Shloka 1

Nītisāra: Virtuous Association, Household Dharma, and Kāla (Time) as the Supreme Regulator

Devanagari script

नाम सप्तोत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / नीतिसारं प्रवक्ष्यामि अर्थशास्त्रादिसंश्रितम् / राजादिभ्यो हितं पुण्यमायुः स्वर्गादिदायकम्

Transliteration

nāma saptottaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / nītisāraṃ pravakṣyāmi arthaśāstrādisaṃśritam / rājādibhyo hitaṃ puṇyamāyuḥ svargādidāyakam

Translation

سوت نے کہا—میں ارتھ شاستر وغیرہ کی تعلیمات پر مبنی نیتی کا نچوڑ بیان کروں گا؛ جو بادشاہوں وغیرہ کے لیے مفید، پُنّیہ بخش، عمر بڑھانے والا اور سْورگ وغیرہ کی عطا دینے والا ہے۔

Word by Word

• नाम: namely
• नाम: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः (particle: ‘namely/indeed’)

• सप्तोत्तरशततमः: the 107th
• सप्तोत्तरशततमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त + उत्तर + शत + तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal): ‘one hundred and seven’ (107th)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नीतिसारम्: the essence of polity/ethics
• नीतिसारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीति + सार (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: नीत्याः सारः

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall expound
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अर्थशास्त्रादिसंश्रितम्: based on Arthaśāstra and others
• अर्थशास्त्रादिसंश्रितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थशास्त्र + आदि + संश्रित (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘संश्रित’ = based on; समासः: अर्थशास्त्रादिषु संश्रितम्

• राजादिभ्यः: for kings and others
• राजादिभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case/dative), बहुवचन; ‘राजादि’ = kings etc.

• हितम्: beneficial
• हितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘हित’ = beneficial

• पुण्यम्: meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण

• आयुः: life-span
• आयुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• स्वर्गादिदायकम्: granting heaven and the like
• स्वर्गादिदायकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग + आदि + दायक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; ‘स्वर्गादि’ = heaven etc.; दायक = giving

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nīti (ethical governance and conduct) rooted in arthaśāstra supports worldly welfare and also yields spiritual merit and higher attainments.

Vedantic Theme: Integration of puruṣārthas: artha guided by dharma becomes a support for auspicious gati; worldly order as a preparatory field for higher ends.

Application: Leaders and householders should study policy/ethics, govern justly, and align power with dharma to secure welfare and merit.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.108.2 (sad-saṅga as nīti foundation)

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Arthaśāstra
• Rājā (king)

FAQs

What is the importance of Nīti-sāra in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces Nīti-sāra as a practical, Arthaśāstra-grounded teaching meant to guide righteous governance and conduct, producing merit and auspicious results.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it links ethical action (nīti) with puṇya and higher destinations like svarga, implying that right conduct shapes post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Apply nīti as principled decision-making—fair leadership, truthful conduct, and duty-based action—since the text frames such living as beneficial and merit-generating.