Shloka 73

Nīti on Friendship (Mitra), Discretion, Restraint, Health-Regimens, Prosperity (Śrī), and Family Dharma

Devanagari script

नवे वयसि यः शान्तः स शान्त इति मे मतिः / धातुषु क्षीयमाणेषु शमः कस्य न जायते

Transliteration

nave vayasi yaḥ śāntaḥ sa śānta iti me matiḥ / dhātuṣu kṣīyamāṇeṣu śamaḥ kasya na jāyate

Translation

ตามความเห็นของข้าพเจ้า ผู้ใดสงบได้แม้ในวัยหนุ่มอันสดใหม่ ผู้นั้นแลสงบแท้; เพราะเมื่อธาตุในกายเริ่มเสื่อมถอย ใครบ้างเล่าจะไม่เกิดความสงบ

Word by Word

• नवे: in young
• नवे: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (in ‘new/young’)

• वयसि: in age
• वयसि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• शान्तः: calm
• शान्तः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शम् (धातु) → शान्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (calm/appeased)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संकेतवाचक सर्वनाम (correlative pronoun)

• शान्तः: (truly) calm
• शान्तः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शम् (धातु) → शान्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यादि-उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिबोधक (quotative particle)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (my)

• मतिः: opinion
• मतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धातुषु: in the bodily elements
• धातुषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; ‘धातु’ = शरीरधातवः (bodily constituents)

• क्षीयमाणेषु: when (they are) diminishing
• क्षीयमाणेषु: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षि (धातु) → क्षीयमान (कृदन्त, शानच्; कर्मणि/मध्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (being diminished)

• शमः: calmness
• शमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कस्य: of whom
• कस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (of whom)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• जायते: arises
• जायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True śama (tranquility) is proven when present amid youthful vigor; later-life calm may arise from diminished capacities rather than realized self-mastery.

Vedantic Theme: Vairāgya vs. mere exhaustion: authentic inner restraint (śama) is a sādhanā for jñāna; impermanence of dhātus points to anitya and disidentification from the body.

Application: Train equanimity early through discipline, meditation, and ethical living; do not postpone inner work until aging forces detachment; distinguish wisdom-born calm from fatigue-born quiet.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana teachings on self-control, impermanence of the body, and the value of early cultivation of virtue

FAQs

What is the importance of self-control (śama) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that calmness is spiritually meaningful only when cultivated voluntarily—especially in youth—rather than appearing automatically with aging and bodily decline.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By prioritizing inner discipline during active life, it implies that ethical restraint and mental steadiness shape one’s karmic trajectory, supporting a better post-death journey rather than relying on involuntary detachment near old age.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice restraint and mental steadiness now—through truthful living, moderated senses, and daily discipline—so serenity becomes a chosen virtue, not merely a byproduct of weakening body and circumstances.