Shloka 15

Nīti-Upadeśa: Discernment, Proper Use of Resources, and Social Strategy

Devanagari script

वाजिवारणलौहानां काष्ठपाषाणवाससाम् / नारीपुरुषतोयानामन्तरं महदन्तरम्

Transliteration

vājivāraṇalauhānāṃ kāṣṭhapāṣāṇavāsasām / nārīpuruṣatoyānāmantaraṃ mahadantaram

Translation

ม้ากับช้างและเหล็กนั้นต่างกันมาก; ไม้กับหินและผ้าก็ต่างกันมาก; ฉันใด หญิง ชาย และน้ำ ก็มีความแตกต่างยิ่งนักฉันนั้น

Word by Word

• वाजि: horse
• वाजि: Sambandha (Genitive relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (stem in compound; 'horse')

• वारण: elephant
• वारण: Sambandha (Genitive relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (stem in compound; 'elephant')

• लौह: iron
• लौह: Sambandha (Genitive relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लौह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (stem in compound; 'iron')

• वाजिवारणलौहानाम्: of horses, elephants, and iron
• वाजिवारणलौहानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजि + वारण + लौह (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), षष्ठी-बहुवचन

• काष्ठ: wood
• काष्ठ: Sambandha (Genitive relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (stem in compound; 'wood')

• पाषाण: stone
• पाषाण: Sambandha (Genitive relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाषाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (stem in compound; 'stone')

• वासस्: cloth
• वासस्: Sambandha (Genitive relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (stem in compound; 'cloth/garment')

• काष्ठपाषाणवाससाम्: of wood, stone, and cloth
• काष्ठपाषाणवाससाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ + पाषाण + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), षष्ठी-बहुवचन

• नारी: woman
• नारी: Sambandha (Genitive relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (stem in compound; 'woman')

• पुरुष: man
• पुरुष: Sambandha (Genitive relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (stem in compound; 'man')

• तोय: water
• तोय: Sambandha (Genitive relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (stem in compound; 'water')

• नारीपुरुषतोयानाम्: of women, men, and water
• नारीपुरुषतोयानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी + पुरुष + तोय (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), षष्ठी-बहुवचन

• अन्तरम्: difference; interval
• अन्तरम्: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (अन्तरम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• अन्तरम्: difference
• अन्तरम्: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति-बलार्थ)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda / Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viveka (discrimination): entities differ by svabhava and should not be conflated; discernment in dealing with categories of beings and substances.

Vedantic Theme: Bheda-viveka at the vyavaharika level; recognition of guna/karma-based distinctions while operating in the world.

Application: Practice discernment in relationships and decisions; avoid false equivalences—treat each person/situation according to its nature and consequences.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.110 (niti/achara-style aphorisms in the same adhyaya)

FAQs

What is the importance of discernment (viveka) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that entities differ greatly by nature; recognizing such distinctions supports wiser, dharmic decisions instead of treating everything as equivalent.

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

Indirectly, it points to the need for clear discrimination—an essential virtue in Garuda Purana’s broader teachings on right conduct, which shapes karma and the soul’s post-death trajectory.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice thoughtful judgment: don’t apply one rule to all situations; understand context and nature before acting, speaking, or choosing associations.