Shloka 31

Nīti for Calamity, Wealth, Friendship, Charity, and Restraint of Kāma

Devanagari script

दुर्जनाः शिल्पिनो दासा दुष्टाश्च पटहाः स्त्रियः / ताडिता मार्दवं यान्ति न ते सत्कारभाजनम्

Transliteration

durjanāḥ śilpino dāsā duṣṭāśca paṭahāḥ striyaḥ / tāḍitā mārdavaṃ yānti na te satkārabhājanam

Translation

恶人、受雇之匠、奴仆、堕落的击鼓者以及此类女子，唯有受杖击时才显顺从；他们并非堪受敬礼与厚待之器。

Word by Word

• दुर्जनाः: wicked people
• दुर्जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (दुष्टाः जनाः)

• शिल्पिनः: artisans/craftsmen
• शिल्पिनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिल्पिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• दासाः: servants/slaves
• दासाः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• दुष्टाः: wicked
• दुष्टाः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त from √दुष् (धातु) ‘to be bad’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• पटहाः: drums
• पटहाः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पटह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ताडिताः: beaten/struck
• ताडिताः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताडित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त from √ताड् (धातु) ‘to strike’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त, विशेषणम् (passive sense: ‘having been beaten’)

• मार्दवम्: softness/gentleness
• मार्दवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्दव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• यान्ति: go/come to
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सत्कारभाजनम्: a fit recipient of honor
• सत्कारभाजनम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समाना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सत्कारस्य भाजनम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The verse asserts a punitive view: certain groups deemed ‘wicked’ respond only to force and are unfit for honor—reflecting a hard-edged danda-niti stance.

Vedantic Theme: Not explicitly Vedantic; reflects rajasic governance logic (danda) and social valuation; illustrates how guna-driven judgments shape conduct.

Application: As a text-critical and ethical application: read as historical danda-niti rhetoric; in practice, avoid cruelty, prefer just governance, and recognize the danger of dehumanizing generalizations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.109 (niti/dharma counsel cluster)

FAQs

What is the importance of satkāra (honor/respect) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames satkāra as something to be offered discerningly—respect is portrayed as meaningful only when given to those with good conduct and character.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; rather, it teaches ethical discernment in worldly conduct, which the Garuda Purana links broadly to karmic outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice discernment: honor integrity and virtue, avoid enabling harmful behavior, and set firm boundaries where gentleness is exploited.