Shloka 36

Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva

Devanagari script

दशकूपसमा वापि दशवापीसमं सरः / सरो भिर्दशभिस्तुल्या या प्रपा निर्जले वने

Transliteration

daśakūpasamā vāpi daśavāpīsamaṃ saraḥ / saro bhirdaśabhistulyā yā prapā nirjale vane

Translation

Ein Wasserbecken (vāpī) ist an Verdienst zehn Brunnen gleich; ein See (saras) ist zehn Becken gleich; und eine prapā, eine Trinkwasserstelle im wasserlosen Wald errichtet, ist zehn Seen gleich.

Word by Word

• daśa-kūpa-samā: equal to ten wells
• daśa-kūpa-samā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + kūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + samā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa: daśakūpa (दश कूपाः) + samā (equal to)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (विकल्पार्थक अव्यय)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि-भाव)

• daśa-vāpī-samam: equal to ten ponds (vāpīs)
• daśa-vāpī-samam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + vāpī (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; tatpuruṣa: daśavāpī (दश वाप्यः) + samam (equal to)

• saraḥ: a lake
• saraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• saraḥ: a lake
• saraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular (repeated for comparison chain)

• daśabhiḥ: with/by ten
• daśabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; numeral used with tulyā

• tulyā: equal
• tulyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tulya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; predicate adjective for prapā

• yā: which
• yā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; relative pronoun referring to prapā

• prapā: a water-shed/drinking place
• prapā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prapā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• nirjale: waterless
• nirjale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; tatpuruṣa: nir (without) + jala (water)

• vane: in a forest
• vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Merit increases with the scale and necessity of benefit: wells < reservoirs < lakes < drinking stations in arid wilderness.

Vedantic Theme: Loka-saṅgraha (welfare of beings) as sattvic karma that purifies the mind and supports higher aims.

Application: Prioritize high-impact, need-based giving—especially water access and infrastructure in underserved regions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: forest

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dāna of water and public works praised; comparative merit lists (tārātamya) recur

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse ranks water-related gifts by merit and declares that establishing a drinking-water station in a waterless forest yields exceptionally high puṇya, because it directly preserves life and relieves travelers’ distress.

How does this verse connect to the Garuda Purana’s after-death teachings?

In the Preta Kanda, Vishnu explains to Garuda that specific acts of dāna generate puṇya that supports the departed and improves post-death conditions; water charity is highlighted as a powerful, compassionate public good.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Support clean drinking-water access—install water stations, sponsor community water points, or fund maintenance—especially in hot seasons or underserved areas, treating it as a dharmic act of life-sustaining service.