Shloka 29
Dāna for the Preta: Supreme Gifts, Yama’s Pacification, and Viṣṇu-Smaraṇa at the Time of Death
पुत्राः पौत्रास्तथा बन्धुः सगोत्राः सुहहृदस्तथा / ददते नातुरे दानं ब्रह्मघ्नैस्तु समा हि ते
putrāḥ pautrāstathā bandhuḥ sagotrāḥ suhahṛdastathā / dadate nāture dānaṃ brahmaghnaistu samā hi te
പുത്രന്മാരും പൗത്രന്മാരും ബന്ധുക്കളും സഗോത്രരും സുഹൃത്തുക്കളും പോലും രോഗിയ്ക്ക് ദാനം കൊടുക്കുന്നില്ല; അവർ ബ്രാഹ്മണഹന്താക്കളോടു സമം എന്നു കണക്കാക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.
Lord Vishnu
Concept: Dāna and care for the afflicted are mandatory; refusal by kin is a serious adharma equated with brahmahatyā in moral weight.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma as purifier of antaḥkaraṇa; compassion (dayā) as a sattvic marker supporting spiritual progress.
Application: Provide timely aid—food, medicine, money, service—to the ill regardless of inconvenience; cultivate a family culture of caregiving and charitable readiness.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: household/community
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: dāna-śraddhā sections emphasizing gifts at death/illness and consequences of neglect; Garuda Purana: teachings on mahāpātakas and their social/ritual gravity
FAQs
This verse stresses that supporting or enabling dāna when a person is ill is a strong dharmic duty; withholding it is treated as a grave moral fault.
In the Preta Kanda’s ethical framework, meritorious acts like dāna become spiritual support; blocking such acts increases demerit, affecting the preta’s post-death condition and accountability under Yama’s law.
When someone is sick or nearing death, help them fulfill charitable intentions (food, medicines, support to the needy) and avoid obstructing their last dharmic acts.