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Shloka 2

Dāna for the Preta: Supreme Gifts, Yama’s Pacification, and Viṣṇu-Smaraṇa at the Time of Death

Devanagari script

देयमेकं महादानं कार्पासं चोत्तमोत्तमम् / येन दत्तेन प्रीयन्ते भूर्भुवः स्वरिति क्रमात्

Transliteration

deyamekaṃ mahādānaṃ kārpāsaṃ cottamottamam / yena dattena prīyante bhūrbhuvaḥ svariti kramāt

Translation

ينبغي أن تُقدَّم هبةٌ عظمى واحدة سامية—وهي القطن، أرفعُ ما يكون من العطايا؛ وبإعطائه ترضى عوالم Bhūr وBhuvaḥ وSvaḥ على الترتيب.

Word by Word
देयम्should be given
देयम्:
Kriya (Obligation/विधि)
TypeVerb
Rootdā (धातु) + ya (कृत्)
Formकृत्य (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय
एकम्one
एकम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
महादानम्a great gift
महादानम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmahā + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास (महच्च तत् दानम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
कार्पासम्cotton
कार्पासम्:
Karma (Apposition/कर्म-प्राय)
TypeNoun
Rootkārpāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
उत्तमोत्तमम्the very best
उत्तमोत्तमम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootuttama + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय/पुनरुक्त-समास (अतिशयार्थ); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
येनby which
येन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन
दत्तेनby (it) having been given
दत्तेन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdā (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
Formक्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
प्रीयन्तेare pleased
प्रीयन्ते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootprī (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद
भूःEarth (Bhū)
भूः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbhū (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
भुवःmid-region (Bhuvaḥ)
भुवः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbhuvas (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
स्वःheaven (Svaḥ)
स्वः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsvar (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (Discourse marker/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण/समाप्ति-अव्यय (quotative particle)
क्रमात्in order; successively
क्रमात्:
Kāla/Prakāra-adhikaraṇa (Manner/प्रकार)
TypeNoun
Rootkrama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (in order/ क्रमशः)
Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kārpāsa (cotton) as an ‘uttamottama’ mahādāna whose offering pleases the triloka.

Vedantic Theme: Sattvic giving and cosmic order (ṛta/dharma): right action harmonizes individual and worlds.

Application: Give clothing/cloth (or resources for it) as high-impact charity; prioritize warmth, dignity, and practical utility.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic realms

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dāna-kathana lists: vastra-dāna/pātra-dāna as preta-hitakara; Subsequent verse (2.30.3) linking this dāna to preta-uddhāra

Characters & Entities
B
Bhūr-loka
B
Bhuvar-loka
S
Svar-loka

FAQs

This verse treats cotton as a foremost mahādāna; offering it is said to gratify the cosmic realms (Bhūr, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ), implying strong ritual merit in post-death observances.

By linking dāna to the satisfaction of Bhūr–Bhuvaḥ–Svaḥ, the verse frames charity as a supportive merit that harmonizes the departed person’s ritual trajectory across progressively subtler realms.

Practice purposeful charity—especially donating useful cloth/cotton items with a sacred intent—alongside śrāddha and ethical living, treating giving as a disciplined, merit-building act.

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