Shloka 34
Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva
यत् कृतं हि मनुष्येण पापमामरणान्तिकम् / तत् सर्वं नाशमायाति वर्षवृत्तिप्रदानतः
yat kṛtaṃ hi manuṣyeṇa pāpamāmaraṇāntikam / tat sarvaṃ nāśamāyāti varṣavṛttipradānataḥ
മരണത്തിന്റെ അതിരുവരെ മനുഷ്യൻ ചെയ്ത പാപമെല്ലാം, ഒരു വർഷത്തെ ഉപജീവനം നൽകുന്ന ദാനത്താൽ മുഴുവനായി നശിക്കുന്നു.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)
Concept: Sustenance-giving (support for a year) has strong pāpa-kṣaya power, counteracting lifetime sin.
Vedantic Theme: Ethical purification (citta-śuddhi) through sattvic karma; transformation of karmic load by intentional merit.
Application: Support someone’s livelihood/food security for an extended period (monthly staples, sponsorship, annadāna endowment).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated doctrine of pāpa-kṣaya through specific dānas (anna, vastra, go, bhūmi, etc.)
FAQs
This verse states that donating provisions sufficient for a year’s livelihood is a powerful act of dāna that destroys accumulated sin, even up to the end of one’s life.
In the Preta Kanda context, Vishnu emphasizes practical remedies—especially charity—that purify karmic burden before death, easing the consequences that would otherwise be faced after death.
Support someone’s sustained well-being (food, essentials, or long-term maintenance) as a deliberate ethical practice, treating generosity as a means of karmic correction and compassionate responsibility.