine Nominative Singular

• श्रिता: attached/resorted
• श्रिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with भार्या

• अन्यान्: others (men)
• अन्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; Masculine Accusative Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पर: another’s
• पर: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; used as पूर्वपद in समास

• वेश्म: house
• वेश्म: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; in compound-base

• अभिकाङ्क्षिणी: desiring/longing for
• अभिकाङ्क्षिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + काङ्क्ष् (धातु) + णिनि (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त (desiderative agent noun/adjective), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Feminine Nominative Singular

• कुक्रिया: evil conduct
• कुक्रिया: Visheshana (Predicate noun/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘कु’ (दुष्ट) + ‘क्रिया’ (action)

• त्यक्त: abandoned
• त्यक्त: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समासपूर्वपद; used in compound with लज्जा

• लज्जा: shame/modesty
• लज्जा: Karma (Object implied: shame)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; in compound-base

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Feminine Nominative Singular

• जरा: old age/decay
• जरा: Karma (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate nominative

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• जरा: old age
• जरा: Karma (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; used emphatically

• जरा: old age indeed
• जरा: Karma (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (speaking to Garuḍa / Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gṛhastha-dharma: marital fidelity and lajja (modesty) as supports of social and spiritual order; adharma in the home becomes a form of living suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra-duḥkha arising from rāga-dveṣa and adharma; the household becomes either a field for sattva or a source of bondage.

Application: Cultivate ethical boundaries, mutual accountability, and sāttvika conduct in relationships; avoid enabling patterns that normalize betrayal and shamelessness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.108.24 (praise of virtuous wife as true ‘priyā’); Garuda Purana 1.108.25 (domestic ‘death’ causes); Garuda Purana 1.108.26 (avoid wicked company; remember impermanence)

FAQs

What is the importance of marital fidelity in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a wife’s unfaithfulness and shameless misconduct as a man’s harshest ‘old age’—a lived decline—highlighting fidelity and modesty as core pillars of gṛhastha-dharma.

How does this verse explain karma through household life?

Rather than describing an after-death scene, it shows karma operating immediately: adharma within marriage becomes a present suffering and social-spiritual deterioration, experienced as ‘jarā’ (decline).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Uphold integrity in relationships—faithfulness, boundaries, and accountability—since ethical collapse at home is portrayed as a direct cause of misery and personal decline.