Shloka 77

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

वेदार्थं यज्ञशास्त्राणि धर्मशास्त्राणि चैव हि / मूल्येन लेखयित्वा यो दद्याद्याति स वैदिकम्

Transliteration

vedārthaṃ yajñaśāstrāṇi dharmaśāstrāṇi caiva hi / mūlyena lekhayitvā yo dadyādyāti sa vaidikam

Translation

Whoever, at his own expense, has the meanings of the Vedas—together with the treatises on yajña and the Dharma-śāstras—written down and then donates those manuscripts, attains the Vedic, meritorious state.

Word by Word

• वेदार्थम्: the meaning of the Veda
• वेदार्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदस्य अर्थः)

• यज्ञशास्त्राणि: ritual treatises
• यज्ञशास्त्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञशास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञस्य शास्त्राणि)

• धर्मशास्त्राणि: law/dharma treatises
• धर्मशास्त्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मशास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य शास्त्राणि)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• हि: for
• हि: Sambandha (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु/निपात-अव्यय (causal particle)

• मूल्येन: with payment/for a price
• मूल्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• लेखयित्वा: having caused to be written
• लेखयित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लिख् (धातु) + णिच्; लेखयित्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); causative sense (to cause to be written)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः (relative pronoun)

• दद्याद्: should give
• दद्याद्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्-प्रत्यय (correlative pronoun)

• वैदिकम्: the Vedic (state/merit)
• वैदिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गन्तव्य/फल (object of ‘attains’)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śāstra-lekhana and manuscript-dāna as a high form of dāna that yields ‘vaidika’ merit.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as purifier and support for jñāna; honoring Veda as pramāṇa and sustaining the tradition (śruti-smṛti).

Application: Sponsor copying/printing of Vedic and dharma texts; donate to libraries, pāṭhaśālās, temples; support qualified teachers and students.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.78 (brahma-dāna merit doubled); Garuda Purana 1.213.79-81 (allocation for dependents; atithi as agni)

Characters & Entities

• Vedas
• Yajna
• Dharma-shastras

FAQs

What is the importance of śāstra-dāna (donation of scriptures) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats śāstra-dāna as a high form of charity: funding the copying of Vedic, ritual, and dharma texts and gifting them generates strong punya and leads to a distinctly “Vedic” meritorious attainment.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in terms of merit?

Rather than describing punishments or afterlife geography here, the verse states a direct karmic link: supporting the preservation and transmission of sacred knowledge through donation becomes a cause for elevated post-death merit and a favorable destination termed “vaidika.”

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Support authentic scriptural learning: sponsor printing/digitization of reliable editions, fund teaching initiatives, or donate vetted dharma and ritual texts—ensuring the gift is accurate and intended for genuine study and practice.