Shloka 13
Dāna for the Preta: Supreme Gifts, Yama’s Pacification, and Viṣṇu-Smaraṇa at the Time of Death
तिला लौहं हिरण्यञ्च कार्पासं लवणं तथा / सप्तधान्यं क्षितिर्गाव एकैकं पावनं स्मृतम्
tilā lauhaṃ hiraṇyañca kārpāsaṃ lavaṇaṃ tathā / saptadhānyaṃ kṣitirgāva ekaikaṃ pāvanaṃ smṛtam
Sesam, Eisen, Gold, Baumwolle und Salz, ebenso die sieben Getreidearten, Land und eine Kuh — jedes einzelne gilt als läuternd, wenn es als heilige Gabe dargebracht wird.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)
Concept: Certain dāna-dravyas are intrinsically purifying; gifting essentials (food, land, cow) and valuables (gold, iron) supports dharma and cleanses sin.
Vedantic Theme: Purification (śuddhi) through selfless giving; loosening possessiveness (aparigraha tendency) as preparation for higher pursuit.
Application: Choose charitable gifts that genuinely sustain others—food/grain, clothing/cotton, salt, land support, and livelihood assets—offered with purity and right recipient.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana dāna-khaṇḍa style lists of pāvana dravyas; nearby verses on tilā and akṣaya-dāna
FAQs
This verse lists specific substances traditionally regarded as purifying when donated—supporting ritual purity and accruing merit, especially in contexts like śrāddha and rites connected with the departed.
In the Preta Kanda, guidance often emphasizes supportive acts—such as dāna—performed by the living; this verse identifies items whose donation is considered spiritually purifying within that ritual-ethical framework.
Practice ethical charity: donate staple foods/grains, essential materials, or support livelihoods (symbolically aligned with these items) with sincerity, especially when performing remembrance rites or acts of service for family ancestors.