Shloka 3

Devanagari script

विद्यातपोभ्यां हीनेन न तु ग्राह्यः प्रतिग्रहः / गृह्णन्प्रदातारमधो नयत्यात्मानमेव च

Transliteration

vidyātapobhyāṃ hīnena na tu grāhyaḥ pratigrahaḥ / gṛhṇanpradātāramadho nayatyātmānameva ca

Translation

വിദ്യയും തപസ്സും ഇല്ലാത്തവൻ ദാനം സ്വീകരിക്കരുത്. സ്വീകരിച്ചാൽ അവൻ ദാതാവിനെയും തനെയും അധോഗതിയിലേക്കു വലിച്ചിഴക്കും.

Word by Word

• विद्यातपोभ्याम्: by knowledge and austerity
• विद्यातपोभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (by knowledge and austerity)

• हीनेन: by one who is lacking
• हीनेन: Karana/Agent-Qualifier (Instrument/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (devoid of)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• ग्राह्यः: acceptable
• ग्राह्यः: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु) + ण्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (fit to be accepted)

• प्रतिग्रहः: acceptance (of gifts)
• प्रतिग्रहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गृह्णन्: accepting (taking)
• गृह्णन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रदातारम्: the giver
• प्रदातारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + √दा (धातु) + तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अधः: downwards, to a lower state
• अधः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: downward)

• नयति: leads
• नयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आत्मानम्: himself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Unqualified acceptance (pratigraha) generates negative karmic consequence; the receiver becomes a cause of the donor’s decline and shares the fall.

Vedantic Theme: Adharma clouds sattva and obstructs jñāna; purity of means (śuddhi) is prerequisite for inner clarity.

Application: If lacking discipline/learning, refuse gifts; donors should avoid giving where it enables hypocrisy or vice; establish ethical guidelines for receiving support.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.98.2 (who is worthy); Garuda Purana 1.98.4 (how to give with faith)

FAQs

What is the importance of pratigraha (accepting gifts) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that receiving gifts is not morally neutral: if the recipient lacks vidyā (right knowledge) and tapas (discipline), the act becomes harmful and creates negative karmic consequences.

How does this verse explain karmic responsibility between donor and recipient?

It states that an unqualified recipient’s acceptance can pull the donor “downward,” implying that the recipient’s character and spiritual fitness affect the merit of the gift and bind both parties to adverse karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Give thoughtfully and receive responsibly: donors should support worthy causes and ethical stewards, and recipients (including religious functionaries) should cultivate integrity, learning, and discipline before soliciting or accepting religious gifts.