Shloka 9

Dāna-dharma: Types of Charity, Worthy Recipients, Vrata-Timings, and Śiva–Viṣṇu Propitiation

Devanagari script

दानधर्मं निषेवेत पात्रमासाद्य शक्तितः / उत्पत्स्यते हि तत्पात्रं यत् तारयति सर्वतः

Transliteration

dānadharmaṃ niṣeveta pātramāsādya śaktitaḥ / utpatsyate hi tatpātraṃ yat tārayati sarvataḥ

Translation

ينبغي للمرء أن يلازم دَرْمَ العطاء، بعد أن يجد مستحقًّا للقبول وبقدر طاقته؛ فإن ذلك المستحقّ بعينه يظهر ليغدو، على كل وجه، سببًا للخلاص للمعطي.

Word by Word

• दानधर्मम्: the duty of giving (charity-dharma)
• दानधर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान-धर्म (प्रातिपदिक; दान + धर्म)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• निषेवेत: should practice/engage in
• निषेवेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु) + नि-उपसर्ग
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• पात्रम्: a worthy recipient
• पात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• आसाद्य: having approached/obtained
• आसाद्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (धातु) + आ-उपसर्ग
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव)

• शक्तितः: according to one’s capacity
• शक्तितः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; Ablatival adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्यय), “according to ability”

• उत्पत्स्यते: will arise/come into being
• उत्पत्स्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) + उत्-उपसर्ग
• Form: Future (लृट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphatic/causal

• तत्-पात्रम्: that (true) recipient
• तत्-पात्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• यत्: which (that which)
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• तारयति: causes to cross/saves
• तारयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु) (causative/णिजन्त: तारय-)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• सर्वतः: in every way/from all sides
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; Ablatival adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्यय), “from all sides/entirely”

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma (charity and proper giving)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Vishnu
• Dharma
• Dana
• Patra

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly, it points to purification: giving to a worthy recipient becomes a means of “crossing over” (tārayati), supporting inner clarity that culminates in Self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna) taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse emphasizes karma-yoga in the form of dāna: disciplined, capacity-based giving to a proper pātra as a purifying practice that supports higher sādhana, including Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis paths like Pāśupata-oriented restraint and devotion found in the text.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By framing dharma as a universal purifier leading to deliverance, it aligns with the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the same dharmic discipline supports realization and liberation upheld across both Shaiva and Vaishnava teachings.