Shloka 44

Āyuḥ-kṣaya by Vikarma; Impermanence of the Body; Aśauca and Child Śrāddha Procedures; Dāna as Remedy

Devanagari script

मिष्टान्नं भोजनं देयं दाने शक्तिस्तु दुर्लभा / भोज्ये भोजनशक्तिश्च रतिशक्तिर्वरस्त्रियः

Transliteration

miṣṭānnaṃ bhojanaṃ deyaṃ dāne śaktistu durlabhā / bhojye bhojanaśaktiśca ratiśaktirvarastriyaḥ

Translation

Hendaklah diberikan makanan manis dan hidangan yang sempurna sebagai sedekah; namun kemampuan (dan kerelaan) untuk memberi itu jarang. Demikian juga, kemampuan menikmati makanan dan kemampuan menikmati kenikmatan asmara—itu pun anugerah yang sukar diperoleh, terutama melalui wanita yang mulia.

Word by Word

• मिष्टान्नम्: sweet food
• मिष्टान्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिष्ट + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—मिष्टम् अन्नम् (sweet food)

• भोजनम्: meal/food
• भोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• देयम्: should be given
• देयम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• दाने: in giving/with respect to charity
• दाने: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• शक्तिः: ability/power
• शक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारणबोधक अव्यय (particle)

• दुर्लभा: rare/difficult to obtain
• दुर्लभा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier) शक्तिḥ

• भोज्ये: in what is to be eaten/edible fare
• भोज्ये: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोज्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भुज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि कृत्य (edible/that which is to be eaten)

• भोजनशक्तिः: ability to eat
• भोजनशक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—भोजनस्य शक्तिḥ (power/ability to eat)

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

• रतिशक्तिः: capacity for sexual enjoyment
• रतिशक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—रतेः शक्तिḥ (capacity for sexual pleasure)

• वरस्त्रियः: excellent women
• वरस्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—वराः स्त्रियः (excellent women)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Food-giving is praised; both generosity and the ability to enjoy life’s legitimate pleasures are uncommon—hence should be honored with restraint and right use.

Vedantic Theme: Sattvic enjoyment and giving, when governed by dharma, can purify; attachment to pleasure binds, but gratitude and moderation support inner clarity.

Application: Offer meals/sweet food regularly (anna-dāna); cultivate gratitude for capacities (earning, giving, enjoying) and use them responsibly—avoid indulgence and miserliness alike.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana anna-dāna praise and household dharma passages; Garuda Purana reflections on human birth as rare and capacities as fruits of past karma

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of anna-dana (food charity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that offering meals—especially nourishing, pleasing food—is a prime form of charity, and that the true rarity is the inner capacity to give; cultivating it is presented as a key dharmic merit.

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

In the Preta Kanda’s ethical frame, merits like charity support auspicious outcomes after death; the verse highlights generosity as a difficult but spiritually valuable human capacity that shapes one’s post-death condition through karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Regularly practice anna-dana (feeding guests, the needy, or offering food in remembrance of ancestors), and treat bodily enjoyments as contingent gifts—guided by gratitude, moderation, and dharma.