Shloka 43

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and Dāna as the Soul’s True Companion on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

वर्षाशनं वेदविदे च दत्तं कन्याविवाहस्त्वृणमोचनं द्विजे / भूमिः सुकृष्टापि तृषार्तिहेतोस्तदेवमेतं सुकृतत् समस्तम्

Transliteration

varṣāśanaṃ vedavide ca dattaṃ kanyāvivāhastvṛṇamocanaṃ dvije / bhūmiḥ sukṛṣṭāpi tṛṣārtihetostadevametaṃ sukṛtat samastam

Translation

Speise, die in der Regenzeit einem Kenner der Veden gegeben wird, die Verheiratung einer Jungfrau und die Befreiung eines Brahmanen von seiner Schuld—und ebenso kann selbst gut bestelltes Land durch Durst zur Ursache von Kummer werden; so ist all dies als umfassendes verdienstvolles Handeln (sukṛta) zu verstehen, wenn es recht und im passenden Zusammenhang vollzogen wird.

Word by Word

• varṣa-āśanam: food provision (for the rainy season/year)
• varṣa-āśanam: Karma (कर्म/Object; thing given)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘varṣe āśanam’ = food during rainy season / annual provision)

• veda-vide: to a knower of the Veda
• veda-vide: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘vedasya vid’ = knower of Veda)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• dattam: given
• dattam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘given’

• kanyā-vivāhaḥ: marriage of a daughter
• kanyā-vivāhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक) + vivāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘kanyāyāḥ vivāhaḥ’ = marriage of a maiden)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेष-अव्यय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• ṛṇa-mocanam: release from debt
• ṛṇa-mocanam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + mocana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘ṛṇasya mocanam’ = release from debt)

• dvije: for/in the case of a twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• dvije: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative) एकवचन (or चतुर्थी dative in some readings); here: ‘in/for a brāhmaṇa’ contextually recipient/beneficiary

• bhūmiḥ: land
• bhūmiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• su-kṛṣṭā: well-cultivated
• su-kṛṣṭā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘bhūmiḥ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ) + kṛṣṭa (कृदन्त; √kṛṣ/कृष्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (kta) used adjectivally; ‘well-ploughed/cultivated’

• api: even though
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-अव्यय (concessive: ‘even though’)

• tṛṣā-ārti-hetoḥ: because of the cause of thirst-distress
• tṛṣā-ārti-hetoḥ: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + ārti (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘tṛṣāyāḥ ārtiḥ’ + ‘ārtaye hetuḥ’ = cause of suffering from thirst)

• tad: that
• tad: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य; points to the foregoing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय-अव्यय (emphasis)

• etad: this
• etad: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sukṛtam: merit, good deed
• sukṛtam: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (उपसर्ग) + √kṛ (कृ धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त used substantively: ‘good deed/merit’

• samastam: entire, complete
• samastam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘sukṛtam’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण ‘entire/complete’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sukṛta is not only the act but its appropriateness: feeding in varṣā to a vedavid, arranging kanyā-vivāha, freeing a dvija from debt; and the warning that resources without right provisioning (water) can still cause distress.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as intelligent compassion (viveka-yukta dāna): right time, right recipient, right need; dharma aligned with ṛta (order) and loka-saṅgraha.

Application: Give seasonally and need-based; support education/learning communities, women’s welfare and safe marriages, and debt relief; plan water security alongside agriculture and development.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: agrarian landscape

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dāna-kāla (timing of gifts) discussions; annadāna and debt-relief merits (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Dwijas (Brahmins)

FAQs

What is the importance of seasonal food donation in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that giving sustenance specifically in the rainy season to a Veda-knower is a high-value act of sukṛta, emphasizing timing and worthy recipients in dana.

How does this verse connect household duties to spiritual merit?

By listing kanya-vivaha (responsible marriage of a maiden) and freeing a dvija from debt, the verse frames key household/social obligations as dharmic acts that generate spiritual merit when performed righteously.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Offer timely support to genuine teachers/scholars, fulfill family responsibilities ethically, and help relieve oppressive debt—doing so with right intention and discernment as a form of dharma-based charity.