Shloka 3

Nīti for Calamity, Wealth, Friendship, Charity, and Restraint of Kāma

Devanagari script

वरं हि नरके वासो न तु दुश्चरिते गृहे / नरकात्क्षीयते पाप कुगृहान्न निवर्तते

Transliteration

varaṃ hi narake vāso na tu duścarite gṛhe / narakātkṣīyate pāpa kugṛhānna nivartate

Translation

อยู่ในนรกยังประเสริฐกว่าพำนักในเรือนที่ประพฤติชั่ว; เพราะในนรกบาปย่อมร่อยหรอ แต่จากเรือนอันเสื่อมทรามนั้นยากจะหลุดพ้นได้จริง

Word by Word

• वरम्: better (it is)
• वरम्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् नपुंसक-एकवचन-आकारेण क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable usage: ‘better’)

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

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• वासः: dwelling, residence
• वासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-निपात (but/however)

• दुश्चरिते: in a wicked (place/condition)
• दुश्चरिते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्-चरित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि-क्त (PPP) √चर्; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दुष्टं चरितम्)

• गृहे: in a house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• क्षीयते: is exhausted/comes to an end
• क्षीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षि (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पाप: O evil one / O sinner
• पाप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• कुगृहात्: from a bad house
• कुगृहात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु-गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कुत्सितं गृहं)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• निवर्तते: returns, turns back
• निवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Papa can be exhausted through suffering in naraka, but ongoing association with adharma perpetuates downfall; environment and conduct shape karma.

Vedantic Theme: Satsanga vs asatsanga; samskara formation through association; purification through suffering vs continued bondage through habitual vice.

Application: Avoid corrupt company and unethical households; choose environments that support virtue, truthfulness, and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: nether-realm/household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Preta-khanda: naraka descriptions as karmic exhaustion; repeated emphasis on avoiding papa-hetu and bad association

FAQs

What is the importance of avoiding a sinful household in the Garuda Purana?

This verse warns that a home rooted in adharma keeps reinforcing wrongdoing, making spiritual recovery harder than even temporary suffering meant to exhaust sin.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It contrasts karmic purification through suffering (where sin is ‘used up’) with ongoing sin-causing environments that keep generating fresh bondage and delay upliftment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate a dharmic home—truthfulness, restraint, and right livelihood—and avoid enabling harmful habits, because daily environment strongly shapes karma and character.