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Shloka 45

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यो मया दत्तमनेकधा / तत्सर्वं निष्फलं जातं मम दैवादुपागतम्

Transliteration

dīnānāthaviśiṣṭebhyo mayā dattamanekadhā / tatsarvaṃ niṣphalaṃ jātaṃ mama daivādupāgatam

Translation

لقد قدّمتُ العطايا بوجوهٍ كثيرة للفقراء والعاجزين الذين لا ناصر لهم؛ غير أنّ ذلك كلّه صار بلا ثمرةٍ لي، بسبب تقلّب القدر الذي حلّ بي.

Word by Word
दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यःto those (people) who were poor and helpless
दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यः:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootदीन (प्रातिपदिक) + अनाथ (प्रातिपदिक) + विशिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः (दीनाः च अनाथाः च तैः विशिष्टाः—‘those distinguished as poor and helpless’) (Ablative plural, masc.; used for recipient group)
मयाby me
मया:
Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formतृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular)
दत्तम्was given
दत्तम्:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; ‘(दानम्) दत्तम्’ (given)
अनेकधाin many ways
अनेकधा:
Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअनेकधा (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of manner: ‘in many ways’)
तत्that
तत्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (that)
सर्वम्all (of it)
सर्वम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, neut.)
निष्फलम्fruitless
निष्फलम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootनिष्फल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (fruitless)
जातम्has become
जातम्:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootजन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘भवति’ अर्थे (has become)
ममof me / my
मम:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Genitive singular: ‘of me’)
दैवात्from fate / by destiny
दैवात्:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootदैव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हेत्वर्थे (Ablative singular: ‘due to fate’)
उपागतम्has come upon (me)
उपागतम्:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeAdjective
Rootउप + आ + गम् (धातु) → उपागत (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘(दुःखम्/विपद्) उपागतम्’ (that has come upon)
Speaker

Preta (departed soul) speaking in lament (as recounted in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Merit can feel ‘fruitless’ when obstructed by adverse karmic fruition; outcomes are not always immediately visible or as expected.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala is governed by complex causality; daiva often denotes ripened past karma rather than random fate.

Application: Give without transactional expectation; pair charity with right intention, humility, and (where relevant) prescribed rites; cultivate equanimity when results are delayed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta-kalpa): emphasis that without proper post-death rites and beneficiaries, the departed may suffer despite prior merits

Characters & Entities
P
Preta
D
Daiva (fate/providence)

FAQs

This verse highlights the preta’s reflection that even charity to the poor must be aligned with right intent and dharma; otherwise, one may feel it yields no visible fruit when adverse destiny manifests.

It portrays the post-death consciousness reviewing life-actions and their results, showing the tension between personal effort (dāna/puṇya) and daiva (the ripening of karma) during the preta’s passage.

Give in a dharmic way—with proper intention, right recipient, and ethical means—while accepting that results may ripen in unseen ways and not always as immediate worldly relief.

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