Shloka 48

Praise of Vṛṣotsarga (Bull-release), Worthy Dāna, and the Procedure for Kṣayāha & Ūrdhva-daihika Rites

Devanagari script

देवतानां गुरूणां च मातापित्रोस्तथैव च / पुण्यं देयं प्रयत्नेन प्रत्यहं वर्धते खग

Transliteration

devatānāṃ gurūṇāṃ ca mātāpitrostathaiva ca / puṇyaṃ deyaṃ prayatnena pratyahaṃ vardhate khaga

Translation

Kepada para Deva, kepada para guru, dan demikian juga kepada ibu bapa—hendaklah pahala kebajikan dipersembahkan dengan bersungguh-sungguh; ia bertambah dari hari ke hari, wahai Sang Burung (Garuda).

Word by Word

• देवतानाम्: of the deities
• देवतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• गुरूणाम्: of the teachers
• गुरूणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

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

• मातापित्रोः: of mother and father
• मातापित्रोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्वन्द्व), षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति (6th/7th), द्विवचन; अर्थतः षष्ठी (of mother and father)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकार-अव्यय (thus/likewise)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle: indeed/just)

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

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• देयम्: to be given/should be given
• देयम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (भाव्य/कर्तव्य) ‘देय’ (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेयार्थः—‘दातव्यम्’

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• प्रत्यहम्: every day
• प्रत्यहम्: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; काल-अव्यय (adverb: every day)

• वर्धते: increases
• वर्धते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• खग: O bird (Garuda)
• खग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Offer merit (through service, gifts, worship) to devas, gurus, and parents; such puṇya increases day by day.

Vedantic Theme: Ṛṇa-traya and dharma as harmonizing cosmic/social order; gratitude and service purify the mind.

Application: Daily acts: worship, teacher-respect, caring for parents, charitable giving; treat these as cumulative spiritual capital.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: home/temple/ācārya’s abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated prioritization of mātṛ-pitṛ-sevā and guru-bhakti as dharma with strong karmic outcomes; Garuda Purana: deva-pūjā and dāna as supports for auspicious transitions and rites

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Gurus
• Mother
• Father
• Garuda (Khaga)

FAQs

What is the importance of daily puṇya (nitya-puṇya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that regularly offering merit—through reverence, service, or charity directed toward Devas, gurus, and parents—causes puṇya to increase every day, making daily practice more impactful than occasional acts.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana themes of afterlife and karma?

In the Preta Kanda’s ethical framework, accumulated puṇya supports the soul’s post-death journey by counterbalancing pāpa (sin) and strengthening auspicious karmic outcomes; the verse emphasizes building that merit steadily through dharmic relationships.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Serve and respect parents, learn and support teachers, and maintain daily worship/charity—small consistent acts (food, help, donations, respectful conduct) are presented as a reliable way to grow merit day by day.