Shloka 81

Veṅkaṭeśa-Māhātmya: Varāha Prelude, Descent of Śeṣācala, Svāmipuṣkariṇī and the Network of Tīrthas

with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

मूर्तेर्दानात्फलमाप्नोति देवि सत्यंसत्यं नात्र विचार्यमस्ति

Transliteration

mūrterdānātphalamāpnoti devi satyaṃsatyaṃ nātra vicāryamasti

Translation

Wahai Dewi, dengan mendermakan sebuah arca suci, seseorang benar-benar memperoleh buahnya—benar, benar; tiada perlu ragu atau berbahas tentangnya.

Word by Word

• मूर्तेः: of the image (murti)
• मूर्तेः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — of the idol/form

• दानात्: from the gift; by donation
• दानात्: अपादान (अपादान/Ablative-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन — from/through giving (as cause/source)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — object

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — attains

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: सम्बोधन (Vocative/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन — address

• सत्यम्: true
• सत्यम्: विशेषण (Adjectival predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन — used predicatively as ‘true’

• सत्यम्: indeed true
• सत्यम्: विशेषण (Adjectival predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन — repetition for emphasis

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• विचार्यम्: to be deliberated/considered
• विचार्यम्: कर्म (Karma; what would be considered)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चर् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘to be considered’

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन — is/exists

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śraddhā in dāna: donating a sacred image yields its promised fruit; skepticism is to be set aside in matters of prescribed merit.

Vedantic Theme: Śraddhā as a necessary support for karma and bhakti; inner assent stabilizes the mind and aligns action with sacred intent.

Application: When performing charity for sacred purposes, do it with conviction and clarity; avoid cynicism that undermines one’s own ethical-spiritual practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: doctrinal statement (context: shrine/tīrtha and mūrti-dāna)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.26.80 (mūrti-dāna described as difficult); Garuda Purana 3.26.77 (snāna–dāna–śravaṇa pleasing to Lakṣmī-Nṛsiṃha)

Characters & Entities

• Devi

FAQs

What is the importance of mūrti-dāna (donation of a sacred image) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states unequivocally that donating a sacred image yields definite spiritual merit (phala), and it should be accepted without doubt.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings on the soul’s journey after death?

In the Garuda Purana’s ritual-ethical framework, dāna is a means to generate merit that supports the departed and mitigates hardships connected with the post-death path and judgment themes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charity with faith and clarity—support temples, sacred art, or devotional items responsibly—treating dāna as a disciplined dharmic act rather than a transaction.