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Shloka 35

Nīti-saṅgraha: Conduct, Association, Kali-yuga Decline, and the Supremacy of Vidyā

Devanagari script

यो वात्मनीह न गुरौ न च भृत्यवर्गे दीने दयां न कुरुते न च मित्रकार्ये / किं तस्य जीवितफलेनमनुष्यलोके काको ऽपि जीवति चिरं च बलिं च भुङ्क्ते

Transliteration

yo vātmanīha na gurau na ca bhṛtyavarge dīne dayāṃ na kurute na ca mitrakārye / kiṃ tasya jīvitaphalenamanuṣyaloke kāko 'pi jīvati ciraṃ ca baliṃ ca bhuṅkte

Translation

Trong cõi người, đời sống có ích gì nếu người ấy chẳng lo cho chính mình, chẳng kính thầy, chẳng chăm kẻ nương tựa; không thương xót người khốn cùng, và không đứng về phía bạn hữu khi cần? Ngay cả con quạ cũng sống lâu và vẫn ăn lễ vật (bali).

Word by Word
यःwho (he who)
यः:
Karta (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)
वाindeed/or
वा:
Sambandha (Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक अव्यय (particle: or/indeed, often emphatic)
आत्मनिin oneself; for oneself
आत्मनि:
Adhikarana (Locus)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative singular)
इहhere (in this world)
इह:
Desha/Kala-adhikarana (Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiha (अव्यय)
Formदेश/कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: here/in this world)
नnot
न:
Nishedha (Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)
गुरौtowards the teacher; in the guru
गुरौ:
Adhikarana (Locus/with respect to)
TypeNoun
Rootguru (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative singular)
नnot
न:
Nishedha (Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक अव्यय
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)
भृत्यवर्गेamong servants/retainers
भृत्यवर्गे:
Adhikarana (Locus/with respect to)
TypeNoun
Rootbhṛtya (प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; भृत्यानां वर्गः (group of servants/retainers)
दीनेtowards the poor/helpless
दीने:
Adhikarana (Locus/with respect to)
TypeNoun
Rootdīna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative singular)
दयाम्compassion
दयाम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootdayā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular)
नnot
न:
Nishedha (Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक अव्यय
कुरुतेdoes; shows
कुरुते:
Kriya (Predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
नnot
न:
Nishedha (Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक अव्यय
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्यय
मित्रकार्येin a friend’s need
मित्रकार्ये:
Adhikarana (Context)
TypeNoun
Rootmitra (प्रातिपदिक) + kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; मित्रस्य कार्ये (in a friend’s task/need)
किम्what? (what use?)
किम्:
Prayojana/Prashna (Interrogative)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम
तस्यof him
तस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; संकेत/अन्वादेश सर्वनाम (genitive singular)
जीवितफलेनwith the fruit/value of life
जीवितफलेन:
Karana (Instrument: 'with/by the fruit')
TypeNoun
Rootjīvita (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; जीवितस्य फलम् (fruit/value of life)
मनुष्यलोकेin the human world
मनुष्यलोके:
Adhikarana (Locus)
TypeNoun
Rootmanuṣya (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; मनुष्याणां लोकः (human world)
काकःa crow
काकः:
Karta (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootkāka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Emphasis/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअपि-कार (particle: even/also)
जीवतिlives
जीवति:
Kriya (Predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootजीव् (धातु)
Formलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
चिरम्for long
चिरम्:
Kala-adhikarana (Temporal)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootcira (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्यय
बलिम्offering; food
बलिम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootbali (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्यय
भुङ्क्तेeats
भुङ्क्ते:
Kriya (Predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootभुज् (धातु)
Formलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in discourse to Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human life is justified by relational duties: care for self, reverence to guru, responsibility to dependents, compassion to the needy, and loyalty to friends.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as purifier of antaḥkaraṇa; human birth as rare opportunity for ethical maturation (manuṣya-janma-sāphalya).

Application: Practice concrete compassion (support the vulnerable), uphold teacher/mentor obligations, and show up for friends in crisis; audit neglect in one’s responsibilities.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.115.36 (trivarga-shunya days); Garuda Purana 1.115.37 (paradhinata)

FAQs

This verse treats compassion to the helpless as a defining mark of meaningful human life; without dayā, longevity or social status has little spiritual value.

It frames human life as purposeful only when one fulfills basic dharmic responsibilities—care for self-discipline, respect for the guru, protection of dependents, mercy to the distressed, and loyalty to friends.

Practice tangible compassion (help the vulnerable), honor teachers/mentors, take responsibility for those who rely on you, and show up for friends during difficulties—otherwise life is reduced to mere survival.

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