Shloka 7

Explanation of the Sapiṇḍana Rite; Causes of Pretahood; Viṣṇu Worship and Preta-ghaṭa Dāna

Devanagari script

प्रजाः पालयते नित्यं पुत्रानिव महाबलः / क्षत्त्रधर्मरतो नित्यं स दण्ड्यान्दण्डयन्नृपः

Transliteration

prajāḥ pālayate nityaṃ putrāniva mahābalaḥ / kṣattradharmarato nityaṃ sa daṇḍyāndaṇḍayannṛpaḥ

Translation

ఆ మహాబలవంతుడైన రాజు ప్రజలను నిత్యం తన కుమారులవలె పరిరక్షించెను. క్షత్రధర్మంలో సదా రతుడై, దండ్యులైనవారికి తగిన దండన విధించెను.

Word by Word

• प्रजाः: subjects, people
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• पालयते: protects, governs
• पालयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; Present, 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada

• नित्यं: always
• नित्यं: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण); Indeclinable adverb

• पुत्रान्: sons
• पुत्रान्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• इव: like, as
• इव: Upama-sambandha (Comparative marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमा-सूचक); Indeclinable particle of comparison

• महाबलः: mighty, of great strength
• महाबलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षत्त्रधर्मरतः: devoted to kṣatriya-duty
• क्षत्त्रधर्मरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षत्त्रधर्म + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; (क्षत्त्रधर्मे रतः)

• नित्यं: always
• नित्यं: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण); Indeclinable adverb

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दण्ड्यान्: those who deserve punishment
• दण्ड्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दण्डयन्: punishing
• दण्डयन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दण्डय् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृपः: king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ruler’s duty: protect subjects like sons and administer proportionate punishment to uphold order.

Vedantic Theme: Lokasaṅgraha (maintenance of world-order) through svadharma; dharma as a support for sattva and social harmony.

Application: Exercise authority with compassion and fairness; enforce rules consistently, with punishment aimed at correction and protection, not cruelty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: kingdom/court

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma/Ācāra sections): rājadharma, daṇḍanīti, protection of prajā; Garuda Purana (Pretakalpa framing): karma and accountability mirrored in worldly justice

Characters & Entities

• Nṛpa (King)
• Prajā (Subjects)

FAQs

What is the importance of rajadharma (kingly duty) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames rajadharma as twofold: compassionate protection of the people like one’s own children, and firm, rightful punishment of offenders to uphold dharma.

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

By emphasizing lawful punishment on earth, it implies that social order and moral accountability begin in life; such dharmic governance supports righteous conduct that affects one’s karmic consequences after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Lead with care and responsibility, but enforce rules impartially—protect the vulnerable, and correct wrongdoing through just, proportionate consequences.