Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 20

Vow-Fasting (Anaśana), Sannyāsa, Tīrtha-Death, and the Ethics of Dāna

Devanagari script

कृत्वा निरशनं तार्क्ष्य पुनर्जीवति मानवः / ब्राह्मणान् स समाहूय सर्वस्वं यत् परित्यजेत्

Transliteration

kṛtvā niraśanaṃ tārkṣya punarjīvati mānavaḥ / brāhmaṇān sa samāhūya sarvasvaṃ yat parityajet

Translation

يا تاركشيا (غارودا)، بصومِ الامتناعِ عن الطعام يستعيدُ الإنسانُ الحياة؛ ثم بعد أن يستدعيَ البراهمة، ينبغي له أن يتخلّى—ويتصدّق—بما يستطيع من كاملِ ثروته.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); ‘having done’

• निरशनम्: fasting (abstaining from food)
• निरशनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तार्क्ष्य: O Tārkṣya (Garuda)
• तार्क्ष्य: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (again)

• जीवति: lives
• जीवति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• मानवः: a man
• मानवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• समाहूय: having summoned
• समाहूय: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√ह्वे (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); ‘having summoned/called together’

• सर्वस्वम्: all one’s possessions
• सर्वस्वम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative) — ‘whatever’

• परित्यजेत्: should renounce/give up
• परित्यजेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda/Tārkṣya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After fasting and regaining life, one should summon brāhmaṇas and renounce/give away wealth—transforming survival into dharmic redistribution and detachment.

Vedantic Theme: Vairāgya and karma-yoga: converting personal gain (continued life) into selfless offering; loosening possessiveness (mamatā) as preparation for higher pursuit.

Application: After recovery from illness/crisis, practice gratitude through charity, support of learning/spiritual communities, and simplifying possessions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: praise of dāna, especially at critical life junctures; vrata/tapas as purifying; brāhmaṇa-bhojana and gifting as merit-generators

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Tārkṣya)
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the importance of fasting (niraśana) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents fasting as a powerful dharmic discipline linked with renewal of life and vitality, implying purification and a reset of one’s karmic burden when undertaken with right intent.

How does this verse connect charity to spiritual welfare?

It instructs that after revival or recovery, one should call brāhmaṇas and relinquish wealth as dāna—framing giving as a corrective, merit-building act aligned with dharma and expiation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe a disciplined fast when appropriate (health permitting), and follow it with meaningful giving—supporting teachers, priests, or charitable causes—cultivating gratitude, restraint, and generosity.