Shloka 21

Bhūmi-dāna, Satya-dharma, and the Non-cancellation of Sin by Charity

Devanagari script

प्रतिग्रहाध्यापनयाजनेषु प्रतिग्रहं स्वेष्टतमं वदन्ति / प्रतिग्रहाच्छ्रुध्यति जाप्यहोमं न याजनं कर्म पुनन्ति वेदाः

Transliteration

pratigrahādhyāpanayājaneṣu pratigrahaṃ sveṣṭatamaṃ vadanti / pratigrahācchrudhyati jāpyahomaṃ na yājanaṃ karma punanti vedāḥ

Translation

പ്രതിഗ്രഹം, അധ്യാപനം, യാജനം—ഇവയിൽ പ്രതിഗ്രഹം തന്നെയാണ് ഏറ്റവും അപകടകരമെന്ന് അവർ പറയുന്നു. പ്രതിഗ്രഹം മൂലം ജപവും ഹോമവും മലിനമാകുന്നു; ആ കർമ്മദോഷം യാജനകർമ്മം മാത്രം ശുദ്ധീകരിക്കും എന്ന് വേദങ്ങൾ പറയുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

• प्रतिग्रह: in acceptances (of gifts)
• प्रतिग्रह: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अध्यापन: in teaching
• अध्यापन: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यापन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• याजन: in officiating sacrifices (for others)
• याजन: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एषु: among these
• एषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रतिग्रहम्: acceptance (of a gift)
• प्रतिग्रहम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सु: very, well
• सु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग-प्राय (prefix-like particle), समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• इष्टतमम्: most desired
• इष्टतमम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्टतम (प्रातिपदिक; इष्ट + तमप्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); अतिशय (superlative)

• वदन्ति: they say
• वदन्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रतिग्रहात्: from acceptance (of gifts)
• प्रतिग्रहात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रुध्यति: becomes purified / is cleansed
• श्रुध्यति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रुध्/श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• जाप्य: muttering (japa)
• जाप्य: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• होमम्: fire-offering (homa)
• होमम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• याजनम्: officiating sacrifice (for others)
• याजनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कर्म: act, deed
• कर्म: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुनन्ति: purify
• पुनन्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पू (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pratigraha (accepting gifts) is most perilous; it can impair japa and homa; mere yajana does not automatically purify that taint per Vedic authority.

Vedantic Theme: Inner purity (antahkarana-shuddhi) conditions the fruit of karma; livelihood ethics affect spiritual efficacy.

Application: For religious professionals: accept support with discernment, transparency, and purity of source; for donors: give righteously; for all: avoid transactional spirituality.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dana rules and warnings about impure gifts (aśuddha-dana); Garuda Purana: brahmana conduct codes—japa/homa purity and food/gift restrictions

Characters & Entities

• Vedas

FAQs

What is the importance of pratigraha (accepting gifts) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats pratigraha as the most spiritually risky of common priestly livelihoods, warning that improper acceptance can taint one’s mantra-recitation and fire-offerings.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

By stressing ritual and ethical purity, it implies that actions like corrupt gift-acceptance create karmic blemishes that can follow the soul after death, affecting one’s spiritual standing—an underlying theme throughout the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Give and receive donations ethically: avoid coercive, dishonest, or impure exchanges; prioritize integrity in religious services so spiritual practice (japa, homa, worship) remains sincere and effective.