Shloka 28
Explanation of Purification (Śuddhi-vyākhyāna)
सौवर्णं शक्तितो नागं ततो दद्याद्द्विजोत्तमे / धेनुं दत्त्वा ततो ब्रूयात् प्रीयतां नागराडिति
sauvarṇaṃ śaktito nāgaṃ tato dadyāddvijottame / dhenuṃ dattvā tato brūyāt prīyatāṃ nāgarāḍiti
Menurut kemampuan, hendaklah didermakan seekor ular emas kepada brāhmaṇa yang utama. Setelah menghadiahkan seekor lembu, hendaklah berkata: “Semoga Nāgarāja, raja para ular, berkenan.”
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)
Ritual Type: Parvana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: After core offerings, during prescribed dāna segment of the śrāddha sequence
Concept: Dāna according to capacity (śakti) generates puṇya and propitiates powerful beings; intention and proper recipient (dvijoत्तम) matter.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation: offering wealth without clinging, aligning action with dharma for purification.
Application: Give within means to worthy recipients; pair material gift with sincere prayer; treat dāna as responsibility, not display.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: ritual space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha/dāna passages: go-dāna as highly meritorious; specific propitiatory dānas in ritual chapters near 2.44
FAQs
This verse presents Suvarna Nāga-dāna (a golden serpent donation) as a capacity-based gift to a worthy brāhmaṇa, accompanied by an invocation for the Nāga-king’s satisfaction—indicating a ritualized act of merit and pacification.
In the Preta Kanda context, such prescribed gifts (dāna) and spoken sankalpa-like formulas are part of ritual supports meant to generate puṇya and remove obstacles, contributing to peace and favorable passage in post-death rites.
Give charity according to means, prioritize ethical giving to qualified recipients, and pair donations with a clear intention/prayer for welfare and harmony—keeping the spirit of dāna and dharma central.