Shloka 67

Devanagari script

कुमारीं ब्राह्मणानां तु विवाहयति शक्तितः / विद्यादो ऽभयदश्चैव न प्रेतो जायते नरः

Transliteration

kumārīṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ tu vivāhayati śaktitaḥ / vidyādo 'bhayadaścaiva na preto jāyate naraḥ

Translation

A man who, according to his capacity, arranges the marriage of a Brahmin maiden—and who also bestows learning and grants fearlessness (abhaya)—does not become a preta.

Word by Word

• कुमारीम्: a maiden
• कुमारीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपातः (but/indeed)

• विवाहयति: marries off
• विवाहयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वह् (धातु) with vi-ā- causative (णिच्): विवाहयति
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative: causes to be married/marries off)

• शक्तितः: according to (one’s) ability
• शक्तितः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययम् (ablatival adverb): ‘शक्तितः’ = यथाशक्ति (according to ability)

• विद्यादः: giver of knowledge
• विद्यादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या-द (प्रातिपदिक; विद्या + द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (विद्यां ददाति इति)

• अभयदः: giver of fearlessness
• अभयदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय-द (प्रातिपदिक; अभय + द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (अभयं ददाति इति)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम्

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• प्रेतः: a preta
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Supporting a Brahmin maiden’s marriage, giving education, and granting fearlessness prevent preta-birth.

Vedantic Theme: Lokasaṅgraha and punya through selfless giving; dharma as purifier shaping post-death trajectory.

Application: Support rites-of-passage for the needy, fund education, and protect the vulnerable (legal aid, shelter, safety) as abhayadana.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: community/household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dana categories (vidya-dana, abhayadana) and samskara support (contextual parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmanas
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of charity like arranging a Brahmin maiden’s marriage in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents it as a high-merit dharmic act (done within one’s means) that protects the doer from the preta condition after death.

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

It implies that certain dharmic gifts—supporting marriage, giving education, and offering protection—create punya that prevents the intermediate, restless preta state and supports a more orderly transition after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Support life-stabilizing dharma: help families with marriage responsibilities ethically, fund education, and provide safety/protection to others—acts framed here as spiritually protective merits.