Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

त्रीण्याहुरतिदानानि गावः पृथ्वी सरस्वती / नरकादुद्धरन्त्येते जपपूजनहोमतः

Transliteration

trīṇyāhuratidānāni gāvaḥ pṛthvī sarasvatī / narakāduddharantyete japapūjanahomataḥ

Translation

They declare three gifts to be supremely great: cows, land, and Sarasvatī (sacred learning). These, through japa (recitation), pūjā (worship), and homa (fire-offerings), lift one up from hell.

Word by Word

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अति-दानानि: very great gifts
• अति-दानानि: कर्म/विधेय (Karma/Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (intensifying: ‘very great gifts’)

• गावः: cows
• गावः: विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• पृथ्वी: earth/land
• पृथ्वी: विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सरस्वती: Sarasvatī (river/learning)
• सरस्वती: विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• उद्धरन्ति: they lift out/deliver
• उद्धरन्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्+हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• एते: these
• एते: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• जप-पूजन-होमतः: by (means of) japa, worship, and homa
• जप-पूजन-होमतः: हेतु/करण (Hetu/Karaṇa: means/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक) + होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (enumerative) + तसिल्-प्रत्ययार्थ (ablatival sense ‘from/by means of’)

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Three ati-dānas—go (cow), pṛthvī (land), and Sarasvatī (sacred learning/knowledge-gift)—combined with japa, pūjā, and homa generate puṇya capable of rescuing from naraka.

Vedantic Theme: Purification through sattvic karma and vidyā; Sarasvatī as śāstra-jñāna that refines buddhi and supports liberation-oriented life.

Application: Support education and transmission of sacred/ethical knowledge; perform regular japa–pūjā–homa (or their simplified equivalents) with charitable giving; prioritize gifts that sustain society and dharma.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: otherworldly-region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana sections on narakas and on dāna as expiation/merit; Garuda Purana praise of Sarasvatī/vidyā-dāna

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvati
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of the three supreme gifts (atidāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse ranks cow-gift, land-gift, and Sarasvatī (sacred learning) as exceptionally powerful charities, described as capable of rescuing a person from naraka when supported by devotional and Vedic acts.

How does this verse explain relief from naraka (hellish states)?

It states that specific high-merit gifts, combined with japa, pūjā, and homa, become a cause for upliftment—implying that both ethical giving and ritual-spiritual discipline generate punya that counteracts painful after-death consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice meaningful charity (supporting cows/animal care, education/learning, or land-related welfare) and pair it with regular mantra recitation, sincere worship, and occasional fire-offerings or equivalent sanctioned rites to cultivate merit and ethical living.