Shloka 45

Devanagari script

दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यो मया दत्तमनेकधा / तत्सर्वं निष्फलं जातं मम दैवादुपागतम्

Transliteration

dīnānāthaviśiṣṭebhyo mayā dattamanekadhā / tatsarvaṃ niṣphalaṃ jātaṃ mama daivādupāgatam

Translation

ข้าพเจ้าได้ให้ทานแก่ผู้ยากไร้และผู้ไร้ที่พึ่งเป็นอเนกประการ; แต่เพราะความผันแปรแห่งชะตาที่มาถึงข้าพเจ้า สิ่งนั้นทั้งหมดกลับไร้ผลสำหรับข้าพเจ้า.

Word by Word

• दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यः: to those (people) who were poor and helpless
• दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक) + अनाथ (प्रातिपदिक) + विशिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः (दीनाः च अनाथाः च तैः विशिष्टाः—‘those distinguished as poor and helpless’) (Ablative plural, masc.; used for recipient group)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular)

• दत्तम्: was given
• दत्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; ‘(दानम्) दत्तम्’ (given)

• अनेकधा: in many ways
• अनेकधा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of manner: ‘in many ways’)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (that)

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, neut.)

• निष्फलम्: fruitless
• निष्फलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (fruitless)

• जातम्: has become
• जातम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘भवति’ अर्थे (has become)

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Genitive singular: ‘of me’)

• दैवात्: from fate / by destiny
• दैवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हेत्वर्थे (Ablative singular: ‘due to fate’)

• उपागतम्: has come upon (me)
• उपागतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + आ + गम् (धातु) → उपागत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘(दुःखम्/विपद्) उपागतम्’ (that has come upon)

Speaker

Preta (departed soul) speaking in lament (as recounted in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Merit can feel ‘fruitless’ when obstructed by adverse karmic fruition; outcomes are not always immediately visible or as expected.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala is governed by complex causality; daiva often denotes ripened past karma rather than random fate.

Application: Give without transactional expectation; pair charity with right intention, humility, and (where relevant) prescribed rites; cultivate equanimity when results are delayed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta-kalpa): emphasis that without proper post-death rites and beneficiaries, the departed may suffer despite prior merits

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Daiva (fate/providence)

FAQs

What is the importance of charity (dāna) in the Garuda Purana’s afterlife teaching?

This verse highlights the preta’s reflection that even charity to the poor must be aligned with right intent and dharma; otherwise, one may feel it yields no visible fruit when adverse destiny manifests.

How does this verse relate to karma and the soul’s post-death journey?

It portrays the post-death consciousness reviewing life-actions and their results, showing the tension between personal effort (dāna/puṇya) and daiva (the ripening of karma) during the preta’s passage.

What is a practical application of this wisdom today?

Give in a dharmic way—with proper intention, right recipient, and ethical means—while accepting that results may ripen in unseen ways and not always as immediate worldly relief.