Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

सा स्त्रीया न मदं कुर्यात्स सुखी तृष्णयोज्झितः / तन्मित्रं यत्र विश्वासः पुरुषः स जितेन्द्रियः

Transliteration

sā strīyā na madaṃ kuryātsa sukhī tṛṣṇayojjhitaḥ / tanmitraṃ yatra viśvāsaḥ puruṣaḥ sa jitendriyaḥ

Translation

男子不应因女子而沉醉于骄慢与迷惑；离欲断渴者，方为真乐。唯有具信任之处，才称为友。能降伏诸根、克制自心者，乃为自制之人。

Word by Word

• sā: she/that (woman)
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• strī: woman
• strī: Karta (Predicate-noun/कर्ता-रूप)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• yā: who
• yā: Visheshya (Relative/यद्-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• madam: pride, intoxication
• madam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• kuryāt: should do/make
• kuryāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• saḥ: he/that (person)
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sukhī: happy
• sukhī: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• tṛṣṇayā: by craving
• tṛṣṇayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛṣṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• ujjhitaḥ: free from, having abandoned
• ujjhitaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ujjh (धातु) + ujjhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; 'abandoned, free from'

• tat: that
• tat: Visheshya (Correlative/अन्वय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• mitram: friend
• mitram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (relative adverb: 'where')

• viśvāsaḥ: trust
• viśvāsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• puruṣaḥ: man, person
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• jitendriyaḥ: self-controlled (one who has conquered the senses)
• jitendriyaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita (√ji धातु; क्त) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय-प्रायः: 'जितानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra in a dharma instruction section)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avoid intoxication of mind (mada) arising from erotic attachment or pride; happiness comes from freedom from craving; friendship rests on trust; true personhood is self-mastery.

Vedantic Theme: Indriya-nigraha and tṛṣṇā-kṣaya as prerequisites for inner peace; reduction of raga-dvesha.

Application: Practice moderation in relationships; watch for pride/infatuation; cultivate contentment; build friendships on reliability; adopt daily disciplines for sense-control (diet, speech, media, sexuality).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated praise of jitendriyatva and tṛṣṇā-tyāga in niti passages

FAQs

What is the importance of sense-control (jitendriya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents jitendriya—mastery over the senses—as a defining mark of a truly disciplined person, linking inner restraint with real happiness and clarity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing freedom from craving (tṛṣṇā) and conquest of the senses, it points to purification of conduct and mind—qualities repeatedly treated in the Purana as supports for a better destiny and spiritual progress.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid pride or reckless behavior driven by attraction, reduce compulsive desire, choose relationships grounded in trust, and practice daily self-restraint (speech, consumption, and conduct).