Shloka 4

Dharma-sāra: Dāna-mahātmyam, Karma-vāda, and the Conquest of Grief and Greed

Devanagari script

दानमे परो धर्मो दानात्सर्वमवाप्यते / दानाःत्स्वर्गश्च राज्यञ्च दद्याद्दनं ततो नरः

Transliteration

dāname paro dharmo dānātsarvamavāpyate / dānāḥtsvargaśca rājyañca dadyāddanaṃ tato naraḥ

Translation

దానమే పరమ ధర్మం; దానం ద్వారా సమస్తమూ లభిస్తుంది. దానం వల్ల స్వర్గమూ రాజ్యమూ లభిస్తాయి; కనుక మనిషి ధనాన్ని దానం చేయాలి।

Word by Word

• दानम्: giving; charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• एव: alone; indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — emphasis

• परः: supreme
• परः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Predicate-noun/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• दानात्: from giving; by charity
• दानात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• अवाप्यते: is obtained
• अवाप्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+√आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः

• दानात्: from giving
• दानात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन

• स्वर्गः: heaven
• स्वर्गः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

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

• राज्यम्: kingdom; sovereignty
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

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

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — ‘therefore/then’

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna is proclaimed the highest dharma; through giving one attains all—svarga and even sovereignty—therefore one should give wealth.

Vedantic Theme: Purification through selfless giving (tyāga) reducing greed (lobha) and strengthening sattva; prepares mind for higher knowledge and devotion.

Application: Set aside a fixed portion of income for charity; give with respect, right recipient, and right time; support food, education, health, and dharmic institutions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring praise of dāna and its fruits; dāna as support for rites and welfare (thematic internal parallel)

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse elevates dāna as the highest dharma and presents it as a direct means to attain both spiritual merit (svarga) and worldly well-being (rājya/prosperity).

How does this verse relate to karma and afterlife outcomes?

By stating that heaven is attained through giving, the verse links charitable action to puṇya-karma, implying favorable post-death destinations and reduced suffering born of miserliness or harmful attachment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Give regularly according to capacity—support food, medicine, education, and dharmic causes—treating wealth as a trust to be shared rather than hoarded.