Shloka 1

Dāna-vidhi: Pātra-nirṇaya, Go-dāna-mahima, and Rules of Acceptance

Devanagari script

नाम सप्तनवतितमो ऽध्यायः याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच / अन्येभ्यो ब्राह्मणाः श्रेष्ठास्तेभ्यश्चैव क्रियापराः

Transliteration

nāma saptanavatitamo 'dhyāyaḥ yājñavalkya uvāca / anyebhyo brāhmaṇāḥ śreṣṭhāstebhyaścaiva kriyāparāḥ

Translation

‘సప్తనవతితమ అధ్యాయము’ (అంటే తొంభై ఎనిమిదవ అధ్యాయం) అనే పేరు. యాజ్ఞవల్క్యుడు పలికెను—ఇతరులలో బ్రాహ్మణులు శ్రేష్ఠులు; వారిలోనూ విధినిర్దిష్ట కర్మక్రియలలో నిమగ్నులైనవారు మరింత శ్రేష్ఠులు।

Word by Word

• nāma: (entitled)
• nāma: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) शीर्षक/नामनिर्देशार्थ

• saptanavatitamaḥ: ninety-seventh
• saptanavatitamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या) + navati (संख्या) + tama (तमत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal) ‘97th’; समास: संख्या-तत्पुरुष

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• yājñavalkyaḥ: Yājñavalkya
• yājñavalkyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājñavalkya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (proper noun)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• anyebhyaḥ: than others
• anyebhyaḥ: Apādāna (Standard of comparison/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन; तुलनार्थ-अपादान (ablative of comparison)

• brāhmaṇāḥ: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• śreṣṭhāḥ: best; superior
• śreṣṭhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (superlative sense)

• tebhyaḥ: than them
• tebhyaḥ: Apādāna (Standard of comparison/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन; तुलनार्थ-अपादान (ablative of comparison)

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

• eva: indeed; certainly
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• kriyāparāḥ: devoted to ritual action
• kriyāparāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kriyā (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘devoted to rites/actions’) विशेषण

Speaker

Yājñavalkya

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Merit within a community is measured by commitment to prescribed rites and duties (kriyā-paratā), not merely by status.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation at the level of social dharma: disciplined action as purifier and stabilizer of the mind, preparing for higher knowledge.

Application: Value and cultivate consistent performance of daily/occasional duties (nitya/naimittika karma), study, and ritual discipline; encourage competence and integrity in religious practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: textual setting (adhyāya-ārambha)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana adhyāya transition into 98 (continuation of ācāra/dharma material)

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the importance of kriyā (ritual duty) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse ranks “kriyā-parāḥ”—those devoted to prescribed rites and duties—as the most exemplary even among the foremost, indicating that disciplined performance of dharmic actions is central to religious excellence.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s larger teaching on karma?

By praising commitment to obligatory acts (kriyā), it supports the Purāṇic theme that karma is shaped by consistent dharmic conduct—especially the performance of sanctioned rites—forming a foundation for auspicious outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize steady, rule-based dharmic living—daily duties, ethical discipline, and sincere observances—over mere status or identity, since excellence is linked to conduct and commitment.