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Shloka 70

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

Devanagari script

तावद्वन्धुः पिता तावद्यावज्जीवति मानवः / मृते मृत इति ज्ञात्वा क्षणात् स्नेहो निवर्तते

Transliteration

tāvadvandhuḥ pitā tāvadyāvajjīvati mānavaḥ / mṛte mṛta iti jñātvā kṣaṇāt sneho nivartate

Translation

ญาติพี่น้อง—แม้บิดา—ย่อมเป็นของเขาเพียงตราบที่มนุษย์ยังมีชีวิต; ครั้นตายแล้วรู้ว่า “ตายแล้ว” ความรักย่อมถอยไปในพริบตาเดียว।

Word by Word
तावत्so long
तावत्:
Kaala-parimana (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottāvat (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; परिमाण/अवधिवाचक (correlative: “so long/that long”)
बन्धुःa relative
बन्धुः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbandhu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन
पिताfather
पिता:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; पितृ-शब्द (irregular stem)
तावत्so long
तावत्:
Kaala-parimana (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottāvat (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; पुनरुक्त-परिमाणवाचक (correlative)
यावत्as long as
यावत्:
Kaala-adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyāvat (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; यावत्-तावत् सम्बन्धे (correlative: “as long as”)
जीवतिlives
जीवति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootजीव् (धातु)
Formलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद
मानवःa man/person
मानवः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmānava (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन
मृतेwhen (he is) dead
मृते:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmṛta (कृदन्त; √mṛ)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative) एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) “dead”; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute: “when (he is) dead”)
मृतः(he is) dead
मृतः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmṛta (कृदन्त; √mṛ)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (used substantively: “the dead one”)
इतिthus
इति:
Vakyartha-marker (वाक्यार्थ)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; इत्यादि-उक्तिवाचक (quotative particle)
ज्ञात्वाhaving known
ज्ञात्वा:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootज्ञा (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); “having known/realized”
क्षणात्in a moment
क्षणात्:
Apadana (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative); एकवचन; अपादानार्थे (from/within a moment)
स्नेहःaffection
स्नेहः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsneha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन
निवर्ततेceases/turns back
निवर्तते:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootनि + वृत् (धातु)
Formलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worldly relationships are contingent; at death, attachment quickly dissolves—therefore rely on dharma/inner preparation.

Vedantic Theme: Asat-saṅga and anityatā of deha-sambandha; vairāgya as discernment (viveka) about what truly accompanies the jīva.

Application: Reduce over-dependence on social validation; invest in inner discipline, merit, and remembrance of the divine.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: household/cremation-threshold

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: laments on how relatives withdraw after death; exhortations to self-effort and dharma (thematic)

Characters & Entities
H
Humans (mānava)
R
Relatives (bandhu)
F
Father (pitā)

FAQs

This verse stresses that worldly bonds are conditional and quickly dissolve after death, urging one to cultivate spiritual priorities over mere social attachment.

By showing how rapidly the living withdraw their affection, it implies the deceased must rely on dharma, merits, and prescribed rites rather than human support in the post-death journey described in the Preta Kanda.

Practice detachment, invest in dharma and ethical living, and support proper funeral and śrāddha observances—without assuming relationships alone can safeguard one at death.

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