Shloka 27

Explanation of the Sapiṇḍana Rite; Causes of Pretahood; Viṣṇu Worship and Preta-ghaṭa Dāna

Devanagari script

आवाहाश्च विवाहाश्च मया वै सुनिवेशिताः / दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यो मया दत्तमनेकधा

Transliteration

āvāhāśca vivāhāśca mayā vai suniveśitāḥ / dīnānāthaviśiṣṭebhyo mayā dattamanekadhā

Translation

Ich habe Einladungen und Eheschließungen ordnungsgemäß eingerichtet und auf vielerlei Weise Gaben gespendet—besonders den Armen und den Schutzlosen.

Word by Word

• आवाहाः: invitations/summonings
• आवाहाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘आवाह’ = आह्वान/आमन्त्रण (invitation/summoning)

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

• विवाहाः: marriages
• विवाहाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘विवाह’ = marriage ceremonies

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

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; अवधारण/खलु-अर्थ (emphatic particle)

• सुनिवेशिताः: were well arranged
• सुनिवेशिताः: Karma (Object/कर्म) as predicate participle
• Type: Verb
• Root: सु- + नि√विश् (धातु) + इत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘well arranged/settled’

• दीन: poor
• दीन: Qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• अनाथ: helpless/orphaned
• अनाथ: Qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• विशिष्टेभ्यः: to those (people) who were poor and helpless
• विशिष्टेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि√शिष् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative); समास: दीन-अनाथ-विशिष्ट (दीनानाथैः विशिष्टाः = those distinguished as poor and helpless)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; ‘given’

• अनेकधा: in many ways
• अनेकधा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकधा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Preta (the departed soul) recounting merits before Yama’s judgment (as narrated in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gifts and support to the helpless (anatha, dina) and proper social rites are meritorious duties.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as purifier (citta-shuddhi) when performed as dharma, preparing the mind for higher pursuit.

Application: Practice structured charity: prioritize vulnerable persons, support life-cycle rites responsibly, and give without expectation of return.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household/community setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: emphasis on shraddha/aurdhvadaihika as essential completion of dharma; Garuda Purana: dana-mahatmya passages (general)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of charity to the poor and protectorless in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents such giving (dāna) as a recorded merit: helping the dīna and anātha is explicitly cited by the departed soul as a positive karmic credit during post-death evaluation.

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

It shows the soul recounting life-actions as evidence of dharma; these deeds become factors in the soul’s treatment and outcome in Yama’s realm as described in the Preta Kanda narrative.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Support those who lack protection—poverty relief, orphan care, and community support—while conducting major life rites responsibly; the text frames these as durable dharmic merits.