Shloka 20

Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva

Devanagari script

जीवितं मरणञ्चैव द्वयं शिक्षेत पण्डितः / जीवितं दानभोगाभ्यां मरणं रणतीर्थयोः

Transliteration

jīvitaṃ maraṇañcaiva dvayaṃ śikṣeta paṇḍitaḥ / jīvitaṃ dānabhogābhyāṃ maraṇaṃ raṇatīrthayoḥ

Translation

പണ്ഡിതൻ രണ്ടു കാര്യങ്ങൾ അഭ്യസിക്കണം—എങ്ങനെ ജീവിക്കണം, എങ്ങനെ മരിക്കണം. ദാനവും ധർമ്മാനുസൃതമായ ഭോഗവും ജീവിതത്തെ സഫലമാക്കുന്നു; യുദ്ധഭൂമിയിലോ തീർത്ഥത്തിലോ മരണം വന്നാൽ മൃത്യുവും ശ്രേഷ്ഠമാകും.

Word by Word

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; abstract noun

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; abstract noun

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• द्वयम्: the pair (twofold)
• द्वयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; collective 'pair'

• शिक्षेत: should learn
• शिक्षेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शिक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'should learn/should be trained'

• पण्डितः: a wise man/scholar
• पण्डितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• दानभोगाभ्याम्: by giving and enjoyment
• दानभोगाभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान + भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया (3), द्विवचन; instrumental 'by/through'

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• रणतीर्थयोः: in the battlefield and at a sacred ford/place of pilgrimage
• रणतीर्थयोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रणस्य तीर्थम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), द्विवचन; locative 'in/at'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Two trainings: live well through dāna and dharmic enjoyment; die well through vīra-maraṇa or tīrtha-maraṇa (idealized ends).

Vedantic Theme: Mṛtyu-smṛti as a discipline; harmonizing pravṛtti (engaged life: dāna/bhoga) with a prepared exit that supports higher destiny.

Application: Balance earning and enjoyment with generosity; keep death-awareness to prioritize values; cultivate a ‘good death’ plan—pilgrimage/holy remembrance, ethical closure, and fear-reduction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: battlefield / pilgrimage ford

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: teachings on mṛtyu-smaraṇa, dāna, and tīrtha-mahātmyas; Garuda Purana: contrasts of svarga (finite) and mokṣa (supreme) in nearby discourse

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of learning both life and death in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames dharmic training as twofold: live by dāna (charity) and proper bhoga (rightful enjoyment), and aim for a death regarded as auspicious or valorous—so one’s life and end both align with Dharma.

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

By emphasizing a dharmic life (charity and disciplined enjoyment), the verse implies a lighter karmic burden at death; and by praising death in battle or at a tīrtha, it points to culturally “meritorious” conditions believed to support a favorable post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice regular charity, enjoy possessions ethically without harm, and prepare for death through spiritual discipline (pilgrimage, remembrance of Dharma, and mindful end-of-life choices), rather than living carelessly and fearing death unprepared.