Shloka 58

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

पारुष्यानृतपैशुन्यमसम्बद्धाभिभाषणम् / परद्रव्याभिधानं च मनसानिष्टचिन्तनम्

Transliteration

pāruṣyānṛtapaiśunyamasambaddhābhibhāṣaṇam / paradravyābhidhānaṃ ca manasāniṣṭacintanam

Translation

恶语、虚妄、诽谤与杂乱无义之谈；谈论或觊觎他人财物；以及在心中盘桓于有害、不善、不可取之念——这些都被算作罪性之趋向。

Word by Word

• pāruṣya: harshness/abuse
• pāruṣya: Karma/Viṣaya (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāruṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg; first member in compound)

• anṛta: untruth
• anṛta: Karma/Viṣaya (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg; ‘falsehood’) first member in compound

• paiśunyam: slander/backbiting (as part of the triad)
• paiśunyam: Karma/Viṣaya (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paiśunya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः: pāruṣya + anṛta + paiśunya (neuter nom/acc sg)

• asambaddha: irrelevant/unconnected
• asambaddha: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-sambaddha (कृदन्त; √bandh with prefix sam-)
• Form: नकारार्थक उपसर्ग ‘अ-’ सहित भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; first member in compound

• abhibhāṣaṇam: incoherent/irrelevant speech
• abhibhāṣaṇam: Karma/Viṣaya (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhi-bhāṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: asambaddha-abhibhāṣaṇa (neuter nom/acc sg)

• para: another’s
• para: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; first member in compound

• dravya: property/wealth
• dravya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive sense in compound: ‘of property/wealth’)

• abhidhānam: speaking/mentioning another’s property (covetous talk/claim)
• abhidhānam: Karma/Viṣaya (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: para-dravya-abhidhāna (neuter nom/acc sg)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• manasā: with the mind
• manasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (neuter, instrumental singular)

• aniṣṭa: undesirable/evil
• aniṣṭa: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aniṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नकारार्थक ‘अ-’ सहित विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; first member in compound

• cintanam: evil thinking
• cintanam: Karma/Viṣaya (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: aniṣṭa-cintana (neuter nom/acc sg)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sinful tendencies include harsh speech, lying, slander, incoherent talk, covetous speech about others’ wealth, and harmful mental rumination.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi (purification of mind) as prerequisite for higher knowledge; karma accrues through thought, speech, and action.

Application: Adopt satya and hita-vākya (truthful, beneficial speech), avoid gossip and covetous talk, and practice mindfulness to interrupt harmful thought-loops.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.57 (earlier items in the ten sins); Garuda Purana 1.213.59 (purification intent via Gaṅgā-snāna)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of controlling speech in the Garuda Purana?

This verse groups harsh speech, lying, slander, and pointless talk as key moral faults, showing that verbal conduct is a primary source of karma and thus a major focus of self-discipline.

How does this verse relate to karmic consequences described in the Garuda Purana?

By listing specific inner and outer misdeeds—speech-based, property-directed, and mental—the verse frames them as roots of demerit that later mature into suffering and accountability in Yama’s domain as described elsewhere in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid abusive or false speech, do not spread gossip, speak only what is relevant and beneficial, refrain from coveting or claiming others’ possessions, and train the mind away from harmful fixations.