Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / योध्रुवाणि परित्यज्य ह्यधुवाणि निषेवते / ध्रुवाणि तस्य नश्यन्ति ह्यध्रुवं नष्टमेव च

Transliteration

'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / yodhruvāṇi parityajya hyadhuvāṇi niṣevate / dhruvāṇi tasya naśyanti hyadhruvaṃ naṣṭameva ca

Translation

سوت نے کہا—جو پائیدار کو چھوڑ کر ناپائیدار کے پیچھے لگتا ہے، اس کے پائیدار فائدے مٹ جاتے ہیں؛ اور ناپائیدار تو ویسے ہی مٹنے والا ہے۔

Word by Word

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शीर्षक/विषय-निर्देश

• sūtaḥ: Sūta
• sūtaḥ: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सूचक (relative pronoun)

• dhruvāṇi: stable/lasting things
• dhruvāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मपद (objects)

• parityajya: having abandoned
• parityajya: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pari-tyaj (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having abandoned)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (indeed/for)

• adhruvāṇi: unstable/impermanent things
• adhruvāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• niṣevate: resorts to/serves
• niṣevate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-ṣev (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• dhruvāṇi: stable things
• dhruvāṇi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of him)

• naśyanti: perish
• naśyanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: naś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक

• adhruvam: the impermanent (thing)
• adhruvam: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• naṣṭam: is lost
• naṣṭam: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naś (धातु) + kta (क्त) → naṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त

• eva: certainly/only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphasis/only)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viveka between the enduring and the fleeting; attachment to the fleeting causes loss of both worldly stability and spiritual capital.

Vedantic Theme: Anitya-vastu-vairāgya and nitya-anitya-viveka; the impermanent cannot be secured, while neglect of the enduring erodes true gain.

Application: Prioritize lasting values (dharma, character, sādhanā, relationships grounded in duty) over short-term gratification; audit daily choices for ‘dhruva vs adhruva’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Didactic sections in Garuda Purana on anitya-saṁsāra and the urgency of dharma; Passages praising vairāgya and remembrance of Hari as the enduring refuge

FAQs

What is the importance of choosing dhruva (the enduring) over adhruva (the fleeting) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse warns that chasing impermanent pleasures not only fails to last, but also erodes what truly endures—dharma-based merit and lasting welfare.

How does this verse connect to the Garuda Purana’s broader message about karma?

It frames a karmic principle: prioritizing transient gratification leads to loss on both fronts—spiritual merit declines, and worldly enjoyments still pass away.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Invest daily effort in lasting goods—ethical conduct, self-restraint, service, and spiritual practice—while treating pleasures and possessions as temporary.