Shloka 28

Dāna-dharma: Threefold Classification, Right Recipients, Auspicious Timing, and Fruits of Gifts

Devanagari script

ददानो रोगरहितः सुखी दीर्घायुरेव च / असिपत्रवनं मार्गं क्षुरधारासमन्वितम्

Transliteration

dadāno rogarahitaḥ sukhī dīrghāyureva ca / asipatravanaṃ mārgaṃ kṣuradhārāsamanvitam

Translation

جو دان کرتا ہے وہ بیماری سے پاک، خوش اور دراز عمر ہوتا ہے؛ اور وہ اسیپتروَن کے اس راستے کو—جو تلوار جیسے پتّوں اور استرے جیسی دھار سے بھرا ہے—پار کر لیتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• dadānaḥ: giving
• dadānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा, दाने)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्तः (शानच्-प्रत्यय, आत्मनेपदी), प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्ग; कर्तरि—'giving'

• roga-rahitaḥ: free from disease
• roga-rahitaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: roga (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √rah/√hā?; रूढ विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (रोगेण रहितः)

• sukhī: happy
• sukhī: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• dīrgha-āyuḥ: long-lived
• dīrgha-āyuḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक) + āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (दीर्घम् आयुः यस्य/दीर्घायुः)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• asi-patra-vanam: the forest of sword-leaves (a hell-name)
• asi-patra-vanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asi (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (असिपत्राणां वनम्)

• mārgam: path
• mārgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• kṣura-dhārā-samanvitam: accompanied by razor-edges
• kṣura-dhārā-samanvitam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣura (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārā (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √i-गत्यर्थ, उपसर्गः सम्+अनु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (क्षुरधाराभिः समन्वितम्); विशेषणम् (मार्गम् इति)

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Charity yields health, happiness, longevity, and safeguards the soul in perilous after-death passages such as Asipatravana.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala operates across embodied and post-mortem states; merit functions as ‘upāya’ for safer transit, while pointing beyond fear toward steadiness.

Application: Cultivate regular giving (especially to relieve others’ hardship); treat charity as preventive ethics—reducing harm and fear in life and in the imagined afterlife journey.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: vana (forest)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa descriptions of narakas and the preta’s journey (Asipatravana commonly listed among hells/torment-realms); Garuda Purana 1.51.29 (crossing harsh path via gifts like umbrella/footwear)

Characters & Entities

• Asipatravana

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links dāna with tangible life-benefits (health, happiness, longevity) and with reduced fear and suffering on the post-death journey, implying charity becomes protective merit (puṇya).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It references a dreadful segment of the post-death route—Asipatravana, described as razor-edged—suggesting that one’s karma determines whether the soul encounters intense hardship or gains safe passage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice regular, sincere giving (dāna) and ethical living, treating charity as a discipline of compassion that builds merit and reduces suffering—here and in the afterlife narrative of the Garuda Purana.