Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

यस्य भार्या श्रितान्यञ्च परवेश्माभिकाङ्क्षिणी / कुक्रिया त्यक्तलज्जा च सा जरा न जरा जरा

Transliteration

yasya bhāryā śritānyañca paraveśmābhikāṅkṣiṇī / kukriyā tyaktalajjā ca sā jarā na jarā jarā

Translation

جس شخص کی بیوی دوسروں کا سہارا لیتی ہے، پرائے گھر کی خواہش کرتی ہے، بدچلن اور بے شرم ہے، وہ بیوی ہی بڑھاپا ہے؛ طبعی بڑھاپا درحقیقت بڑھاپا نہیں ہے۔

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Masculine/Neuter Genitive Singular

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Feminine Nominative Singular

• श्रिता: attached/resorted
• श्रिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with भार्या

• अन्यान्: others (men)
• अन्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; Masculine Accusative Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पर: another’s
• पर: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; used as पूर्वपद in समास

• वेश्म: house
• वेश्म: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; in compound-base

• अभिकाङ्क्षिणी: desiring/longing for
• अभिकाङ्क्षिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + काङ्क्ष् (धातु) + णिनि (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त (desiderative agent noun/adjective), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Feminine Nominative Singular

• कुक्रिया: evil conduct
• कुक्रिया: Visheshana (Predicate noun/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘कु’ (दुष्ट) + ‘क्रिया’ (action)

• त्यक्त: abandoned
• त्यक्त: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समासपूर्वपद; used in compound with लज्जा

• लज्जा: shame/modesty
• लज्जा: Karma (Object implied: shame)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; in compound-base

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Feminine Nominative Singular

• जरा: old age/decay
• जरा: Karma (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate nominative

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• जरा: old age
• जरा: Karma (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; used emphatically

• जरा: old age indeed
• जरा: Karma (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (speaking to Garuḍa / Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gṛhastha-dharma: marital fidelity and lajja (modesty) as supports of social and spiritual order; adharma in the home becomes a form of living suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra-duḥkha arising from rāga-dveṣa and adharma; the household becomes either a field for sattva or a source of bondage.

Application: Cultivate ethical boundaries, mutual accountability, and sāttvika conduct in relationships; avoid enabling patterns that normalize betrayal and shamelessness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.108.24 (praise of virtuous wife as true ‘priyā’); Garuda Purana 1.108.25 (domestic ‘death’ causes); Garuda Purana 1.108.26 (avoid wicked company; remember impermanence)

FAQs

What is the importance of marital fidelity in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a wife’s unfaithfulness and shameless misconduct as a man’s harshest ‘old age’—a lived decline—highlighting fidelity and modesty as core pillars of gṛhastha-dharma.

How does this verse explain karma through household life?

Rather than describing an after-death scene, it shows karma operating immediately: adharma within marriage becomes a present suffering and social-spiritual deterioration, experienced as ‘jarā’ (decline).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Uphold integrity in relationships—faithfulness, boundaries, and accountability—since ethical collapse at home is portrayed as a direct cause of misery and personal decline.