Shloka 1

Dāna-vrata and the Tīrtha Circuit of Venkaṭādri

Snāna, Mantra, Naivedya

Devanagari script

तद्दानादिवर्णनं नाम षड्विंशोध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / सा गता स्नातुकामाथ नन्दां पापनिवारिणीम् / पप्रच्छ तं गुरुं विप्रं विनयावनता सुधीः

Transliteration

taddānādivarṇanaṃ nāma ṣaḍviṃśodhyāyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / sā gatā snātukāmātha nandāṃ pāpanivāriṇīm / papraccha taṃ guruṃ vipraṃ vinayāvanatā sudhīḥ

Translation

Śrī Kṛṣṇa dit : «Voici le chapitre nommé “Description des dons (Dāna) et des observances qui s’y rattachent”. Alors cette femme avisée, désirant se baigner lors de Nandā—l’observance/jour sacré qui efface les fautes—alla vers le maître brāhmaṇa savant ; s’inclinant avec humilité, elle l’interrogea.»

Word by Word

• tat-dāna-ādi-varṇanam: the description of that (topic), of gifts etc.
• tat-dāna-ādi-varṇanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + varṇana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘तत्’ (that) + ‘दāna-ādi’ (gifts etc.) + ‘varṇanam’ (description)

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नामनिर्देशक (quotative/label marker: ‘called’)

• ṣaḍviṃśaḥ: twenty-sixth
• ṣaḍviṃśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaḍviṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु (numeral compound) used adjectivally

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• śrīkṛṣṇaḥ: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• śrīkṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīkṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• gatā: having gone
• gatā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘gone’

• snātu-kāmā: desirous to bathe
• snātu-kāmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snātu (तुमुन् infinitive from √snā) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘snātuṃ kāmā’ = desirous to bathe

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आरम्भ/अनन्तरबोधक (particle: then/now)

• nandām: Nandā
• nandām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nandā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• pāpa-nivāriṇīm: sin-removing
• pāpa-nivāriṇīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + nivāriṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘pāpaṃ nivārayati’ = remover of sin (qualifies nandām)

• papraccha: asked
• papraccha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prach (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• gurum: teacher
• gurum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; apposition to tam

• vipram: brāhmaṇa
• vipram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; apposition to tam

• vinaya-avanatā: humbly bowed
• vinaya-avanatā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinaya (प्रातिपदिक) + avanata (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘vinayena avanatā’ = bowed with humility

• sudhīḥ: the wise one
• sudhīḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sudhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘wise woman’ (qualifies sā)

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Approaching a qualified teacher with humility to learn proper observance (snāna/dāna) for purification.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana begins with śraddhā and guru-upāsanā; purity of conduct supports inner purification (antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi).

Application: Seek guidance from competent tradition-bearers before undertaking vows/ritual baths; cultivate humility and clarity of intention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-nadi

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, dāna-mahātmyas and vrata sections (contextual); Garuda Purana, tīrtha-snāna/pāpa-kṣaya passages (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Nandā
• guru (brāhmaṇa vipra)

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charity) in this Garuda Purana passage?

The verse introduces a chapter dedicated to explaining dāna and allied observances, framing charity and purification as dharmic means to reduce sin (pāpa) and gain merit (puṇya).

How does this verse set the narrative context for spiritual instruction?

It shows a seeker approaching a qualified brāhmaṇa guru with humility to ask about a sin-removing observance (Nandā) and proper ritual conduct, establishing teacher–disciple transmission of dharma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Seek guidance from competent teachers for rituals and ethics, practice humility in learning, and pair personal purification (self-discipline) with dāna (charitable giving) as part of everyday dharma.