Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

तर्के ऽप्रतिष्ठा श्रुतयो विभिन्नाः नासावृषिर्यस्य मतं न भिन्नम् / धर्मस्य तत्त्वं निहितं गुहायां महाजनो येन गतः स पन्थाः

Transliteration

tarke 'pratiṣṭhā śrutayo vibhinnāḥ nāsāvṛṣiryasya mataṃ na bhinnam / dharmasya tattvaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyāṃ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ

Translation

ตรรกะไม่มีที่ยืนอันเด็ดขาด และคัมภีร์ศรุติก็หลากหลาย ผู้ใดไม่มีทัศนะอันจำเพาะ ผู้นั้นไม่ชื่อว่าฤๅษี แก่นแท้แห่งธรรมซ่อนอยู่ในคูหาลี้ลับ ฉะนั้นหนทางคือหนทางที่มหาชนได้ดำเนินแล้ว

Word by Word

• तर्के: in reasoning/debate
• तर्के: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• अप्रतिष्ठा: no firm ground/uncertainty
• अप्रतिष्ठा: Karta/Predicate-Nominal
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक-प्रातिपदिक (negated noun)

• श्रुतयः: scriptures/traditions
• श्रुतयः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• विभिन्नाः: diverse, differing
• विभिन्नाः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + भिद् (धातु) → भिन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; श्रुतयः इति विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Modifier (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• असौ: that (person)
• असौ: Karta/Predicate-Nominal
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative pronoun)

• ऋषिः: sage
• ऋषिः: Karta/Predicate-Nominal
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (relative genitive)

• मतम्: opinion, doctrine
• मतम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Modifier (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• भिन्नम्: different
• भिन्नम्: Karta (Subject-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + भिद् (धातु) → भिन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; मतम् इति विशेषण

• धर्मस्य: of dharma
• धर्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• तत्त्वम्: true principle/essence
• तत्त्वम्: Karma/Predicate-Nominal
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निहितम्: placed/hidden
• निहितम्: Karta (Subject-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + धा (धातु) → निहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्त्वम् इति विशेषण

• गुहायाम्: in a cave/secret place
• गुहायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• महाजनः: the great person(s), the wise
• महाजनः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् जनः)

• येन: by whom/through whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/सहायक (instrumental relative)

• गतः: gone, followed
• गतः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; महाजनः इति विशेषण

• सः: that
• सः: Karta/Predicate-Determiner
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संकेत (correlative)

• पन्थाः: path, way
• पन्थाः: Karta/Predicate-Nominal
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्/पन्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pure reasoning is inconclusive and texts vary; dharma is subtle—therefore rely on the path trodden by the great (mahājanas) and realized tradition.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa-vicāra: śabda-pramāṇa and sadācāra of āptas; dharma-sūkṣmatā; guru/paramparā as guide when tarka conflicts.

Application: When ethical dilemmas are complex, consult trustworthy exemplars/teachers, lived traditions, and community-tested norms; cultivate humility about one’s arguments; prioritize integrity over novelty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: inner realm (hṛdaya-guhā)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.109 (nīti on dharma and discernment)

FAQs

What is the importance of following the mahājanas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that when logic and scriptures appear conflicting, dharma is best understood by following the lived example of recognized great authorities (mahājanas) who embody the tradition.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it frames spiritual progress as requiring reliable guidance: the soul’s welfare depends on dharma, and dharma is discerned not by argument alone but by the proven path upheld by realized exemplars.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When unsure about right action, prioritize sincere practice grounded in authentic lineage/teachers and time-tested dharmic conduct rather than endless debate or purely personal opinion.