Shloka 26

Dāna-dharma: Threefold Classification, Right Recipients, Auspicious Timing, and Fruits of Gifts

Devanagari script

वेदवित्सु ददज्ज्ञानं स्वर्गलोके महीयते / गवां घासप्रदानेन सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

Transliteration

vedavitsu dadajjñānaṃ svargaloke mahīyate / gavāṃ ghāsapradānena sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

Translation

Wer den Kennern der Veden geistiges Wissen schenkt, wird in den Himmelswelten geehrt; und durch das Darbringen von Futter für die Kühe wird er von allen Sünden befreit.

Word by Word

• veda-vitsu: among knowers of the Veda
• veda-vitsu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + vit (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √vid-ज्ञाने, 'वित्')
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वेदं वेत्ति इति वेदवित्; तेषु)

• dadan: giving
• dadan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा, दाने)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्तः (शतृ-प्रत्यय, परस्मैपदी), प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्ग; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (कर्तृवाचकः)

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• svarga-loke: in the heavenly world
• svarga-loke: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्गस्य लोकः)

• mahīyate: is honored
• mahīyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mah (मह्, पूजायाम्/वर्धने)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—'is honored/glorified'

• gavām: of cows
• gavām: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (गो), षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• ghāsa-pradānena: by the giving of fodder
• ghāsa-pradānena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + pradāna (प्रातिपदिक, √dā)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (घासस्य प्रदानम्)

• sarva-pāpaiḥ: from all sins
• sarva-pāpaiḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि पापानि)

• pramucyate: is released
• pramucyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (मुच्, मोचने) उपसर्गः प्र-
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोगः—'is freed'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Imparting spiritual knowledge brings celestial honor; feeding cows (fodder-dāna) destroys sins.

Vedantic Theme: Sattvika karma (service to knowledge and to cows) purifies antaḥkaraṇa, preparing for higher realization beyond svarga.

Application: Teach/share śāstra responsibly; support cow-care (or broadly, compassionate animal welfare and agrarian sustenance) as an expiatory, purifying act.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: loka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.51.25 (jñāna-dāna praised); Garuda Purana 1.51.27–29 (dāna as remover of suffering and as aid in perilous passage)

Characters & Entities

• Veda-knowers (Vedavits)
• Cows (Gāvaḥ)
• Svarga (heaven)

FAQs

What is the importance of jñāna-dāna (giving knowledge) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that imparting knowledge—especially in a Vedic context—brings great honor and merit in Svarga, presenting jñāna-dāna as one of the highest forms of charity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

While it does not describe the post-death journey directly, it links ethical actions (teaching sacred knowledge and feeding cows) with posthumous outcomes—honor in heavenly realms and freedom from sins that obstruct favorable afterlife states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Support authentic learning and teaching of sacred/ethical knowledge, and practice compassionate giving such as feeding and caring for cows/animals—performed with sincerity as a discipline of dharma.