Shloka 39

Praise of Vṛṣotsarga (Bull-release), Worthy Dāna, and the Procedure for Kṣayāha & Ūrdhva-daihika Rites

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणान् भोजयित्वा तु पददानानि दापयेत् / कापोसोपरि संस्थाप्य ताम्रपात्रे तथाच्युतम्

Transliteration

brāhmaṇān bhojayitvā tu padadānāni dāpayet / kāposopari saṃsthāpya tāmrapātre tathācyutam

Translation

బ్రాహ్మణులకు భోజనం పెట్టిన తరువాత ‘పదదానం’ (పాదరక్ష/పాదుకా దానం) చేయించాలి. పైగా పత్తిని ఉంచి, హే అచ్యుతా, తామ్ర పాత్రలో కూడా అలాగే అర్పణాన్ని స్థాపించాలి.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भोजयित्वा: having fed
• भोजयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + णिच् → भोजय (causative) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having fed’

• तु: then / indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• पददानानि: gifts of footwear (padadāna)
• पददानानि: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद-दान (प्रातिपदिक; पद + दान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पदानि दानानि/पदस्य दानम्)

• दापयेत्: should cause to be given
• दापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त

• कापोस: cotton (kapok)
• कापोस: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कापोस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (उपरि इत्यनेन सह स्थानवाचकः)

• उपरि: upon
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb/preposition: on/upon)

• संस्थाप्य: having placed
• संस्थाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु) → संस्थाप्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having placed/established’

• ताम्रपात्रे: in a copper vessel
• ताम्रपात्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्र-पात्र (प्रातिपदिक; ताम्र + पात्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (ताम्रं पात्रम्)

• तथा: thus / likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise/thus)

• अच्युतम्: Acyuta (Vishnu)
• अच्युतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषनाम (Vishnu)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Acyuta) instructing Garuda (Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After brāhmaṇa-bhojana within the śrāddha sequence

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha acts culminate in dāna and carefully prepared offerings; invoking Acyuta implies divine witnessing and sanctification of the rite.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sākṣitva (God as witness) and offering-as-yajña: external purity supports inner devotion; dharma becomes bhakti-inflected.

Application: After brāhmaṇa-bhojana, give the prescribed ‘pada-dāna’ (foot-related gift such as footwear/foot-protection); prepare the offering with cotton and place it properly in a copper vessel as instructed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Geographic Context

Type: śrāddha-bhojana space and offering station with copper vessel

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.14.35–38 (sequence: bhojana, dāna, ekoddiṣṭa, day rites); Garuda Purana śrāddha lists of dānas (pāda-dāna, vastra, pātra, etc.)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmanas
• Acyuta (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of pāda-dāna (gift connected with the feet) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse places pāda-dāna immediately after feeding brāhmaṇas, indicating it as a prioritized charity in post-death rites—symbolically providing ‘support for the journey’ and ritual completeness in śrāddha-related giving.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s post-death journey described in the Preta Kanda?

In the Preta Kanda, the departed is envisioned as undertaking a difficult transition; charities like pāda-dāna are framed as ritual aids, while feeding brāhmaṇas anchors the rite in dharma and merit-transfer (puṇya) logic.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

When performing śrāddha or memorial charity, prioritize respectful feeding/serving of learned persons and pair it with purposeful giving (e.g., footwear or support items), offered with cleanliness and proper vessels as per tradition.