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Shloka 45

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यो मया दत्तमनेकधा / तत्सर्वं निष्फलं जातं मम दैवादुपागतम्

Transliteration

dīnānāthaviśiṣṭebhyo mayā dattamanekadhā / tatsarvaṃ niṣphalaṃ jātaṃ mama daivādupāgatam

Translation

Aku telah memberi sedekah dengan pelbagai cara kepada yang miskin dan tidak berdaya; namun semuanya menjadi sia-sia bagiku, kerana putaran takdir yang menimpa diriku.

Word by Word
दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यःto those (people) who were poor and helpless
दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यः:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootदीन (प्रातिपदिक) + अनाथ (प्रातिपदिक) + विशिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः (दीनाः च अनाथाः च तैः विशिष्टाः—‘those distinguished as poor and helpless’) (Ablative plural, masc.; used for recipient group)
मयाby me
मया:
Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formतृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular)
दत्तम्was given
दत्तम्:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; ‘(दानम्) दत्तम्’ (given)
अनेकधाin many ways
अनेकधा:
Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअनेकधा (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of manner: ‘in many ways’)
तत्that
तत्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (that)
सर्वम्all (of it)
सर्वम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, neut.)
निष्फलम्fruitless
निष्फलम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootनिष्फल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (fruitless)
जातम्has become
जातम्:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootजन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘भवति’ अर्थे (has become)
ममof me / my
मम:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Genitive singular: ‘of me’)
दैवात्from fate / by destiny
दैवात्:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootदैव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हेत्वर्थे (Ablative singular: ‘due to fate’)
उपागतम्has come upon (me)
उपागतम्:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeAdjective
Rootउप + आ + गम् (धातु) → उपागत (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘(दुःखम्/विपद्) उपागतम्’ (that has come upon)
Speaker

Preta (departed soul) speaking in lament (as recounted in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Merit can feel ‘fruitless’ when obstructed by adverse karmic fruition; outcomes are not always immediately visible or as expected.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala is governed by complex causality; daiva often denotes ripened past karma rather than random fate.

Application: Give without transactional expectation; pair charity with right intention, humility, and (where relevant) prescribed rites; cultivate equanimity when results are delayed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta-kalpa): emphasis that without proper post-death rites and beneficiaries, the departed may suffer despite prior merits

Characters & Entities
P
Preta
D
Daiva (fate/providence)

FAQs

This verse highlights the preta’s reflection that even charity to the poor must be aligned with right intent and dharma; otherwise, one may feel it yields no visible fruit when adverse destiny manifests.

It portrays the post-death consciousness reviewing life-actions and their results, showing the tension between personal effort (dāna/puṇya) and daiva (the ripening of karma) during the preta’s passage.

Give in a dharmic way—with proper intention, right recipient, and ethical means—while accepting that results may ripen in unseen ways and not always as immediate worldly relief.

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