Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

दुग्धाधिकां च महिषीं नवमेघवर्णां सन्तुष्टतर्णकवलीं जघनाभिरामाम् / दत्त्वा सुवर्णतिलकां द्विजपुङ्गवाय लोकोदयं स जयतीति किमत्र चित्रम्

Transliteration

dugdhādhikāṃ ca mahiṣīṃ navameghavarṇāṃ santuṣṭatarṇakavalīṃ jaghanābhirāmām / dattvā suvarṇatilakāṃ dvijapuṅgavāya lokodayaṃ sa jayatīti kimatra citram

Translation

Having gifted to an eminent brāhmaṇa a milk-abundant she-buffalo—dark as a fresh raincloud, content with her calf, and comely in form—adorned with a golden forehead-mark, if the donor attains the rise of auspicious worlds and prospers thereby, what is surprising in that?

Word by Word

• दुग्धाधिकाम्: abounding in milk
• दुग्धाधिकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुग्ध + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः तत्पुरुष (दुग्धेन अधिका)

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

• महिषीम्: a buffalo-cow
• महिषीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नवमेघवर्णाम्: of the color of a fresh cloud
• नवमेघवर्णाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + मेघ + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः कर्मधारय (नवः मेघः इव वर्णः यस्याः)

• सन्तुष्टतर्णकवलीम्: whose calf is content (well-fed)
• सन्तुष्टतर्णकवलीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्तुष्ट + तर्णक + वली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (सन्तुष्टः तर्णकः यस्याः सा; वली = पङ्क्ति/समूहः)

• जघनाभिरामाम्: beautiful in the hindquarters
• जघनाभिरामाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जघन + अभिराम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः तत्पुरुष (जघने अभिरामा)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having given’

• सुवर्णतिलकाम्: adorned with a golden tilaka
• सुवर्णतिलकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्ण + तिलका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः कर्मधारय (सुवर्णस्य तिलका/तिलकं यस्याः)

• द्विजपुङ्गवाय: to the best of Brahmins
• द्विजपुङ्गवाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + पुङ्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजानां पुङ्गवः)

• लोकोदयम्: rise to higher worlds / worldly prosperity
• लोकोदयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य उदयः)

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

• जयति: wins, triumphs
• जयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जि (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• अत्र: here, in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: here)

• चित्रम्: wonder, surprise
• चित्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक/विशेष्य

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, describing the merit of dāna in Preta Kanda context)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: High-quality, lovingly described gifts given to an eminent brāhmaṇa yield powerful auspicious results—prosperity and ascent to favorable realms.

Vedantic Theme: Merit accrues through sattvic intention and worthy giving; yet ‘loko-daya’ remains within karma’s domain, pointing indirectly to the need for higher pursuit beyond prosperity.

Application: Give what is genuinely valuable and life-sustaining (food security, dairy/livelihood equivalents) with dignity to recipients; prioritize welfare of dependents (the calf motif) and ethical stewardship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: earthly household/ritual gifting space; celestial destination implied

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: go-dāna/mahīṣī-dāna praises; dana-mahatmya sequences describing specific animals and adornments; Garuda Purana: broader teaching that quality (guṇa), intention, and recipient elevate dāna-phala

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa (Dvija)

FAQs

What is the importance of buffalo-dāna (mahiṣī-dāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents gifting a healthy, milk-abundant she-buffalo—adorned and given to an eminent brāhmaṇa—as a powerful act of dāna that yields clear spiritual merit and leads to auspicious worldly and otherworldly upliftment (loka-udaya).

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in Preta Kanda teachings?

Preta Kanda emphasizes supportive rites and meritorious acts (like dāna) that strengthen auspicious outcomes for the deceased and the family; here the text highlights that such charity naturally results in elevated states and prosperity, implying a beneficial karmic momentum connected with death-related observances.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice ethical charity with reverence—supporting learned and upright recipients and giving wholesome, useful gifts—while keeping the intent pure; the verse frames such dāna as a direct cause of welfare, dignity, and uplifting results.