Shloka 4

Determination of the Householder’s Dharma

Dāna: Types, Recipients, Timing, and Fruits

Devanagari script

नित्यं नैमित्तिकं काम्यं त्रिविधं दानमुच्यते । चतुर्थं विमलं प्रोक्तं सर्वदानोत्तमोत्तमम्

Transliteration

nityaṃ naimittikaṃ kāmyaṃ trividhaṃ dānamucyate | caturthaṃ vimalaṃ proktaṃ sarvadānottamottamam

Translation

On dit que le don est de trois sortes : nitya (quotidien), naimittika (lié à des rites ou moments prescrits) et kāmya (fait pour un fruit désiré). Un quatrième, nommé « vimala » (pur), est proclamé le plus élevé de tous les dons.

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: regular, daily
• नित्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; दान-विशेषण

• नैमित्तिकम्: occasional, for a cause
• नैमित्तिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; दान-विशेषण

• काम्यम्: desire-motivated
• काम्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; दान-विशेषण

• त्रिविधम्: threefold
• त्रिविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; दान-विशेषण

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• चतुर्थम्: the fourth
• चतुर्थम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (दानस्य) विशेषण

• विमलम्: pure
• विमलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (चतुर्थं दानम्) विशेषण

• प्रोक्तम्: declared, stated
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वच् + क्त, उपसर्ग प्र-)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (चतुर्थं विमलं) इति

• सर्वदानोत्तमोत्तमम्: the best of the best among all gifts
• सर्वदानोत्तमोत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + दान + उत्तम + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—(सर्वेषां दानानां उत्तमः) उत्तमः इति; अतिशयार्थ-द्विरुक्ति

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial/teachings context within Svargakhaṇḍa; speaker not identifiable from single verse alone)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: दानमुच्यते = दानम् + उच्यते; सर्वदानोत्तमोत्तमम् = सर्वदान + उत्तमोत्तमम् (समास/सन्धि)

FAQs

What are the three common types of dāna described in this verse?

The verse lists (1) nitya—regular daily giving, (2) naimittika—giving tied to a particular occasion or rite, and (3) kāmya—giving performed with a desired reward in mind.

What is ‘vimala’ dāna and why is it considered the highest?

Vimala (“pure”) dāna is presented as a fourth category that surpasses the other three, implying giving that is untainted by personal desire or calculated outcomes—valued as the most excellent form of charity.

What ethical lesson does this verse teach about motivation in giving?

It teaches that while many forms of giving exist, the inner motive matters: charity becomes spiritually superior when it is purified of self-serving desire and performed with sincerity and moral clarity.