Shloka 18

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा पुराणं देवस्य माहात्म्यप्रतिपादकम् / प्रातर्विप्राय दत्त्वा च याचकाय शुभाय तत्

Transliteration

śrutvā purāṇaṃ devasya māhātmyapratipādakam / prātarviprāya dattvā ca yācakāya śubhāya tat

Translation

مَن سمعَ البورانا التي تُبيّن عظمةَ الربّ، فليُعطِها صباحًا لبرهمنٍ، أو ليقدّمها هبةً لطالبٍ مستحقّ، طلبًا لثوابٍ مباركٍ ميمون.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त्वा (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• पुराणम्: the Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• देवस्य: of the deity
• देवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• माहात्म्य-प्रतिपादकम्: that expounds the greatness (of the deity)
• माहात्म्य-प्रतिपादकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिपादक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः: ‘माहात्म्यं प्रतिपादयति’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘पुराणम्’

• प्रातर्: in the morning
• प्रातर्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातर् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• विप्राय: to a brāhmaṇa
• विप्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त्वा (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• याचकाय: to a supplicant/beggar
• याचकाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• शुभाय: auspicious/virtuous
• शुभाय: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘याचकाय’

• तत्: that (gift/thing)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; संदर्भवाचक सर्वनाम

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śravaṇa of Hari’s māhātmya followed by dāna converts devotion into dharmic action that yields śubha-puṇya.

Vedantic Theme: Sāttvika karma offered in devotion purifies antaḥkaraṇa and supports bhakti-sādhana (karma-yoga orientation).

Application: Hear/recite a Purāṇa passage, then give a meaningful gift (book/food/fee) in the morning to a learned person or genuinely needy supplicant with discernment (pātra).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma/Vrata sections): repeated pairing of śravaṇa–dāna as puṇya-sādhana; Garuda Purana (Preta/Shraddha portions): emphasis on brāhmaṇa as pātra for rites and gifts

Characters & Entities

• Deva (the Lord)

FAQs

What is the importance of hearing the Garuda Purana according to this verse?

This verse presents Purāṇa-śravaṇa (hearing the sacred text that teaches the Lord’s glory) as a dharmic act that should culminate in auspicious merit through charity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it emphasizes puṇya-building practices—listening to sacred teachings and giving dāna—which the Garuda Purana commonly frames as supports for favorable post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Study or listen to sacred teachings regularly, then translate that learning into morning charity—supporting learned teachers, temples, or genuinely needy seekers in a respectful, dharmic way.