Shloka 24

Dāna-dharma: Threefold Classification, Right Recipients, Auspicious Timing, and Fruits of Gifts

Devanagari script

वासोदश्चान्द्रसालोक्यमश्विसालोक्यमश्वदः / अनडुद्दः श्रियं पुष्टां गोदो ब्रध्नस्य विष्टपम्

Transliteration

vāsodaścāndrasālokyamaśvisālokyamaśvadaḥ / anaḍuddaḥ śriyaṃ puṣṭāṃ godo bradhnasya viṣṭapam

Translation

مَن يهب الثياب يبلغ عالم القمر؛ ومَن يهب الفرس يبلغ عالم التوأمين أشفين. ومَن يهب الثور ينل رخاءً مزدهراً؛ ومَن يهب البقرة يبلغ المقام السماوي لبرَدْهْنا (Bradhna).

Word by Word

• वासः-दः: giver of garments
• वासः-दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; दा धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (वासांसि ददाति इति)

• च: and
• च: Discourse connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आन्द्र-सालोक्यम्: the world/realm of the Moon (co-residence with Candra)
• आन्द्र-सालोक्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; चन्द्र-सम्बन्धी) + सालोक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चन्द्रस्य सालोक्यम् = co-residence with the Moon)

• अश्वि-सालोक्यम्: the realm of the Aśvins
• अश्वि-सालोक्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सालोक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अश्विनोः सालोक्यम् = co-residence with the Aśvins)

• अश्व-दः: giver of a horse
• अश्व-दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; दा धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (अश्वं ददाति इति)

• अनडुद्-दः: giver of an ox/bull
• अनडुद्-दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनडुद् (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; दा धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (अनडुहं ददाति इति)

• श्रियम्: prosperity
• श्रियम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुष्टाम्: nourished, flourishing
• पुष्टाम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; पुष् धातु, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying श्रियम्)

• गो-दः: giver of a cow
• गो-दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; दा धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (गां ददाति इति)

• ब्रध्नस्य: of Bradhna (a solar deity/epithet of the Sun)
• ब्रध्नस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रध्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्टपम्: heavenly world/abode
• विष्टपम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्टप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific donations yield specific loka-phala: clothing→Chandra’s realm, horse→Ashvins’ realm, bull→prosperity, cow→Bradhna’s heavenly abode.

Vedantic Theme: Heavenly rewards are still within karma-bandha; dana purifies and can support eventual bhakti/moksha when offered to Vishnu.

Application: Give essentials (clothing), support mobility/service (horse as symbol), support agriculture (bull), and protect/serve cows (go-seva) with compassion and non-exploitation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: loka/vishtapa (celestial abode)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.51.22-23 (dana-phala catalog); Garuda Purana sections on svarga/naraka as karma-phala (general)

Characters & Entities

• Chandra (Moon)
• Ashvins (Aśvinau)
• Bradhna

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charitable gifting) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that specific gifts (clothes, horse, bull, cow) yield specific karmic fruits—attaining particular divine realms or prosperity—showing dāna as a direct means of generating merit (puṇya).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It links actions performed in life (especially prescribed gifts) to post-death destinations (sālokya/viṣṭapa), indicating that the soul’s posthumous experience follows karmic results shaped by ethical and ritual conduct.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice intentional charity: support clothing donations, animal welfare/cow protection where appropriate, and broader dhārmic giving—done with sincerity—understanding it as character-building and merit-generating action.