Shloka 29

Jīva-yonis (84 Lakhs), Rarity of Human Birth, Sense-Restraint, Craving, and Śraddhā-based Dharma

Devanagari script

न दत्तं द्विजमुख्येभ्यः परोपकृतये तथा / पूर्वजन्मकृतात्पुण्याद्यल्लब्धं बहु चाल्पकम्

Transliteration

na dattaṃ dvijamukhyebhyaḥ paropakṛtaye tathā / pūrvajanmakṛtātpuṇyādyallabdhaṃ bahu cālpakam

Translation

Harta—banyak atau sedikit—yang diperoleh daripada pahala kelahiran terdahulu, jika tidak didermakan kepada yang utama dalam kalangan dwija (Brāhmaṇa yang layak) demi manfaat orang lain, maka harta itu tetap belum sempurna dari segi rohani.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Kriya (Predicate notion/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘given’

• द्विज-मुख्येभ्यः: to the foremost Brahmins
• द्विज-मुख्येभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी/चतुर्थी (5th/4th) बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘श्रेष्ठा द्विजाः’ → ‘द्विजमुख्याः’; अत्र -ेभ्यः

• पर-उपकृतये: for helping others
• पर-उपकृतये: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise/so)

• पूर्व-जन्म-कृतात्: from what was done in a former birth
• पूर्व-जन्म-कृतात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘पूर्वजन्मनि कृत’ (locative-tatpurusha)

• पुण्यात्: from merit
• पुण्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• लब्धम्: obtained
• लब्धम्: Kriya (Predicate notion/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु) → लब्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘obtained’

• बहु: much
• बहु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अल्पकम्: little
• अल्पकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Wealth gained by prior merit should be fulfilled through dana for loka-hita; otherwise it remains spiritually ‘unconsummated’.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-siddhanta: past merit yields resources; right use purifies and supports dharma; non-giving strengthens bondage.

Application: Allocate a portion of income for charity; support learned and ethical teachers/priests and public benefit; treat wealth as stewardship, not possession.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: sacrificial/charitable setting (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dana-prashamsa sections linking wealth to prior punya and urging gifting to worthy recipients

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (twice-born)
• Brahmanas

FAQs

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

This verse emphasizes that even wealth gained through past merit becomes truly fruitful when it is given as charity—especially to worthy recipients—for the welfare of others.

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

In the Preta Kanda context, merit supports the departed, and charitable acts (dāna) are presented as a key way to convert one’s punya and resources into spiritual benefit connected with post-death rites and outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use your resources—whether much or little—for ethical giving and service, especially supporting learned and virtuous custodians of dharma and charitable causes, rather than hoarding wealth as mere personal gain.