Shloka 18

Dharma-sāra: Dāna-mahātmyam, Karma-vāda, and the Conquest of Grief and Greed

Devanagari script

न गोदानात्परं दानं किञ्चिदस्तीति मे मतिः / या गौर्न्यायार्जिता दत्ता कृत्स्नं तारयते कुलम्

Transliteration

na godānātparaṃ dānaṃ kiñcidastīti me matiḥ / yā gaurnyāyārjitā dattā kṛtsnaṃ tārayate kulam

Translation

في رأيي لا عطيةَ أسمى من عطية البقرة. فالبقرة التي تُكتسب بالحلال ثم تُتصدَّق بها تُنقذ السلالة كلّها.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• गोदानात्: than cow-gift (from the giving of a cow)
• गोदानात्: Apadana (Standard of comparison/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषः (गोः दानम्)

• परम्: greater
• परम्: Visheshana (to दानम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; तुलनार्थे (comparative sense: ‘higher/greater’)

• दानम्: gift, donation
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karta (Subject, appositional to दानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• अस्ति: exists / is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Vakya-sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मतिः: opinion, view
• मतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• या: which
• या: Karta (Subject of subordinate clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• गौः: cow
• गौः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न्यायार्जिता: acquired lawfully
• न्यायार्जिता: Visheshana (to गौः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्याय + अर्जित (कृदन्त; √अर्ज्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle): ‘rightly acquired’

• दत्ता: given
• दत्ता: Visheshana (to गौः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP): ‘given’

• कृत्स्नम्: entire
• कृत्स्नम्: Visheshana (to कुलम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तारयते: saves, delivers
• तारयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु) (causative √तॄ → तारय)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगः (Causative): ‘causes to cross/saves’

• कुलम्: family, lineage
• कुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The ethical quality of acquisition (nyāya) conditions the merit of dāna; go-dāna is extolled as preeminent and kula-uplifting.

Vedantic Theme: Karma refined by sattvic intention and righteous livelihood; merit expands beyond the individual through relational karma (kula).

Application: Give from honestly earned resources; prioritize gifts that sustain life and dharma (animal welfare, food systems, dairy alternatives where appropriate, rural livelihoods).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: pastoral-ritual setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated go-dāna praise alongside anna-dāna and bhū-dāna; emphasis on proper acquisition and proper recipient

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Gau (Cow)
• Kula (lineage)

FAQs

What is the importance of Go-dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse declares go-dāna (donation of a cow) as the highest form of charity, emphasizing that it generates exceptional merit and supports the spiritual welfare of one’s lineage.

Why does the verse stress “nyāyārjitā” (honestly acquired)?

The Garuda Purana repeatedly values dharmic means: a gift becomes truly meritorious when the donated object is obtained through righteous, lawful livelihood—otherwise the spiritual fruit is diminished.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Give charity from ethically earned income and prioritize meaningful, life-supporting donations (e.g., supporting care of cows/animal shelters, food and livelihood support) with a sincere intention and dharmic conduct.