Shloka 69

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

शय्यादानं प्रशंसन्ति सर्वदैव द्विजोत्तमाः / अनित्यं जीवनं य्समात् पश्चात् को नु प्रदास्यति

Transliteration

śayyādānaṃ praśaṃsanti sarvadaiva dvijottamāḥ / anityaṃ jīvanaṃ ysamāt paścāt ko nu pradāsyati

Translation

ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ദ്വിജന്മാർ എപ്പോഴും ശയ്യാദാനം പ്രശംസിക്കുന്നു; കാരണം ജീവിതം അനിത്യം—പിന്നീട് ആര് ദാനം ചെയ്യാൻ കഴിയും?

Word by Word

• शय्या-दानम्: the gift of a bed
• शय्या-दानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śayyā + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शय्यायाः दानम्)

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise
• प्रशंसन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kaala-adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: “always”)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle: “indeed/only”)

• द्विजोत्तमाः: excellent Brahmins
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (उत्तमाः द्विजाः)

• अनित्यम्: impermanent
• अनित्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (of जीवनम्)

• जीवनम्: life
• जीवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• यस्मात्: since/because
• यस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yasmāt (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक: yad)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत्; हेतु/कारणवाचक (ablatival connector: “because/since”)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kaala-adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: “afterwards/later”)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ka (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• नु: indeed/then (question particle)
• नु: Prashna-nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्न/अनुनयार्थक निपात (interrogative particle)

• प्रदास्यति: will give
• प्रदास्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna must be done while one is alive; life’s anityatā makes postponement futile.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā (impermanence) as a spur to dharma; non-attachment to possessions through giving.

Application: Practice timely charity—especially śayyā-dāna—to qualified recipients; do not defer dharmic duties.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dāna-prakaraṇa: śayyā-dāna praise and its fruits (contextual); Garuda Purana: anityatā reminders preceding instructions on gifts/śrāddha (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Dvijottamas (twice-born sages)

FAQs

What is the importance of śayyā-dāna (donation of a bed) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents śayyā-dāna as a praised form of charity because it must be done while one is alive; it reflects dharma practiced in time, before death makes giving impossible.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s teachings on death and the afterlife?

By stressing life’s impermanence, it urges timely merit-making (dāna) that supports one’s dharmic account at death—an emphasis consistent with Preta Kanda discussions of post-death consequences and preparations.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice intentional charity now—support rest, shelter, or care for others (e.g., beds, bedding, medical rest facilities)—instead of postponing dharma to an uncertain future.