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Shloka 29

Jīva-yonis (84 Lakhs), Rarity of Human Birth, Sense-Restraint, Craving, and Śraddhā-based Dharma

Devanagari script

न दत्तं द्विजमुख्येभ्यः परोपकृतये तथा / पूर्वजन्मकृतात्पुण्याद्यल्लब्धं बहु चाल्पकम्

Transliteration

na dattaṃ dvijamukhyebhyaḥ paropakṛtaye tathā / pūrvajanmakṛtātpuṇyādyallabdhaṃ bahu cālpakam

Translation

ทรัพย์—มากหรือน้อย—ที่ได้มาด้วยบุญจากชาติปางก่อน หากมิได้ถวายทานแก่ทวิชผู้ประเสริฐ (พราหมณ์ผู้ควร) เพื่อเกื้อกูลผู้อื่น ก็ย่อมคงอยู่โดยไร้ผลทางธรรม

Word by Word
नnot
न:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय
दत्तम्given
दत्तम्:
Kriya (Predicate notion/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘given’
द्विज-मुख्येभ्यःto the foremost Brahmins
द्विज-मुख्येभ्यः:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी/चतुर्थी (5th/4th) बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘श्रेष्ठा द्विजाः’ → ‘द्विजमुख्याः’; अत्र -ेभ्यः
पर-उपकृतयेfor helping others
पर-उपकृतये:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)
तथाlikewise
तथा:
Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise/so)
पूर्व-जन्म-कृतात्from what was done in a former birth
पूर्व-जन्म-कृतात्:
Apadana (Source/अपादान)
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘पूर्वजन्मनि कृत’ (locative-tatpurusha)
पुण्यात्from merit
पुण्यात्:
Apadana (Source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootपुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन
यत्which
यत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)
लब्धम्obtained
लब्धम्:
Kriya (Predicate notion/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootलभ् (धातु) → लब्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘obtained’
बहुmuch
बहु:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)
अल्पकम्little
अल्पकम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअल्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Wealth gained by prior merit should be fulfilled through dana for loka-hita; otherwise it remains spiritually ‘unconsummated’.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-siddhanta: past merit yields resources; right use purifies and supports dharma; non-giving strengthens bondage.

Application: Allocate a portion of income for charity; support learned and ethical teachers/priests and public benefit; treat wealth as stewardship, not possession.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: sacrificial/charitable setting (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dana-prashamsa sections linking wealth to prior punya and urging gifting to worthy recipients

Characters & Entities
D
Dvija (twice-born)
B
Brahmanas

FAQs

This verse emphasizes that even wealth gained through past merit becomes truly fruitful when it is given as charity—especially to worthy recipients—for the welfare of others.

In the Preta Kanda context, merit supports the departed, and charitable acts (dāna) are presented as a key way to convert one’s punya and resources into spiritual benefit connected with post-death rites and outcomes.

Use your resources—whether much or little—for ethical giving and service, especially supporting learned and virtuous custodians of dharma and charitable causes, rather than hoarding wealth as mere personal gain.

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