Shloka 14

Preta-mārga Supports (Dāna), Chitragupta’s Accounting, and the Enumeration of Narakas

Devanagari script

स्वयं स्वस्येन यद्दत्तं तत्तत्राधिकरोति तम् / मृते यद्बान्धवैर्दत्तं तदाश्रित्य सुखी भवेत्

Transliteration

svayaṃ svasyena yaddattaṃ tattatrādhikaroti tam / mṛte yadbāndhavairdattaṃ tadāśritya sukhī bhavet

Translation

Was ein Mensch aus eigenen Mitteln gibt, eben diese Gabe wird ihm dort (nach dem Tod) zur rechtmäßigen Stütze. Und was die Verwandten für den Verstorbenen darbringen, darauf gestützt wird der Hingegangene getröstet und findet Wohlergehen.

Word by Word

• स्वयम्: by oneself
• स्वयम्: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: oneself/by oneself)

• स्वस्येन: by one’s own (self/means)
• स्वस्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental: by one’s own [person/means])

• यत्: whatever which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (that which)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (given)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (that)

• तत्र: there; in that case
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place: there/in that matter)

• अधिकरोति: makes entitled; authorizes
• अधिकरोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (him)

• मृते: when dead; after death
• मृते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; मृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘when (someone) is dead’ (locative absolute sense)

• यत्: whatever which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (that which)

• बान्धवैः: by relatives
• बान्धवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (instrumental: by relatives)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (that)

• आश्रित्य: having relied on
• आश्रित्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु) → आश्रित्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् कृदन्त-अव्यय; ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund): having resorted to/depending on

• सुखी: happy
• सुखी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (happy)

• भवेत्: should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: post-death period (preta-support phase; typically within the first year depending on rite)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Self-earned gifts (svayaṃ dāna) become one’s rightful support after death; offerings made by relatives for the deceased also provide comfort and aid.

Vedantic Theme: Karma extends beyond bodily life; subtle continuity of agency and benefit; interconnectedness (ṛṇa/bandhu) within dharmic order.

Application: Practice charity while alive; instruct family on śrāddha/दान; perform offerings for departed relatives with faith and correctness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: journey-support/waystation concept

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: śrāddha sections on how offerings reach the preta and relieve hardship; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: dependence of the departed on gifts/rites performed by the living

Characters & Entities

• Relatives (Bāndhavas)
• The departed (Preta)

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charity) in the Garuda Purana after death context?

This verse states that what one donates by one’s own means becomes one’s rightful support in the after-death condition, indicating personal merit accompanies the soul.

How does this verse explain the benefit of relatives’ rites for the departed?

It says the deceased becomes comforted by relying on what relatives give on their behalf, pointing to the puranic idea that post-death offerings and charity can aid the preta’s well-being.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate regular charity and ethical giving during life, and if a death occurs in the family, perform sincere memorial giving/rites in a dharmic way to support remembrance and duty.