Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अधमे ऽष्टपलानि स्युर्मध्यमे स्युश्चतुर्दश / शरन्निदाघयोर्नैवदेयं नैव तु दापयेत्

Transliteration

adhame 'ṣṭapalāni syurmadhyame syuścaturdaśa / śarannidāghayornaivadeyaṃ naiva tu dāpayet

Translation

En el grado más bajo han de ser ocho palas; en el grado medio, catorce. Mas en el otoño y en el ardor del verano no debe ofrecerse, ni debe uno hacer que otros lo ofrezcan.

Word by Word

• अधमे: in the lowest (grade)
• अधमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (in the lowest case/grade)

• अष्टपलानि: eight palas (measures)
• अष्टपलानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (eight palas)

• स्युः: should be / would be
• स्युः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मध्यमे: in the middle (grade)
• मध्यमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (in the middle grade)

• स्युः: should be
• स्युः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (संख्यावाचक-रूपे), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (fourteen)

• शरत्: of autumn
• शरत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वे पूर्वपद-रूपम्

• निदाघयोः: of (the two seasons) summer and autumn
• निदाघयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निदाघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन; (शरत् + निदाघ) इत्ययोः ऋतूयोः

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपातः (negative particle)

• एव: indeed / at all
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपातः (emphatic particle)

• देयम्: to be given
• देयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + य (कृत्) → देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be given)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपातः

• एव: at all
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपातः

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-निपातः (but/indeed)

• दापयेत्: should cause (it) to be given
• दापयेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → दापय (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: cause to give)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Appropriate measure (mātrā) and proper timing (kāla) govern what may be given; avoid giving in unsuitable seasons.

Vedantic Theme: Kāla-niyama and yukti (appropriateness) as supports for sattvic order.

Application: Follow prescribed quantities by grade; suspend the giving in autumn and peak summer; do not instruct others to do it either.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: sections on dāna/niyama and seasonal do’s/don’ts (kāla-vidhi) in ritual/charity contexts

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of prescribed ‘pala’ measurements in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse indicates that ritual offerings/gifts are graded by measure (e.g., 8 palas for a lower grade and 14 for a middle grade), showing that Garuda Purana treats ritual accuracy and proportionality as part of dharma.

Why does the verse prohibit giving in autumn and summer?

It states a seasonal restriction—during śarad (autumn) and nidāgha (peak heat/summer), the act is ‘not to be given,’ implying that timing is a dharmic condition for the rite’s appropriateness and efficacy.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If following traditional observances, align śrāddha-related giving with prescribed timing and consult a qualified priest/panchāṅga; more broadly, treat ethical and religious duties as requiring both right intention and right context (time, place, capacity).