Shloka 33

Āyuḥ-kṣaya by Vikarma; Impermanence of the Body; Aśauca and Child Śrāddha Procedures; Dāna as Remedy

Devanagari script

मृतो दानप्रभावेण जीवन्मर्त्यश्चिरं भुवि / सूत उवाच / इति कृष्णवचः श्रुत्वा गरुडो वाक्यमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

mṛto dānaprabhāveṇa jīvanmartyaściraṃ bhuvi / sūta uvāca / iti kṛṣṇavacaḥ śrutvā garuḍo vākyamabravīt

Translation

దానప్రభావంతో మరణించినవాడూ జీవించినవాడిలా అవుతాడు, మర్త్యుడూ భూమిపై దీర్ఘకాలం జీవిస్తాడు. సూతుడు పలికెను—ఇలా కృష్ణవచనాన్ని విని గరుడుడు మాటలాడెను।

Word by Word

• मृतः: dead (one)
• मृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from मृ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (eng: dead)

• दानप्रभावेण: by the power of charity
• दानप्रभावेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दानस्य प्रभावः)

• जीवन्: living
• जीवन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle) (eng: living)

• मर्त्यः: mortal (man)
• मर्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-रूप)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भू)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (eng: on earth)

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वक्तृ-निर्देश (speaker tag)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; (eng: said)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• कृष्णवचः: Kṛṣṇa’s words
• कृष्णवचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कृष्णस्य वचः)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; (eng: having heard)

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: speech, statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; (eng: spoke/said)

Speaker

Suta (narrator), transitioning from Lord Vishnu (Krishna) to Garuda

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna generates enduring merit: it can prolong embodied life and sustain beneficial effects even after death (through puṇya and remembrance/continuity of merit).

Vedantic Theme: Puṇya as a supportive condition within vyavahāra; merit as purifier that can aid higher pursuits when coupled with right knowledge/devotion.

Application: Practice regular, discerning charity (anna, vastra, medicine, education) with humility; dedicate merit toward spiritual aims and welfare of beings.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: narrative frame (Sūta recounting Kṛṣṇa’s speech)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana sections praising dāna and its post-mortem benefits; links to śrāddha-related dāna (general)

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Krishna (Vishnu)
• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse states that charity has powerful results: it can sustain the departed through merit and also support longevity and well-being for the living, showing dāna as a central dharmic practice with both worldly and post-death effects.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It implies that post-death welfare is influenced by merit (puṇya) generated through dāna; the narrative then shifts as Garuḍa responds to Vishnu’s teaching, continuing the discussion on afterlife consequences and remedies.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice regular, sincere charity—especially in remembrance of the departed—while living ethically; the text frames dāna as a dharmic act that benefits both one’s present life and one’s post-death journey.