Shloka 33

Vow-Fasting (Anaśana), Sannyāsa, Tīrtha-Death, and the Ethics of Dāna

Devanagari script

अतिक्लेशेन लब्धस्य प्रकृत्या चञ्चलस्य च / गतिरेकैव वित्तस्य दानमन्या विपत्तयः

Transliteration

atikleśena labdhasya prakṛtyā cañcalasya ca / gatirekaiva vittasya dānamanyā vipattayaḥ

Translation

Reichtum wird unter großer Mühsal erworben und ist von Natur aus unbeständig. Für Geld gibt es nur ein einziges wahres „Ziel“: die Gabe, das Spenden; alle anderen Folgen sind Unheil.

Word by Word

• atikleśena: with excessive difficulty/trouble
• atikleśena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atikleśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• labdhasya: of that which is obtained
• labdhasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: labdha (labh + kta) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; Past Passive Participle

• prakṛtyā: by nature
• prakṛtyā: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• cañcalasya: of the fickle/unsteady
• cañcalasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cañcala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• gatiḥ: course/destination/path
• gatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ekā: one/only
• ekā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• eva: indeed/alone
• eva: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (Emphasis)

• vittasya: of wealth
• vittasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• dānam: charity/giving
• dānam: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• anyāḥ: others
• anyāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• vipattayaḥ: misfortunes/calamities
• vipattayaḥ: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipatti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Wealth is difficult to obtain and inherently unstable; its meaningful ‘gati’ is dana—other trajectories become calamities.

Vedantic Theme: Anitya (impermanence) of artha; tyaga as purification and right orientation of karma.

Application: Treat surplus as meant for giving; avoid risky attachment-driven uses; convert wealth into welfare and dharmic acts.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.36 (dana as the proper end of artha; contrast with vipatti)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse states that wealth has only one truly auspicious end—being given away in charity; otherwise it tends to culminate in loss, anxiety, or other calamities.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda framework, dharmic acts like dāna are emphasized as portable merit, unlike wealth which cannot accompany the departed; thus charity becomes a spiritually meaningful ‘destination’ for wealth.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat wealth as transient and intentionally allocate a portion for regular giving—supporting dharmic causes, feeding the needy, or performing charitable acts in memory of ancestors—rather than hoarding it.