Shloka 10
Praise of Vṛṣotsarga (Bull-release), Worthy Dāna, and the Procedure for Kṣayāha & Ūrdhva-daihika Rites
स्वल्पेनापि हि वित्तेन स्वयं हस्तेन यत्कृतम् / अक्षयं याति तत्सर्वं यथाज्यं च हुताशने
svalpenāpi hi vittena svayaṃ hastena yatkṛtam / akṣayaṃ yāti tatsarvaṃ yathājyaṃ ca hutāśane
അൽപധനത്താലും സ്വന്തം കൈകൊണ്ട് ചെയ്യുന്ന ദാനധർമ്മം മുഴുവനും അക്ഷയപുണ്യമായി മാറുന്നു—ഹുതാശനത്തിൽ അർപ്പിച്ച ഘൃതംപോലെ അത് ഒരിക്കലും നിഷ്ഫലമാകില്ല।
Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinatā-putra)
Concept: Svahasta-kṛta (personally performed) dāna/karma, even if small, becomes akṣaya (imperishable) like ghee offered into fire.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation: intention and direct performance purify and yield enduring saṃskāra/puṇya; action offered in a sacred mode becomes non-wasting.
Application: Do charitable/ritual acts personally (not merely delegated), even with limited resources; prioritize sincerity and direct participation.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: ritual space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: recurring motif of dāna as ‘pātheyā’ for the post-mortem journey (cf. 2.14.12–13 nearby); Garuda Purana: dāna-homa analogies used to teach akṣaya-phala in dāna sections
FAQs
This verse says that merit becomes “akṣaya” when the act—especially giving or offering—is performed personally, emphasizing sincerity and direct participation over mere delegation.
In the Preta context, acts like dāna and offerings are presented as durable supports; the verse highlights that even small resources, rightly offered, generate imperishable merit beneficial to one’s spiritual journey.
Give within your means and participate directly—make offerings, donate, or serve personally—because intention and hands-on action are portrayed as making the spiritual fruit enduring.