Shloka 1

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

नाम षट्चत्वारिंशोध्यायः गरुड उवाच / भगवन्देवदेवेश कृपया परया वद / दानं दानस्य माहात्म्यं वैतरण्याः प्रमाणकम्

Transliteration

nāma ṣaṭcatvāriṃśodhyāyaḥ garuḍa uvāca / bhagavandevadeveśa kṛpayā parayā vada / dānaṃ dānasya māhātmyaṃ vaitaraṇyāḥ pramāṇakam

Translation

Garuda sprach: „O seliger Herr, o Gott der Götter, aus höchstem Erbarmen erkläre mir das Wesen des dāna (heiligen Gebens), die Größe des Schenkens und den maßgeblichen Bericht über die Vaitaraṇī.“

Word by Word

• नाम: named/entitled
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; ‘called/entitled’)

• षट्चत्वारिंशः: forty-sixth
• षट्चत्वारिंशः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट्चत्वारिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक; षट् + चत्वारिंशत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Numeral adjective qualifying ‘अध्यायः’

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• गरुडः: Garuda
• गरुडः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• देवदेवेश: O Lord of the gods
• देवदेवेश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदेवेश (प्रातिपदिक; देव + देव + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• कृपया: by compassion
• कृपया: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• परया: supreme/great
• परया: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; विशेषण of ‘कृपया’

• वद: tell/speak
• वद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• दानम्: gift/charity
• दानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• दानस्य: of charity
• दानस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness/glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• वैतरण्याः: of the Vaitaraṇī (river)
• वैतरण्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• प्रमाणकम्: authoritative account/measure
• प्रमाणकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रमाणक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; appositional qualifier to the requested topic

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu (Deva-devesha)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna-māhātmya (the greatness of charity) as a salvific support, and pramāṇa (authoritative description) regarding Vaitaraṇī.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as śāstra-pramāṇa and anugraha (grace) bestowing right knowledge that guides karma toward purification.

Application: Cultivate intentional giving (dāna) and seek śāstric guidance for end-of-life and post-death welfare; treat charity as a disciplined practice, not impulse.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Vaitaraṇī-nadī descriptions and dāna as crossing-aid (adjacent adhyāyas in Pretakalpa); Garuda Purana: dāna-prakaraṇa (gift-types, recipients, timing) commonly paired with preta-journey narratives

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Vaitarani

FAQs

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

This verse frames charity as a central spiritual topic worthy of direct instruction from the Lord, implying that dāna has decisive value for dharma and post-death welfare.

How does this verse introduce the path of the soul after death?

By asking for the “pramāṇa” of Vaitaraṇī, Garuda signals a transition into teachings about the after-death passage and the conditions faced by the departed, alongside remedies such as meritorious giving.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice intentional charity as a dharmic discipline—give ethically, with compassion, and in remembrance of spiritual accountability, especially in contexts connected with śrāddha and remembrance of ancestors.