Shloka 3

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

तदर्धं वा तदर्धं वा तदर्धार्धमथापि वा / यथाशक्त्या ततः कुर्याद्दश दानानि वै शृणु

Transliteration

tadardhaṃ vā tadardhaṃ vā tadardhārdhamathāpi vā / yathāśaktyā tataḥ kuryāddaśa dānāni vai śṛṇu

Translation

Or one may give half of that, or again half of that, or even a quarter; then, according to one’s capacity, one should perform the ten prescribed gifts—listen to them.

Word by Word

• तदर्धम्: half of that
• तदर्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्-षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (its half)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle: or)

• तदर्धम्: half of that
• तदर्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पुनरुक्ति)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात

• तदर्धार्धम्: a quarter of that (half of the half)
• तदर्धार्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्-षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + अर्धार्ध (अर्धस्य अर्धम्)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle: then/now)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात

• यथाशक्त्या: according to ability
• यथाशक्त्या: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्यय (adverb: according to ability)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (adverb: thereafter/from that)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), तृतीयपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (अव्ययवत्) नपुंसक/सर्वलिङ्ग-प्रयोग; दानानि इति विशेषणम्

• दानानि: gifts/charities
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle: indeed)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proportional giving: half/quarter offerings are acceptable; intention and capacity govern merit.

Vedantic Theme: Karma with right attitude; avoidance of himsā to oneself through overextension; dharma as inclusive (anugraha).

Application: Budget charitable giving; give consistently even if small; avoid debt-driven ritualism while maintaining sincerity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated yathāśakti clauses in dāna/śrāddha instructions; Garuda Purana: enumerations of daśa-dāna (ten gifts) in adjacent verses

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa (Vinata-putra)

FAQs

What is the importance of doing dāna ‘according to capacity’ in the Garuda Purana?

This verse explicitly allows reducing the quantity (half, quarter, etc.), teaching that the ten gifts should be performed sincerely within one’s means rather than being abandoned due to inability.

How does this verse connect to Garuda Purana death rituals and the preta’s journey?

In the Preta Kanda context, such prescribed gifts are part of post-death observances meant to support dharmic completion of rites; the verse emphasizes continuity of the rite even with limited resources.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If full-scale ritual charity is not feasible, perform the essential dāna and śrāddha-related giving in a reduced but honest way—prioritizing intention, affordability, and consistency.