Shloka 6

Arrival at Yama’s cities: Citragupta’s scrutiny, Dharmadhvaja’s gate, and the necessity of dāna

Devanagari script

सप्तधान्यस्य दानेन प्रीतो धर्मध्वजो भवेत् / तत्र गत्वा प्रतीहारो ब्रूते तस्य शुभाशुभम्

Transliteration

saptadhānyasya dānena prīto dharmadhvajo bhavet / tatra gatvā pratīhāro brūte tasya śubhāśubham

Translation

ഏഴ് തരത്തിലുള്ള ധാന്യദാനം ചെയ്താൽ ധർമ്മധ്വജൻ പ്രസന്നനാകും. അവിടെ എത്തിയ ജീവനോട് ദ്വാരപാലൻ അവന്റെ ശുഭാശുഭ കർമ്മങ്ങൾ അറിയിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• सप्तधान्यस्य: of the seven grains
• सप्तधान्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (सप्त च तानि धान्यानि)

• दानेन: by the gift (giving)
• दानेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भाव (by/through giving)

• प्रीतः: pleased
• प्रीतः: Karta (Subject-predicate adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• धर्मध्वजः: Dharmadhvaja
• धर्मध्वजः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become/be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund)

• प्रतीहारः: the doorkeeper
• प्रतीहारः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ब्रूते: says/tells
• ब्रूते: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• शुभाशुभम्: the good and the bad
• शुभाशुभम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (शुभं च अशुभं च)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: सप्तधान्य-दानं धर्मरक्षणं; दानं परलोकमार्गे सहायकं, कर्म-निर्णयस्य प्रसाद-हेतुः

Vedantic Theme: कर्मयोग-भावः—त्यागपूर्वकं दानं चित्तशुद्ध्यै

Application: सामर्थ्यानुसारं अन्न/धान्य-दानं (विशेषतः सप्तधान्य) नियमितं कृत्वा सामाजिक-कल्याणं च आत्म-शुद्धिं च साधयेत्

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: checkpoint/court-gate

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: दान-माहात्म्य, अन्नदान-प्रशंसा; Garuda Purana: यमद्वार-निर्णय, शुभाशुभ-लेख्य-वर्णन

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Pratīhāra (gatekeeper of Yama’s realm)

FAQs

What is the importance of saptadhānya-dāna (donation of seven grains) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that gifting seven kinds of grain pleases Dharma’s authority, implying increased spiritual support and favorable consideration of the departed’s merits during the post-death reckoning.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It indicates that upon reaching the realm of Dharma/Yama, an official gatekeeper (pratīhāra) announces the soul’s śubha and aśubha—its accumulated merits and demerits—signaling a formal karmic assessment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice ethical charity—especially food/grain donation—and live with awareness that actions are accountable; generosity and dharmic conduct are portrayed as supportive forces in life and in post-death evaluation.