Shloka 14

Dāna-vidhi: Pātra-nirṇaya, Go-dāna-mahima, and Rules of Acceptance

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मदाता ब्रह्मलोकं प्राप्नोति सुरदुर्लभम् / वेदार्थयज्ञशास्त्राणि धर्मशास्त्राणि चैव हि

Transliteration

brahmadātā brahmalokaṃ prāpnoti suradurlabham / vedārthayajñaśāstrāṇi dharmaśāstrāṇi caiva hi

Translation

Wer die Gabe heiligen Wissens schenkt, gelangt nach Brahmaloka, einem Reich, das selbst für die Götter schwer zu erreichen ist; denn diese Gabe umfasst den Sinn der Veden, die Wissenschaft des Yajña und die Dharma-Schriften.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मदाता: the giver of Brahma/Vedic knowledge
• ब्रह्मदाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + दाता (दा धातु; तृच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समास: ब्रह्मणः दाता (giver of sacred knowledge/Veda)

• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Brahma-world
• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: ब्रह्मणः लोकः

• प्राप्नोति: attains
• प्राप्नोति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सुरदुर्लभम्: hard to obtain even for gods
• सुरदुर्लभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर + दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समास: सुरैः दुर्लभम् (even for gods hard to obtain)

• वेदार्थयज्ञशास्त्राणि: treatises on Vedic meaning and sacrifice
• वेदार्थयज्ञशास्त्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + अर्थ + यज्ञ + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; समास: वेदार्थ-यज्ञ-शास्त्राणि (शास्त्राणि—वेदार्थविषयाणि/यज्ञविषयाणि)

• धर्मशास्त्राणि: Dharma-shastras
• धर्मशास्त्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; समास: धर्मस्य शास्त्राणि

• च: and
• च: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक निपात (for/indeed)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The gift of sacred knowledge (Veda-artha, yajña-śāstra, dharma-śāstra) surpasses material gifts and leads to Brahmaloka.

Vedantic Theme: Primacy of vidyā as purifier; alignment with ṛta through śāstra-jñāna; movement toward higher lokas via sattva and wisdom.

Application: Support transmission of dharma-vidyā: sponsor teaching, preservation, and study of Veda, śāstra, and ethical instruction; share learning responsibly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: loka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated elevation of jñāna-dāna/śāstra-dāna as superior dāna (where present in Dharma-kāṇḍa passages)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of brahma-dāna (gift of sacred knowledge) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse elevates brahma-dāna as a supreme form of charity whose fruit is Brahmaloka, because it embodies the Vedas’ meaning along with the disciplines of sacrifice and Dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It links a specific ethical-spiritual action—supporting or transmitting sacred knowledge—to an exalted post-mortem destination (Brahmaloka), showing karma’s role in determining higher realms.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Support genuine learning and teaching of sacred texts—through study, sharing, funding education, or preserving manuscripts—treating knowledge as a dharmic gift rather than mere information.