Shloka 39

Sat-saṅga, Dharma-Nīti, Karma-Phala, Śauca, and Vairāgya

Overcoming Grief

Devanagari script

यस्य सत्यञ्च शौचञ्च तस्य स्वर्गो न दुर्लभः / सत्यं हि वचनं यस्य सो ऽश्वमेधाद्विशिष्यते

Transliteration

yasya satyañca śaucañca tasya svargo na durlabhaḥ / satyaṃ hi vacanaṃ yasya so 'śvamedhādviśiṣyate

Translation

సత్యం మరియు శౌచం ఉన్నవానికి స్వర్గం దుర్లభం కాదు. ఎవరి వాక్యం సత్యమో, అతడు అశ్వమేధ యాగపు పుణ్యానికన్నా విశిష్టుడు.

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचकः (relative pronoun)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (Possessed quality/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• शौचम्: purity
• शौचम्: Karta (Possessed quality/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• तस्य: for him/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• स्वर्गः: heaven
• स्वर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• दुर्लभः: hard to obtain
• दुर्लभः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष/उपसर्ग-युक्त विशेषण (difficult-to-obtain)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• वचनम्: speech/word
• वचनम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अश्वमेधात्: than the Aśvamedha (sacrifice)
• अश्वमेधात्: Apadana (Standard of comparison/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (aśva-medha = horse-sacrifice)

• विशिष्यते: excels/is superior
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विशिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Satya and śauca yield svarga; truthful speech surpasses even Aśvamedha merit.

Vedantic Theme: Primacy of ethical truth (satya) as purifier of karma; inner virtue can outweigh external ritual magnitude.

Application: Commit to truthful speech even under pressure; align actions with integrity; prioritize daily virtue over performative religiosity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.113.38 (satya as śauca); Garuda Purana 1.113.40 (bad conduct not cleansed by ritual)

Characters & Entities

• Svarga
• Aśvamedha

FAQs

What is the importance of truthfulness (satya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse elevates satya as a direct source of spiritual merit: truthful conduct and truthful speech make svarga attainable and can surpass even grand ritual merit like the Aśvamedha.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By linking satya and śauca to svarga, the verse frames the soul’s post-death destination as strongly shaped by ethical purity and truthful speech, not only by ritual performance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate honesty in speech and integrity in daily conduct, along with inner/outer cleanliness—treating these as core spiritual practice rather than relying only on ceremonial acts.