Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

अहं प्राणः शरीरस्थो भूतग्रामचतुष्टये / धर्माधर्मे मतिं दद्यात् सुखदुःखे कृताकृते

Transliteration

ahaṃ prāṇaḥ śarīrastho bhūtagrāmacatuṣṭaye / dharmādharme matiṃ dadyāt sukhaduḥkhe kṛtākṛte

Translation

เราคือปราณ ผู้สถิตอยู่ภายในกาย สำหรับหมู่ธาตุทั้งสี่ เราประทานปัญญาแยกธรรมะกับอธรรมะ ให้รู้สุขทุกข์ และรู้สิ่งที่ทำแล้วกับสิ่งที่มิได้ทำ.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुषार्थे; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative singular)

• प्राणः: the vital breath, life-force
• प्राणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative singular)

• शरीरस्थः: situated in the body
• शरीरस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √स्था धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; ‘शरीरे स्थितः’ इति षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषभावः (Nominative singular adjective)

• भूतग्रामचतुष्टये: to the fourfold aggregate of beings/elements
• भूतग्रामचतुष्टये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative singular); ‘भूतानां ग्रामः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः, ततः ‘भूतग्रामस्य चतुष्टयम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• धर्माधर्मे: in dharma and adharma
• धर्माधर्मे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्विवचनम्; सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative dual); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• मतिम्: understanding, intention
• मतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular)

• दद्यात्: should give, would impart
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम् (3rd person singular optative)

• सुखदुःखे: in pleasure and pain
• सुखदुःखे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्विवचनम्; सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative dual); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• कृताकृते: in what is done and not done
• कृताकृते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ) + अकृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्विवचनम्; सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative dual); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prāṇa/inner principle within the body enables discernment of dharma/adharma and the experience of sukha/duḥkha, along with awareness of kṛta/akṛta (done/undone).

Vedantic Theme: Kṣetra–kṣetrajña reflection and the functioning of antahkaraṇa under the presence of an inner animating principle; ethical cognition as part of embodied existence.

Application: Cultivate viveka: observe how impulses and experiences arise in the body-mind; use that discernment to choose dharmic action and reduce reactive identification with pleasure/pain.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: discussions on prāṇa, jīva, karma and the mechanics of experience (contextual parallel within the same adhyāya/section).

Characters & Entities

• Prāṇa
• Bhūtas (elements/embodied constituents)
• Dharma
• Adharma

FAQs

What is the importance of prāṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents prāṇa as the inner vital principle that enables embodied awareness—especially the capacity to discern dharma vs. adharma and to undergo sukha and duḥkha as outcomes tied to action.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By highlighting prāṇa’s role in cognition and experience, the verse implies that moral choice and the felt results of karma occur through embodied life; these impressions shape what follows for the jīva after death in the Preta-context of the Garuda Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate prāṇa-aware living (discipline, breath, restraint) and use clear discernment before acting; recognizing that choices generate future sukha/duḥkha supports ethical conduct aligned with dharma.