Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

यदि लोभान्न यच्छन्ति प्रमादान्मोहतो ऽपि वा / मृताः शोचन्ति ते सर्वे कदर्याः पापिनस्त्विति

Transliteration

yadi lobhānna yacchanti pramādānmohato 'pi vā / mṛtāḥ śocanti te sarve kadaryāḥ pāpinastviti

Translation

إنْ لم يُعطِ الناسُ صدقةً طمعًا، أو غفلةً، أو وَهْمًا وضلالًا، فإنهم بعد الموت ينوحون جميعًا، ويُعرَفون بأنهم بخلاءُ آثمون.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Avyaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (यदि)
• Form: Conditional Particle

• lobhāt: due to greed
• lobhāt: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lobha (लोभ)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• na: not
• na: Avyaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: Negative Particle

• yacchanti: give
• yacchanti: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yam (यम्)
• Form: Lat (Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Plural

• pramādāt: due to negligence
• pramādāt: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramāda (प्रमाद)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• mohataḥ: due to delusion
• mohataḥ: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: moha (मोह)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative suffix (tasil)

• api: even/also
• api: Avyaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अपि)
• Form: Conjunction/Emphasis

• vā: or
• vā: Avyaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (वा)
• Form: Disjunctive Particle

• mṛtāḥ: dead
• mṛtāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛta (मृत)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• śocanti: grieve/lament
• śocanti: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śuc (शुच्)
• Form: Lat (Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Plural

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

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

• kadaryāḥ: misers
• kadaryāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kadarya (कदर्य)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• pāpinaḥ: sinners
• pāpinaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpin (पापिन्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Avyaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (तु)
• Form: Conjunction

• iti: thus
• iti: Avyaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (इति)
• Form: Particle

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Failure to give due to greed, negligence, or delusion leads to post-death grief and the stigma of pāpa.

Vedantic Theme: Bondage through rāga-lobha; purification through tyāga (letting-go).

Application: Set a disciplined giving practice; counter greed with planned dana and mindful awareness to avoid pramada.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.36 (dana-ninda of kadarya; continuity with dana-mahatmya and preta-duhkha themes)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse frames charity as a dharmic safeguard: failing to give due to greed, negligence, or delusion leads to post-death lament and the karmic identity of being a “miserly sinner.”

How does this verse explain the soul’s experience after death?

It highlights a psychological-karmic consequence after death—grief and remorse—arising from habitual non-giving, implying that attachments like lobha and moha follow the departed as suffering and regret.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate regular giving (time, resources, service) and conscious generosity; reduce greed-driven hoarding and careless neglect so one does not carry regret and karmic burden into life’s end.