Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

दानवन्तं नरं दृष्ट्वा हृष्टाः सर्वे दिवौकसः / ऋषिभिः सह धर्मण चित्रगुप्तेन सर्वदा

Transliteration

dānavantaṃ naraṃ dṛṣṭvā hṛṣṭāḥ sarve divaukasaḥ / ṛṣibhiḥ saha dharmaṇa citraguptena sarvadā

Translation

إذا رأى الجميعُ ذلك الرجلَ السخيّ فرحت الكائناتُ السماوية كلّها؛ وكذلك يرضى عنه دائمًا دَهرما (Dharma) وتشتراغوبتا (Citragupta) مع الحكماء (الريشي).

Word by Word

• dānavantam: charitable
• dānavantam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dānavat (दानवत्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• naram: man
• naram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (नर)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛś (दृश्)
• Form: Ktva Pratyaya (Gerund/Absolutive)

• hṛṣṭāḥ: pleased/delighted
• hṛṣṭāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛṣṭa (हृष्ट)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; Past Participle

• sarve: all
• sarve: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (सर्व)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• divaukasaḥ: gods (dwellers of heaven)
• divaukasaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divaukas (दिवौकस्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ṛṣibhiḥ: with sages
• ṛṣibhiḥ: Sahartha (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (ऋषि)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• saha: with
• saha: Avyaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (सह)
• Form: Preposition/Particle governing Instrumental

• dharmaṇa: with Dharma (Yama)
• dharmaṇa: Sahartha (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharman (धर्मन्)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• citraguptena: with Chitragupta
• citraguptena: Sahartha (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citragupta (चित्रगुप्त)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• sarvadā: always
• sarvadā: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (सर्वदा)
• Form: Adverb of Time

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Charity is witnessed and affirmed by cosmic authorities; merit is ‘seen’ and acknowledged by Dharma and Citragupta.

Vedantic Theme: Moral causality is objective within saṃsāra; actions leave saṃskāra and are ‘recorded’ as karma-phala; dharmic alignment brings inner and cosmic harmony.

Application: Treat ethical acts as accountable and consequential; cultivate generosity consistently, not for praise, but with awareness that actions have enduring moral trace.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial court/assembly

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Citragupta as karmic scribe; Dharma/Yama as adjudicators; Garuda Purana: scenes of Yama’s court and recording of deeds

Characters & Entities

• Divaukasa (Devas)
• Rishis
• Dharma
• Citragupta

FAQs

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

This verse states that a truly charitable person brings joy to the devas and wins the constant approval of Dharma and Citragupta, indicating that dāna is a major source of puṇya that supports one’s favorable post-death outcome.

How does this verse relate to judgment after death in Yama’s realm?

By naming Citragupta (the recorder of karma) and Dharma (righteous order), the verse implies that generosity is a recorded merit that weighs positively in moral accounting associated with afterlife adjudication.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice regular, sincere giving—especially without pride or harm—since the Purana frames dāna as a concrete ethical act that strengthens dharma and builds lasting merit.