Shloka 97

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

वणिक्कुसीदं दद्याद्यो वस्त्रं गाङ्काञ्चनादिकम् / कृषीवलो ऽन्नपानादियानशय्यासनानि च

Transliteration

vaṇikkusīdaṃ dadyādyo vastraṃ gāṅkāñcanādikam / kṛṣīvalo 'nnapānādiyānaśayyāsanāni ca

Translation

Ein Kaufmann soll als Gabe Kapital für Handel und Darlehen spenden, ebenso Gewänder und Dinge wie Kühe und Gold. Ein Landwirt soll Speise und Trank geben und auch Fahrzeuge, Betten und Sitze.

Word by Word

• वणिक्: merchant
• वणिक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वणिज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-सम्बोधनार्थे (agent noun)

• कुसीदम्: usury; lending at interest
• कुसीदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसीद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• वस्त्रम्: cloth; garment
• वस्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गाङ्काञ्चनादिकम्: (things) like gold etc. (gāṅ + gold and the like)
• गाङ्काञ्चनादिकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गाङ् (प्रातिपदिक) + काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; -आदिक (etc.-ending) विशेषणम्

• कृषीवलः: farmer; cultivator
• कृषीवलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृषीवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अन्नपानादियानशय्यासनानि: food, drink, etc., vehicles, beds, and seats
• अन्नपानादियानशय्यासनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + पान (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + यान (प्रातिपदिक) + शय्या (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective copulative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dana according to one’s station and livelihood (merchant vs farmer) as a purifier and social stabilizer.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation: right action and giving without greed supports inner steadiness (sattva).

Application: Match charity to your means and profession: merchants support capital goods (money, cloth, cattle, gold); farmers prioritize sustenance goods (food, drink) and basic comforts (beds, seats, transport).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (dana/vrata sections broadly; varna-ashrama and dana discussions in adjacent adhyayas)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse teaches that dāna should be practical and aligned with one’s means and livelihood—merchants give wealth and valuables, while farmers give nourishment and basic comforts—so that charity becomes sustainable and socially beneficial.

How does this verse relate to karma and the soul’s journey described in the Garuda Purana?

By prescribing appropriate dāna, the text emphasizes puṇya-accumulation through righteous giving, which supports favorable karmic outcomes—often presented in the Garuda Purana as aiding one’s post-death welfare and reducing suffering born of miserliness or misuse of wealth.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Give what you are best positioned to provide: if you handle money, support others through fair financial help and essentials; if you produce resources, share food, water, and basic comforts—prioritizing genuine need and ethical intent.