Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 45

Dāna for the Preta: Supreme Gifts, Yama’s Pacification, and Viṣṇu-Smaraṇa at the Time of Death

Devanagari script

अहं दाता अहं ग्राही अहं यज्वा अहं क्रतुः / अहं हर्ता अहं धर्मो अहं पृथ्वी ह्यहं जलम्

Transliteration

ahaṃ dātā ahaṃ grāhī ahaṃ yajvā ahaṃ kratuḥ / ahaṃ hartā ahaṃ dharmo ahaṃ pṛthvī hyahaṃ jalam

Translation

「我は与える者、我は受け取る者。我はヤジュニャを執り行う者であり、また供犠そのものでもある。我は奪い去る者、我はダルマ。我は大地—まことに我は水である。」

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुषार्थक; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative singular)

• दाता: giver
• दाता: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तरि तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom. singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः

• ग्राही: receiver, taker
• ग्राही: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + णिन्/इन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तरि णिन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom. singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः

• यज्वा: sacrificer
• यज्वा: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज् (धातु) + वन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तरि वन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom. singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः

• क्रतुः: sacrifice, ritual
• क्रतुः: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः

• हर्ता: remover, taker away
• हर्ता: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तरि तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom. singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः

• पृथ्वी: earth
• पृथ्वी: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्ययम् (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom./Acc. singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The divine as both agent and object: dātā/grāhī, yajvā/kratu; also as dharma and the elements.

Vedantic Theme: Non-separation of kartā/karman/phala under Īśvara; unity of vyavahāra (ritual action) with paramārtha (ultimate ground).

Application: Perform giving and ritual acts with reduced ego-ownership; see transactions and duties as offerings within a larger sacred order.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.30.44 (all-as-self declarations); Garuda Purana 2.30.46 (karma shaping inclination)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Dharma
• Earth (Pṛthvī)
• Water (Jala)

FAQs

What is the importance of identifying the Lord as both giver and receiver in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that all transactions—charity, offerings, and their fruits—ultimately rest in the same divine reality, encouraging humility and purity of intention in rites connected with death and afterlife.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death described in the Garuda Purana?

By grounding Dharma and ritual action in the Lord’s all-pervading presence, it frames after-death outcomes as dependent on alignment with Dharma rather than mere external performance, reinforcing ethical living alongside funerary observances.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charity and rituals without ego, treat recipients with reverence, and live by Dharma—seeing the same sacred presence in nature (earth, water) and in all beings.