Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 15
Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and Dāna as the Soul’s True Companion on the Path to Yama
शूद्रं वपुः प्राप्य यशस्करं सदा दानं द्विजेभ्यो न कृतं द्विजार्चनम् / च्दृदद्यत्दद्वड्ढ ढद्धदृथ्र् ददृध्ड्ढथ्र्डड्ढद्ध जलाशयो नैव कृतो धरातले असंस्कृतो विप्रवरो न संस्कृतः
śūdraṃ vapuḥ prāpya yaśaskaraṃ sadā dānaṃ dvijebhyo na kṛtaṃ dvijārcanam / cdṛdadyatdadvaḍḍha ḍhaddhadṛthr dadṛdhḍḍhathrḍaḍḍhaddha jalāśayo naiva kṛto dharātale asaṃskṛto vipravaro na saṃskṛtaḥ
Having obtained a śūdra birth, he does not perform the deeds that ever bestow good fame—he gives no dāna to the dvijas, nor does he worship and honor the dvijas. Nor does he have a water-reservoir made upon the earth. Thus, even if called “foremost among Brahmins,” he remains uncultivated, unrefined by true religious practice.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)
Concept: Merit arises from dāna, honoring the worthy (dvija-arcana), and loka-saṅgraha acts like creating water sources; mere nominal status without practice is ‘asaṃskṛta’.
Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra as inner refinement through dharmic action; external identity without guṇa-karma alignment is spiritually hollow.
Application: Give appropriately, support learning and worship, and invest in public-good infrastructure (water, wells, tanks); cultivate refinement through consistent practice.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: human realm / village-town setting
Related Themes: Garuda Purana sections praising dāna, wells/ponds, and service as high merit (general internal parallels)
FAQs
This verse treats dāna—especially to the twice-born—as a key “yaśaskara” act that generates merit and good repute; neglecting it signals a life lacking dharmic refinement.
By explicitly mentioning jalāśaya (a water-reservoir), the verse links public-benefit works to dharma, implying that service to beings and sustaining life is a recognized source of puṇya.
Regularly practice responsible giving, respectfully support authentic spiritual learning and worship, and contribute to public welfare (water, food, care)—so that one’s life becomes “saṃskṛta” in conduct, not merely by label.