Shloka 74

Āhnika-Dharma: Dawn Purification, Sandhyā-Upāsanā, Tarpana, Pañca-Mahāyajñas, and Aśauca Rules

Devanagari script

उद्धृत्य वा यथाशक्ति किञ्चिदन्नं समाहितः / वेदतत्त्वार्थविदुषे द्विजायैवोपपादयेत्

Transliteration

uddhṛtya vā yathāśakti kiñcidannaṃ samāhitaḥ / vedatattvārthaviduṣe dvijāyaivopapādayet

Translation

Mit gesammeltem Geist soll man, nach eigener Kraft, einen kleinen Teil der Speise beiseitelegen und ihn einem Zweimalgeborenen (Brāhmaṇa) darbringen, der den wahren Sinn und die Grundsätze der Veden kennt.

Word by Word

• उद्धृत्य: having taken out/collected
• उद्धृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ud-hṛ (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• वा: or
• वा: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• यथाशक्ति: according to ability
• यथाशक्ति: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (यथाशक्त्या इति अर्थः), क्रियाविशेषण

• किञ्चित्: some/a little
• किञ्चित्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kiṃcit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितपरिमाणवाचक विशेषण

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समाहितः: collected/composed (attentive)
• समाहितः: Karta (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-dhā (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• वेदतत्त्वार्थविदुषे: to the knower of the true meaning of the Veda
• वेदतत्त्वार्थविदुषे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य तत्त्वार्थं वेत्ति इति), पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• द्विजाय: to a twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात

• उपपादयेत्: should present/offer
• उपपादयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-pad (धातु) [causative: उपपादय-]
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त (causative) धातु; विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: According to capacity, set aside food with concentration and offer to a dvija who knows Veda-tattva and artha.

Vedantic Theme: Sat-saṅga and śāstra-prāmāṇya: honoring knowledge as a purifier; right recipient (pātra) amplifies the fruit of dāna.

Application: Practice intentional giving: donate to genuine educators/scholars or institutions preserving learning; give proportionately, without strain, with focused mind.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: household/annadāna setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: adjacent household-dharma verses on feeding and honoring dvijas (contextual link)

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (twice-born brāhmaṇa)
• Veda (Vedic wisdom)

FAQs

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

This verse highlights anna-dāna as a direct dharmic act: even a small portion, offered with mental composure and sincerity, becomes meritorious—especially when given to a Veda-knowing brāhmaṇa.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching on karma and merit?

It frames karma not as magnitude alone but as intention and right recipient: giving within one’s means, with a focused mind, to a worthy knower of Vedic truth generates puṇya aligned with dharma.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Regularly set aside a portion of food or resources and donate it thoughtfully—supporting genuine teachers, scholars, or dharmic service—doing so calmly and without display, according to your capacity.