Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

गर्भस्थाः शिशवो ये च युवानः स्थविरास्तथा / एभिर्दानविशेषैस्तु निर्दहेयुः स्वपातकम्

Transliteration

garbhasthāḥ śiśavo ye ca yuvānaḥ sthavirāstathā / ebhirdānaviśeṣaistu nirdaheyuḥ svapātakam

Translation

ഗർഭസ്ഥനായാലും, ശിശുവായാലും, യുവാവായാലും, വൃദ്ധനായാലും—ഈ പ്രത്യേക ദാനങ്ങളാൽ സ്വന്തം പാതകം (പതനകാരക പാപം) ദഹിപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• garbha-sthāḥ: those in the womb (fetuses)
• garbha-sthāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garbha (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (कृदन्त, √sthā)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘garbhe sthitāḥ’

• śiśavaḥ: infants/children
• śiśavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• ye: who/which
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

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

• yuvānaḥ: young men/youths
• yuvānaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• sthavirāḥ: old men/elders
• sthavirāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthavira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• tathā: likewise/also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/particle)

• ebhiḥ: by/with these
• ebhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• dāna-viśeṣaiḥ: by these special donations
• dāna-viśeṣaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘dānasya viśeṣāḥ’

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), विशेषार्थक

• nirdaheyuḥ: would burn away/should destroy
• nirdaheyuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√dah (दह्, धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• sva-pātakam: one's own sin
• sva-pātakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘svaṃ pātakam’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific charitable acts can ‘burn’ (nirdaheyuḥ) one’s pāpa, accessible to all life stages.

Vedantic Theme: Purification of antaḥkaraṇa through dharmic action; karma-kṣaya as preparation for higher pursuit.

Application: Do age-appropriate charity and expiation early and consistently; treat dāna as a disciplined practice rather than a last-minute act.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lists of viśeṣa-dānas and their pāpa-nāśa claims

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charitable giving) in Garuda Purana?

This verse treats dāna as a practical prāyaścitta: specific, prescribed gifts are said to “burn” accumulated pāpa, making charity a direct means of karmic purification.

How does this verse explain who can benefit from atonement practices?

It explicitly includes every life stage—unborn, child, youth, and elder—indicating that karmic purification through dharmic acts like dāna is universally applicable, not restricted by age.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt regular, intentional giving—food, essentials, support for dharmic/ethical causes—done with humility and right intent, as a lived practice of reducing harm and cultivating merit.