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Shloka 91

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

उपकाराय सा भर्तुर्जीवन्ती न मृता तथा / उद्धरेज्जीवमाना सा सती सत्यवती प्रियम्

Transliteration

upakārāya sā bharturjīvantī na mṛtā tathā / uddharejjīvamānā sā satī satyavatī priyam

Translation

భర్త హితార్థం ఆమె జీవించి ఉండాలి, మరణించకూడదు; జీవించుచుండగా ఆ సతి, సత్యవతి భార్య తన ప్రియుని उद्धరించాలి.

Word by Word
upakārāyafor the benefit
upakārāya:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootupakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Caturthī (4th/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana; sampradāna/purpose dative
sāshe
sā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormStrīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
bhartuḥof (her) husband
bhartuḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootbhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; genitive relation
jīvantīliving
jīvantī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Root√jīv (जीव् धातु)
FormVartamāna-kāla-kṛdanta (śatṛ), Strīliṅga Prathamā Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of sā
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; niṣedha (negation particle)
mṛtādead
mṛtā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Root√mṛ (मृ धातु)
FormKta (past passive participle), Strīliṅga Prathamā Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of sā (i.e., 'not dead')
tathāthus
tathā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; adverb = 'thus/likewise'
uddharetshould lift/save
uddharet:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootud-√hṛ (हृ धातु)
FormVidhi-liṅ (Optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada
jīvamānāwhile living
jīvamānā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Root√jīv (जीव् धातु)
FormVartamāna-kāla-kṛdanta (śānac), Strīliṅga Prathamā Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of sā
sāshe
sā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormStrīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
satīvirtuous (wife)
satī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsatī (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from √as अस्, present participle used as noun)
FormStrīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa = 'virtuous/chaste woman'
satyavatītruthful
satyavatī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsatyavatī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormStrīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of sā
priyamthe beloved (husband)/dear one
priyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpriya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karma (object)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For the husband’s benefit, the wife should remain alive; as a satī (faithful) and satyavatī (truthful), she should uplift her beloved through living action.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as compassionate agency; rejection of self-destruction in favor of purposeful duty and inner steadiness.

Application: In bereavement, choose life, fulfill responsibilities, perform śrāddha/dāna, and maintain truthful, stabilizing conduct for family and the departed’s remembrance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household/social sphere (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.34.90 (wife’s rites for husband); Garuda Purana śrāddha sections emphasizing the living’s role in preta-upakāra

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
G
Garuda
B
Bhartṛ (husband)

FAQs

This verse emphasizes dharmic support: a virtuous wife benefits her husband through living conduct—truthfulness, care, and protective action—rather than self-destruction.

In the Preta Kanda’s discussion of death and post-death consequences, the text also instructs the living on righteous behavior; here it frames virtue and truth as practical supports that uplift family destiny.

Choose life-affirming dharma: act with truthfulness, steadiness, and care for loved ones—supporting family wellbeing through ethical conduct rather than harmful extremes.

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