Shloka 13
Sat-saṅga, Dharma-Nīti, Karma-Phala, Śauca, and Vairāgya
Overcoming Grief
विप्राणां भूषणं विद्या पृथिव्या भूषणं नृपः / नभसो भूषणं चन्द्रः शीलं सर्वस्य भूषणम्
viprāṇāṃ bhūṣaṇaṃ vidyā pṛthivyā bhūṣaṇaṃ nṛpaḥ / nabhaso bhūṣaṇaṃ candraḥ śīlaṃ sarvasya bhūṣaṇam
برہمنوں کا زیور ودیا ہے، زمین کا زیور راجا؛ آسمان کا زیور چاند ہے، اور سب کا زیور حسنِ سیرت ہے۔
Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)
Concept: True ornamentation is inner excellence: vidyā for brāhmaṇas, righteous kingship for the earth, the moon for the sky, and śīla (good character) for all.
Vedantic Theme: Sattva as true beauty; inner guṇa outweighs external upādhi; dharma as the real ‘alaṅkāra’ of the self.
Application: Invest in education, ethical leadership, and personal conduct; treat reputation as a byproduct of character, not display.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Related Themes: Garuda Purana ethical maxims on śīla and vidyā (general parallel)
FAQs
This verse states that śīla is the universal “ornament”—the defining excellence that beautifies and elevates every person beyond status, birth, or role.
Indirectly, it frames the ethical foundation (śīla and vidyā) that supports dharmic living—qualities the Garuda Purana repeatedly treats as crucial for auspicious outcomes after death and avoidance of suffering.
Cultivate learning appropriate to your duties, support righteous leadership and civic order, and prioritize character—truthfulness, restraint, and integrity—as your primary “adornment.”