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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 15

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and Dāna as the Soul’s True Companion on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

शूद्रं वपुः प्राप्य यशस्करं सदा दानं द्विजेभ्यो न कृतं द्विजार्चनम् / च्दृदद्यत्दद्वड्ढ ढद्धदृथ्र् ददृध्ड्ढथ्र्डड्ढद्ध जलाशयो नैव कृतो धरातले असंस्कृतो विप्रवरो न संस्कृतः

Transliteration

śūdraṃ vapuḥ prāpya yaśaskaraṃ sadā dānaṃ dvijebhyo na kṛtaṃ dvijārcanam / cdṛdadyatdadvaḍḍha ḍhaddhadṛthr dadṛdhḍḍhathrḍaḍḍhaddha jalāśayo naiva kṛto dharātale asaṃskṛto vipravaro na saṃskṛtaḥ

Translation

Habiendo obtenido un nacimiento de śūdra, no realiza las obras que otorgan fama perdurable: no da dāna a los dvija (los dos veces nacidos) ni les rinde adoración. Tampoco manda hacer un estanque o depósito de agua sobre la tierra. Así, aunque se le llame «el más excelso entre los brāhmaṇas», permanece inculto, no refinado por la práctica verdadera del dharma.

Word by Word
śūdram(as) a Shudra
śūdram:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootśūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) used adjectivally with 'vapuḥ'; Accusative (2nd), Singular
vapuḥbody
vapuḥ:
Karma (कर्म; with 'prāpya')
TypeNoun
Rootvapus (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular
prāpyahaving obtained
prāpya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√āp (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal
yaśas-karamfame-producing
yaśas-karam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootyaśas (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular; agrees with 'vapuḥ'; 'yaśasaḥ karaḥ' (bringing fame)
sadāalways
sadā:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsadā (अव्यय)
FormAdverb
dānamcharity
dānam:
Karma (कर्म; with 'kṛtam' understood)
TypeNoun
Rootdāna (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular
dvijebhyaḥto Brahmins
dvijebhyaḥ:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootdvija (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Dative (4th), Plural (बहुवचन)
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle
kṛtamdone
kṛtam:
Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate)
TypeVerb
Root√kṛ (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; predicate with 'dānam'
dvija-arcanamworship of Brahmins
dvija-arcanam:
Karma (कर्म; with 'kṛtam' understood)
TypeNoun
Rootdvija (प्रातिपदिक) + arcana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; 'dvijānām arcanam' (worship of Brahmins)
cdṛdadyatdadvaḍḍha(corrupt text)
cdṛdadyatdadvaḍḍha:
Anirdhārita (अनिर्धारित)
TypeIndeclinable
Root(pāṭhabhraṃśa/अस्पष्ट-पाठ)
FormCorrupt/meaningless string in transmitted text; not analyzable as Sanskrit pada
ḍhaddhadṛthr(corrupt text)
ḍhaddhadṛthr:
Anirdhārita (अनिर्धारित)
TypeIndeclinable
Root(pāṭhabhraṃśa/अस्पष्ट-पाठ)
FormCorrupt/meaningless string in transmitted text; not analyzable
dadṛdhḍḍhathrḍaḍḍhaddha(corrupt text)
dadṛdhḍḍhathrḍaḍḍhaddha:
Anirdhārita (अनिर्धारित)
TypeIndeclinable
Root(pāṭhabhraṃśa/अस्पष्ट-पाठ)
FormCorrupt/meaningless string in transmitted text; not analyzable
jalāśayaḥa water-reservoir/pond
jalāśayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता; subject of 'kṛtaḥ')
TypeNoun
Rootjala (प्रातिपदिक) + āśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; 'jalasya āśayaḥ' (reservoir of water)
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle
evaindeed
eva:
Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormEmphatic particle
kṛtaḥmade
kṛtaḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate)
TypeVerb
Root√kṛ (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with 'jalāśayaḥ'
dharā-taleon the earth's surface
dharā-tale:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootdharā (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Locative (7th), Singular; 'dharāyāḥ tale' (on the surface of the earth)
a-saṃskṛtaḥuncultured/unsanctified
a-saṃskṛtaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Roota- (नञ्) + saṃskṛta (√kṛ, क्त-कृदन्त as adjective)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; privative (नञ्)
vipra-varaḥthe best of Brahmins
vipra-varaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता; subject)
TypeNoun
Rootvipra (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; 'viprāṇāṃ varaḥ' (best of Brahmins)
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle
saṃskṛtaḥrefined/sanctified
saṃskṛtaḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया; nominal predicate)
TypeAdjective
Rootsaṃskṛta (√kṛ, क्त-कृदन्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

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.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: human realm / village-town setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana sections praising dāna, wells/ponds, and service as high merit (general internal parallels)

Characters & Entities
D
Dwijas (twice-born)
V
Vipra (Brahmin)

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.

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