Shloka 26
Vow-Fasting (Anaśana), Sannyāsa, Tīrtha-Death, and the Ethics of Dāna
क्लिश्येत् स नात्र सन्देहो यावच्चन्द्रार्कतारकम् / तत्र दत्तानि दानानि जायन्ते चाक्षयाणि वै
kliśyet sa nātra sandeho yāvaccandrārkatārakam / tatra dattāni dānāni jāyante cākṣayāṇi vai
Dia pasti akan menderita—tiada syak—selama bulan, matahari dan bintang-bintang masih ada; namun sedekah (dāna) yang diberikan di sana menjadi pahala yang benar-benar tidak habis, tidak binasa.
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instructing Garuda)
Afterlife Stage: Naraka
Concept: Karma-phala is enduring; suffering can be prolonged, while dāna done in the right manner/context becomes akṣaya (imperishable merit).
Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa efficacy within saṃsāra; phala-bheda (difference of results) based on intention and proper occasion; impermanence of embodied comfort vs continuity of karmic consequence.
Application: Do not postpone meritorious giving; perform dāna with correct intention and prescribed procedure, especially connected to death/afterlife rites, to generate lasting spiritual benefit.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: akṣaya-dāna and post-mortem suffering motifs (adjacent 2.36 context); Garuda Purana: discussions of dāna as relief/support for preta and as merit for the giver
FAQs
This verse states that offerings made in the prescribed context become akṣaya—undiminishing in spiritual merit—highlighting dāna as a potent support for the departed and the giver.
It emphasizes the certainty and long duration of suffering resulting from wrongdoing, while also affirming that righteous acts like proper dāna generate lasting, imperishable results.
Practice ethical living to avoid harmful karma, and cultivate regular charity—especially in remembrance rites or in service of dharma—so that merit becomes steady and enduring.