Shloka 25

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and Dāna as the Soul’s True Companion on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

कृच्छ्रेण लक्ष्मीः समुपार्जिता स्वयं मया न भुक्तं मनसेप्सितं धनम् / ताम्बूलमन्नं मधुरं सगोरसं दत्त्वाग्निदेवातिथिबन्धुवर्गे

Transliteration

kṛcchreṇa lakṣmīḥ samupārjitā svayaṃ mayā na bhuktaṃ manasepsitaṃ dhanam / tāmbūlamannaṃ madhuraṃ sagorasaṃ dattvāgnidevātithibandhuvarge

Translation

വലിയ കഷ്ടപ്പാടോടെ ഞാൻ തന്നെ ധനലക്ഷ്മി സമ്പാദിച്ചു; എന്നാൽ മനസ്സിനിഷ്ടമായ ആ ധനം ഞാൻ അനുഭവിച്ചില്ല. പകരം താംബൂലം, അന്നം, മധുരപദാർത്ഥങ്ങൾ, നെയ്യ് കലർന്ന നിവേദ്യം അഗ്നിദേവനു, ദേവന്മാർക്കും, അതിഥികൾക്കും, ബന്ധുവർഗത്തിനും നൽകി।

Word by Word

• kṛcchreṇa: with difficulty
• kṛcchreṇa: Karaṇa (करण; means/manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛcchra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• lakṣmīḥ: wealth
• lakṣmīḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन) (form used as subject ‘wealth’)

• samupārjitā: acquired
• samupārjitā: Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-upa-√arj (अर्ज् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• svayam: by oneself
• svayam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (स्वयम्)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध निपात)

• bhuktam: enjoyed/consumed
• bhuktam: Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (भुज् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• manasā: by the mind
• manasā: Karaṇa (करण; with ‘desired by mind’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• īpsitam: desired
• īpsitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √āp (आप्/इप्स् भाव)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) of desiderative sense ‘īpsita’ (desired); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• dhanam: wealth
• dhanam: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘bhuktam’ understood)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• tāmbūlam: betel (leaf)
• tāmbūlam: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘dattvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāmbūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• annam: food
• annam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• madhuram: sweet
• madhuram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sa-go-rasam: with milk/with cow’s juice
• sa-go-rasam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/स- उपसर्गवत्) + go (प्रातिपदिक) + rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘go-rasena saha’/‘go-rasayukta’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• dattvā: having given
• dattvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त)

• agni-deva-atithi-bandhu-varge: to/among the group of fire (Agni), gods, guests, and relatives
• agni-deva-atithi-bandhu-varge: Sampradāna/Adhikaraṇa (सम्प्रदान/अधिकरण; recipients group)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक) + atithi (प्रातिपदिक) + bandhu (प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (द्वन्द्व) enumerative compound; Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) ‘in/among the group of Agni, gods, guests, and relatives’

Speaker

A departed soul (preta) expressing post-death reflection/regret within Lord Vishnu’s discourse to Garuda

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Wealth gained with effort is fleeting; proper use is dāna and offerings to agni, devas, guests, and kin—yet mere giving without inner right orientation may still leave existential regret.

Vedantic Theme: Artha is an instrument, not an end; tyāga and yajña purify, but attachment/identity around wealth and enjoyment remains a binding tendency unless aligned to higher aim.

Application: Practice intentional enjoyment without greed, and intentional giving without pride; budget for charity/ritual hospitality; cultivate contentment and clarity of purpose.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household/ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring praise of atithi-dharma, agni-related offerings, and dāna as purifying acts (general thematic parallels)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Devas
• Atithi (guest)
• Bandhu (relatives)

FAQs

What is the importance of giving to Agni, Devas, guests, and relatives in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights dāna and honoring sacred obligations—offerings to Agni and the Devas, hospitality to guests, and support of kin—as righteous uses of wealth that shape karmic outcomes beyond death.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s experience after death in the Preta Kanda?

It is framed as a post-mortem reflection: the departed recalls how wealth was earned with effort but not personally enjoyed, emphasizing how one’s choices around wealth and duty become vivid points of reckoning after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Earn honestly, enjoy moderately without obsession, and regularly allocate resources for sacred duties—charity, hospitality, and family support—so wealth becomes dharmic rather than a source of later regret.