Home›Garuda Purana›Preta Kalpa›Adhyaya 4›Shloka 31
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Shloka 31

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

दुग्धाधिकां च महिषीं नवमेघवर्णां सन्तुष्टतर्णकवलीं जघनाभिरामाम् / दत्त्वा सुवर्णतिलकां द्विजपुङ्गवाय लोकोदयं स जयतीति किमत्र चित्रम्

Transliteration

dugdhādhikāṃ ca mahiṣīṃ navameghavarṇāṃ santuṣṭatarṇakavalīṃ jaghanābhirāmām / dattvā suvarṇatilakāṃ dvijapuṅgavāya lokodayaṃ sa jayatīti kimatra citram

Translation

Wer einem hervorragenden Brāhmaṇa eine milchreiche Büffelkuh schenkt—dunkel wie eine frische Regenwolke, zufrieden bei ihrem Kalb und von anmutiger Gestalt—geschmückt mit einem goldenen Tilaka auf der Stirn: Wenn der Spender dadurch zu glückverheißenden Welten aufsteigt und gedeiht, was wäre daran verwunderlich?

Word by Word
दुग्धाधिकाम्abounding in milk
दुग्धाधिकाम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootदुग्ध + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः तत्पुरुष (दुग्धेन अधिका)
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)
महिषीम्a buffalo-cow
महिषीम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमहिषी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
नवमेघवर्णाम्of the color of a fresh cloud
नवमेघवर्णाम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootनव + मेघ + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः कर्मधारय (नवः मेघः इव वर्णः यस्याः)
सन्तुष्टतर्णकवलीम्whose calf is content (well-fed)
सन्तुष्टतर्णकवलीम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसन्तुष्ट + तर्णक + वली (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (सन्तुष्टः तर्णकः यस्याः सा; वली = पङ्क्ति/समूहः)
जघनाभिरामाम्beautiful in the hindquarters
जघनाभिरामाम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootजघन + अभिराम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः तत्पुरुष (जघने अभिरामा)
दत्त्वाhaving given
दत्त्वा:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Root√दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having given’
सुवर्णतिलकाम्adorned with a golden tilaka
सुवर्णतिलकाम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसुवर्ण + तिलका (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः कर्मधारय (सुवर्णस्य तिलका/तिलकं यस्याः)
द्विजपुङ्गवायto the best of Brahmins
द्विजपुङ्गवाय:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज + पुङ्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजानां पुङ्गवः)
लोकोदयम्rise to higher worlds / worldly prosperity
लोकोदयम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootलोक + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य उदयः)
सःhe
सः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
जयतिwins, triumphs
जयति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√जि (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)
किम्what?
किम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम
अत्रhere, in this matter
अत्र:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: here)
चित्रम्wonder, surprise
चित्रम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक/विशेष्य
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, describing the merit of dāna in Preta Kanda context)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: High-quality, lovingly described gifts given to an eminent brāhmaṇa yield powerful auspicious results—prosperity and ascent to favorable realms.

Vedantic Theme: Merit accrues through sattvic intention and worthy giving; yet ‘loko-daya’ remains within karma’s domain, pointing indirectly to the need for higher pursuit beyond prosperity.

Application: Give what is genuinely valuable and life-sustaining (food security, dairy/livelihood equivalents) with dignity to recipients; prioritize welfare of dependents (the calf motif) and ethical stewardship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: earthly household/ritual gifting space; celestial destination implied

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: go-dāna/mahīṣī-dāna praises; dana-mahatmya sequences describing specific animals and adornments; Garuda Purana: broader teaching that quality (guṇa), intention, and recipient elevate dāna-phala

Characters & Entities
B
Brāhmaṇa (Dvija)

FAQs

This verse presents gifting a healthy, milk-abundant she-buffalo—adorned and given to an eminent brāhmaṇa—as a powerful act of dāna that yields clear spiritual merit and leads to auspicious worldly and otherworldly upliftment (loka-udaya).

Preta Kanda emphasizes supportive rites and meritorious acts (like dāna) that strengthen auspicious outcomes for the deceased and the family; here the text highlights that such charity naturally results in elevated states and prosperity, implying a beneficial karmic momentum connected with death-related observances.

Practice ethical charity with reverence—supporting learned and upright recipients and giving wholesome, useful gifts—while keeping the intent pure; the verse frames such dāna as a direct cause of welfare, dignity, and uplifting results.

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