Shloka 27
Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva
शीतवा तातपहरमपि पर्णकुटीरकम् / कृत्वा विप्राय विदुषे प्रददाति कुटुम्बिने
śītavā tātapaharamapi parṇakuṭīrakam / kṛtvā viprāya viduṣe pradadāti kuṭumbine
Er lässt sogar eine Laubhütte errichten, die Kälte und sengende Hitze abwehrt, und schenkt sie einem gelehrten, weisen Brāhmaṇa, einem Hausvater.
Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Even a simple leaf-hut that protects from cold and heat, when gifted to a learned brāhmaṇa householder, is meritorious.
Vedantic Theme: Sattvic charity: alleviating duḥkha through practical support; intention and usefulness define the spiritual value of dāna.
Application: Offer dignified shelter or housing support to deserving scholars/teachers and vulnerable families; focus on comfort, safety, and sustainability.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: habitation (kuṭīra)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: gradations of dāna—food, clothing, shelter—and their fruits; Garuda Purana: honoring vidvān brāhmaṇa and supporting gṛhastha responsibilities
FAQs
This verse emphasizes that providing even simple shelter that protects from heat and cold is a powerful act of dāna, generating puṇya and relieving hardship—especially relevant in the Preta Kanda’s teaching on post-death welfare through charity.
In the Preta Kanda framework, acts of charity performed according to dharma are taught as supports that reduce suffering and scarcity faced by the departed; donating protective shelter symbolizes alleviating exposure and distress on the after-death path.
Offer meaningful shelter-related charity—support housing, blankets, or shade and heat relief—preferably through responsible, dharmic channels (such as supporting learned and service-oriented communities), cultivating compassion and merit.