Shloka 85

The Episode of Vena: Purification, the ‘Vāsudevābhidhā’ Hymn, and the Dharma of Charity

Times, Tīrthas, Worthy Recipients

Devanagari script

तत्र दानं प्रदातव्यं यममार्गसुखप्रदम् । नित्यनैमित्तिकाः कालाः काम्याभ्युदयिकास्तथा

Transliteration

tatra dānaṃ pradātavyaṃ yamamārgasukhapradam | nityanaimittikāḥ kālāḥ kāmyābhyudayikāstathā

Translation

ฉะนั้นพึงถวายทาน ณ ที่นั้น เพราะทานย่อมประทานความสุขสบายบนหนทางไปสู่ยมะ มีเวลาที่กำหนดสำหรับพิธีนิตย์และไนมิตติกะ และเช่นเดียวกันสำหรับการปฏิบัติกามยะและอภฺยุดยิกะด้วย

Word by Word

• तत्र: there/then (in that case)
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Context-locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक (adverb: there/in that context)

• दानम्: charity/gift
• दानम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) (प्रदातव्यम् इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रदातव्यम्: should be given
• प्रदातव्यम्: क्रिया (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु) (√दा दाने) → प्रदातव्य (कृदन्त; तव्यत्/gerundive)
• Form: कृदन्त (Gerundive/Obligatory, तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom., 1st), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय (ought to be given)

• यम-मार्ग-सुख-प्रदम्: giving comfort on the path of Yama
• यम-मार्ग-सुख-प्रदम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यम + मार्ग + सुख + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक; √दा धातोः ‘प्रद’ as giver)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) दानम्

• नित्य-नैमित्तिकाः: regular and occasional (rites/times)
• नित्य-नैमित्तिकाः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य + नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective) कालाः; ‘नित्याश्च नैमित्तिकाश्च’

• कालाः: times/occasions
• कालाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• काम्य-आभ्युदयिकाः: desire-motivated and ābhyudayika (prosperity-related)
• काम्य-आभ्युदयिकाः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम्य + आभ्युदयिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective) कालाः; ‘काम्याश्च आभ्युदयिकाश्च’

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकार (also/likewise)

Speaker

Unspecified (context-dependent narrator within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: यममार्गसुखप्रदम् = यम-मार्ग-सुख-प्रदम्; नित्यनैमित्तिकाः = नित्य-नैमित्तिकाः; काम्याभ्युदयिकाः = काम्य-आभ्युदयिकाः

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is meant by “Yama-mārga” in this verse?

“Yama-mārga” refers to the post-death path associated with Yama, the lord of justice; the verse says that dāna (charity) brings comfort and ease on that journey.

What are nitya and naimittika times/rites?

Nitya refers to regular/daily obligatory observances, while naimittika refers to rites performed due to a specific occasion or cause (such as a particular calendrical event or circumstance).

What ethical teaching does this shloka emphasize?

It emphasizes generosity (dāna) as a practical dharmic act with lasting consequences, and it also classifies religious observances by motive and timing—encouraging disciplined, timely practice.