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Shloka 23

Dāna for the Preta: Supreme Gifts, Yama’s Pacification, and Viṣṇu-Smaraṇa at the Time of Death

Devanagari script

धर्मात्मा स नु पुत्रो वैदेवैरपि सुपूज्यते / दापयेद्यस्तु दानानि ह्यातुरं पितरं भुवि

Transliteration

dharmātmā sa nu putro vaidevairapi supūjyate / dāpayedyastu dānāni hyāturaṃ pitaraṃ bhuvi

Translation

บุตรผู้นั้นแลเป็นผู้ทรงธรรม และแม้เหล่าเทวะก็ยังบูชาอย่างยิ่ง—คือผู้จัดให้มีทานในขณะที่บิดายังมีชีวิตอยู่บนแผ่นดิน แม้จะเจ็บป่วยก็ตาม

Word by Word
धर्मात्माrighteous-souled
धर्मात्मा:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootधर्म + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formबहुव्रीहि-समास (धर्मः आत्मा यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पुत्रः)
सःhe
सः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
नुindeed
नु:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनु (निपात)
Formअव्यय, निपात (emphasis/assurance)
पुत्रःson
पुत्रः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
वैcertainly
वै:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (निपात)
Formअव्यय, निपात (emphatic particle)
देवैःby the gods
देवैः:
Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन
अपिeven/also
अपि:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (निपात)
Formअव्यय, निपात (also/even)
सुपूज्यतेis highly worshipped/honoured
सुपूज्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसु-पूज् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): “is well-honoured”
दापयेत्should cause to give
दापयेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदापय् (णिच् causative of दा धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
यःwho
यः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
तुindeed/but
तु:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (निपात)
Formअव्यय, निपात (contrast/emphasis)
दानानिgifts/charities
दानानि:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (निपात)
Formअव्यय, निपात (emphasis)
आतुरम्distressed/sick
आतुरम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootआतुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पितरम्)
पितरम्father
पितरम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
भुविon earth
भुवि:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootभू (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘भू’ = पृथिवी)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: While the father is alive but ill (āturaḥ… bhuvi).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Serving and supporting an ailing father through prescribed dānas while he is alive is a mark of dharmic sonship, worthy of divine honor.

Vedantic Theme: Sevā as sattva-śuddhi; honoring parents as a concrete expression of dharma that supports inner peace and spiritual readiness.

Application: Combine caregiving with ethical generosity—support medical needs, provide food/comfort, and give charity in the parent’s name with integrity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household (while father lives)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa 2.30.19-22 (same instructional sequence on son’s duties, dāna, and antyeṣṭi)

Characters & Entities
D
Devas
F
Father (Pitṛ as parent)

FAQs

This verse highlights dana as a core dharmic act that generates merit and earns divine honor, especially when performed out of duty and compassion toward one’s living parents.

In the Preta Kanda context, it stresses timely merit-making: arranging charitable gifts before death—while the parent is still alive—so that spiritual benefit is secured through conscious, dharmic action.

Support and care for parents in illness, and practice meaningful charity in their name during their lifetime—prioritizing ethical giving, service, and responsibility over last-minute rituals alone.

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