Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

दानप्रभावेण विमानसंस्थितो धर्मः पिता मातृदयानुरूपिणी / वाणी कलत्रं मधुरार्थभाषिणी स्नानं सुतीर्थे च सुबन्धवर्गः

Transliteration

dānaprabhāveṇa vimānasaṃsthito dharmaḥ pitā mātṛdayānurūpiṇī / vāṇī kalatraṃ madhurārthabhāṣiṇī snānaṃ sutīrthe ca subandhavargaḥ

Translation

ദാനത്തിന്റെ പ്രഭാവത്താൽ ധർമ്മം വിമാനം അധിഷ്ഠിതനായ പിതാവാകുന്നു; മാതൃഹൃദയത്തോട് ഒത്ത കരുണ മാതാവാകുന്നു. മധുരവും അർത്ഥവുമുള്ള വാക്ക് ഭാര്യയാകുന്നു; സുതീർത്ഥത്തിലെ സ്നാനം തീർത്ഥയാത്രയാകുന്നു; സുന്ദരബന്ധുക്കൾ തന്നെയാണ് യഥാർത്ഥ ബന്ധുമണ്ഡലം।

Word by Word

• dāna-prabhāveṇa: by the power of giving
• dāna-prabhāveṇa: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (दान-प्रातिपदिक) + prabhāva (प्रभाव-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dānasya prabhāvaḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• vimāna-saṃsthitaḥ: seated in an aerial car
• vimāna-saṃsthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of dharmaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimāna (विमान-प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthita (संस्थित-प्रातिपदिक; √sthā क्त)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (vimāne saṃsthitaḥ), क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• dharmaḥ: Dharma/righteousness
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (धर्म-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• pitā: father
• pitā: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (पितृ-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mātṛ-dayā-anurūpiṇī: conforming to a mother's compassion
• mātṛ-dayā-anurūpiṇī: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mātṛ (मातृ-प्रातिपदिक) + dayā (दया-प्रातिपदिक) + anurūpiṇī (अनुरूपिणी-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (mātuḥ dayāyāḥ anurūpiṇī), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (implied: mātā)

• vāṇī: speech
• vāṇī: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṇī (वाणी-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kalatram: wife/spouse
• kalatram: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalatra (कलत्र-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• madhura-artha-bhāṣiṇī: speaking sweet meanings/words
• madhura-artha-bhāṣiṇī: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (मधुर-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (अर्थ-प्रातिपदिक) + bhāṣiṇī (भाषिणी-प्रातिपदिक; √bhāṣ (भाष्-धातु) णिनि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (madhurān arthān bhāṣate), णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of vāṇī)

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (स्नान-प्रातिपदिक; √snā (स्ना-धातु) ल्युट्)
• Form: ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक/क्रियावाचक कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• su-tīrthe: in a good sacred ford/place
• su-tīrthe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (सु-उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (तीर्थ-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (su ca tat tīrtham), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• su-bandha-vargaḥ: a good circle of relatives/friends
• su-bandha-vargaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (सु) + bandhu (बन्धु-प्रातिपदिक) + varga (वर्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (su ca sa bandhuvargaḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ethical qualities and practices (dāna, dayā, sweet speech, tīrtha-snān) function as one’s real family/support system; Dharma is personified as a father in a vimāna.

Vedantic Theme: Inner wealth (guṇa, puṇya) surpasses external relations; sattva-building practices prepare the mind for bhakti/jñāna.

Application: Practice regular charity, compassion, and truthful-sweet speech; undertake periodic tīrtha/ritual bathing with ethical intent; cultivate sādhusanga as ‘good relatives’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dāna-mahātmyas and tīrtha/ācāra sections that praise charity, compassion, and sacred bathing (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Dharma

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that charity generates transformative merit: it elevates one’s standing (symbolized by a vimāna) and supports Dharma itself as a protecting ‘father’ in one’s life and destiny.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s welfare after death?

In the Preta Kanda context, merits like dāna, tīrtha-snāna, and dharmic conduct are presented as supports that accompany and protect the being beyond ordinary social supports, functioning like true kin in the post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Give regularly (dāna), speak kindly and meaningfully, cultivate compassion, and observe purifying practices (like tīrtha-snāna or sincere ritual bathing)—treating these as lasting ‘supports’ more reliable than mere status.