Shloka 15

Dāna-dharma: Types of Charity, Worthy Recipients, Vrata-Timings, and Śiva–Viṣṇu Propitiation

Devanagari script

भूमिदानात् परं दानं विद्यते नेह किञ्चन / अन्नदानं तेन तुल्यं विद्यादानं ततो ऽधिकम्

Transliteration

bhūmidānāt paraṃ dānaṃ vidyate neha kiñcana / annadānaṃ tena tulyaṃ vidyādānaṃ tato 'dhikam

Translation

In dieser Welt gibt es keine Gabe, die höher wäre als die Gabe von Land. Die Gabe von Speise ist ihr gleich, und die Gabe von Wissen ist noch höher.

Word by Word

• भूमिदानात्: than the gift of land
• भूमिदानात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि-दान (प्रातिपदिक; भूमि + दान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Abl. 5), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: भूमेः दानम्

• परम्: higher, superior
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.); तुलनाबोधक (comparative predicate)

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• विद्यते: exists, is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.); अस्त्यर्थे (in the sense ‘exists’)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• किञ्चन: anything (at all)
• किञ्चन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किञ्चन (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); अनिश्चित/अल्पार्थक (indefinite)

• अन्नदानम्: the gift of food
• अन्नदानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न-दान (प्रातिपदिक; अन्न + दान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: अन्नस्य दानम्

• तेन: with that (i.e., with it)
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया विभक्ति (Inst. 3), एकवचन (sg.); ‘by/with that’ (i.e., with land-gift)

• तुल्यम्: equal
• तुल्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• विद्यादानम्: the gift of knowledge
• विद्यादानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या-दान (प्रातिपदिक; विद्या + दान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: विद्यायाः दानम्

• ततः: than that, beyond that
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from that/thereafter’

• अधिकम्: greater
• अधिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing on dāna-dharma

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma (Viṣṇu)
• Dharma
• Bhūmi-dāna
• Anna-dāna
• Vidyā-dāna

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: by ranking vidyā-dāna as the highest, it points to liberating knowledge (ātma-jñāna) as superior to material gifts, aligning dharma with the pursuit of Self-knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is named, but the verse elevates vidyā (right knowledge), which in the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching supports yoga through viveka (discernment), śravaṇa–manana (hearing and reflection), and disciplined dharmic living.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

It does so by emphasis rather than naming: the shared dharmic ideal—service through giving, culminating in knowledge—fits the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis where devotion and wisdom converge toward one Supreme reality.