Shloka 25
कृच्छ्रेण लक्ष्मीः समुपार्जिता स्वयं मया न भुक्तं मनसेप्सितं धनम् / ताम्बूलमन्नं मधुरं सगोरसं दत्त्वाग्निदेवातिथिबन्धुवर्गे
kṛcchreṇa lakṣmīḥ samupārjitā svayaṃ mayā na bhuktaṃ manasepsitaṃ dhanam / tāmbūlamannaṃ madhuraṃ sagorasaṃ dattvāgnidevātithibandhuvarge
Mit großer Mühsal habe ich selbst Reichtum erworben, doch genoss ich nicht das Geld, nach dem mein Geist verlangte. Stattdessen gab ich Tāmbūla (Betel), Speise, Süßes und mit Ghee vermischte Opfergaben dem heiligen Feuer Agni, den Devas, den Gästen und meinem Verwandtenkreis.
A departed soul (preta) expressing post-death reflection/regret within Lord Vishnu’s discourse to Garuda
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Concept: Wealth gained with effort is fleeting; proper use is dāna and offerings to agni, devas, guests, and kin—yet mere giving without inner right orientation may still leave existential regret.
Vedantic Theme: Artha is an instrument, not an end; tyāga and yajña purify, but attachment/identity around wealth and enjoyment remains a binding tendency unless aligned to higher aim.
Application: Practice intentional enjoyment without greed, and intentional giving without pride; budget for charity/ritual hospitality; cultivate contentment and clarity of purpose.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: household/ritual space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring praise of atithi-dharma, agni-related offerings, and dāna as purifying acts (general thematic parallels)
FAQs
This verse highlights dāna and honoring sacred obligations—offerings to Agni and the Devas, hospitality to guests, and support of kin—as righteous uses of wealth that shape karmic outcomes beyond death.
It is framed as a post-mortem reflection: the departed recalls how wealth was earned with effort but not personally enjoyed, emphasizing how one’s choices around wealth and duty become vivid points of reckoning after death.
Earn honestly, enjoy moderately without obsession, and regularly allocate resources for sacred duties—charity, hospitality, and family support—so wealth becomes dharmic rather than a source of later regret.