Shloka 74

Āhnika-Dharma: Dawn Purification, Sandhyā-Upāsanā, Tarpana, Pañca-Mahāyajñas, and Aśauca Rules

Devanagari script

उद्धृत्य वा यथाशक्ति किञ्चिदन्नं समाहितः / वेदतत्त्वार्थविदुषे द्विजायैवोपपादयेत्

Transliteration

uddhṛtya vā yathāśakti kiñcidannaṃ samāhitaḥ / vedatattvārthaviduṣe dvijāyaivopapādayet

Translation

സമാഹിതമായ മനസ്സോടെ, ശേഷിയനുസരിച്ച് കുറച്ച് അന്നം മാറ്റിവെച്ച്, വേദത്തിന്റെ തത്ത്വാർത്ഥം അറിയുന്ന ദ്വിജനേയ്ക്ക് തന്നെ സമർപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• उद्धृत्य: having taken out/collected
• उद्धृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ud-hṛ (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• वा: or
• वा: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• यथाशक्ति: according to ability
• यथाशक्ति: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (यथाशक्त्या इति अर्थः), क्रियाविशेषण

• किञ्चित्: some/a little
• किञ्चित्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kiṃcit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितपरिमाणवाचक विशेषण

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समाहितः: collected/composed (attentive)
• समाहितः: Karta (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-dhā (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• वेदतत्त्वार्थविदुषे: to the knower of the true meaning of the Veda
• वेदतत्त्वार्थविदुषे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य तत्त्वार्थं वेत्ति इति), पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• द्विजाय: to a twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात

• उपपादयेत्: should present/offer
• उपपादयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-pad (धातु) [causative: उपपादय-]
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त (causative) धातु; विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: According to capacity, set aside food with concentration and offer to a dvija who knows Veda-tattva and artha.

Vedantic Theme: Sat-saṅga and śāstra-prāmāṇya: honoring knowledge as a purifier; right recipient (pātra) amplifies the fruit of dāna.

Application: Practice intentional giving: donate to genuine educators/scholars or institutions preserving learning; give proportionately, without strain, with focused mind.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: household/annadāna setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: adjacent household-dharma verses on feeding and honoring dvijas (contextual link)

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (twice-born brāhmaṇa)
• Veda (Vedic wisdom)

FAQs

What is the importance of anna-dāna (food charity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights anna-dāna as a direct dharmic act: even a small portion, offered with mental composure and sincerity, becomes meritorious—especially when given to a Veda-knowing brāhmaṇa.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching on karma and merit?

It frames karma not as magnitude alone but as intention and right recipient: giving within one’s means, with a focused mind, to a worthy knower of Vedic truth generates puṇya aligned with dharma.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Regularly set aside a portion of food or resources and donate it thoughtfully—supporting genuine teachers, scholars, or dharmic service—doing so calmly and without display, according to your capacity.