Shloka 17

Bhūmi-dāna, Satya-dharma, and the Non-cancellation of Sin by Charity

Devanagari script

लोहचूर्णाश्मचूर्णानि कदाचिज्जरयेत्पुमान् / ब्रह्मस्वन्त्रिषु लोकेषु कः पुमाञ्जरयिष्यति

Transliteration

lohacūrṇāśmacūrṇāni kadācijjarayetpumān / brahmasvantriṣu lokeṣu kaḥ pumāñjarayiṣyati

Translation

A man may at some time wear down even iron filings and stone-powder; but within the three worlds, established by Brahmā’s order, what man could ever cause that law to wither?

Word by Word

• loha-cūrṇa-aśma-cūrṇāni: iron filings and stone powders
• loha-cūrṇa-aśma-cūrṇāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loha (प्रातिपदिक) + cūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + aśman (प्रातिपदिक) + cūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.); द्वन्द्वसमासः (iron-powder and stone-powders)

• kadācit: ever/at any time
• kadācit: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācit (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time: 'ever/at any time')

• jarayet: could wear away/digest
• jarayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.); causative sense in usage: 'make wear away/digest'

• pumān: a man
• pumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān/puman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• brahma-svam: Brahmin's property
• brahma-svam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• triṣu: in the three
• triṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग (all genders), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Loc. 7), बहुवचन (pl.); संख्या-विशेषण

• lokeṣu: worlds
• lokeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Loc. 7), बहुवचन (pl.)

• kaḥ: who?
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• pumān: man
• pumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān/puman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• jarayiṣyati: will wear away/digest
• jarayiṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.); causative sense in usage

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic moral law regarding brahmasva is inexhaustible: even if matter can be worn away, no one can ‘wear down’ that dharmic order across the three worlds.

Vedantic Theme: Niyati/ṛta as unassailable; human agency is limited before dharma’s subtle governance; invites viveka and restraint.

Application: Cultivate humility before ethical law; do not presume cleverness can outlast consequences; align actions with dharma rather than testing limits.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic scope

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.42.13-16 (merit of protection; ruin from brahmasva/land theft)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Three worlds (Trailokya)

FAQs

What is the importance of cosmic law (dharma/ṛta) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that even if humans can erode hard matter, they cannot erode the divine ordinance governing the three worlds—implying karmic consequences and dharma remain inescapable.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda’s after-death framework, it reinforces that post-mortem experiences and outcomes follow fixed moral causality; no person can nullify that order by will or cleverness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with ethical restraint and sincerity in duties—since the moral law shaping results cannot be ‘worn down’; align actions with dharma rather than relying on excuses or shortcuts.