Shloka 2

Dāna-vidhi: Pātra-nirṇaya, Go-dāna-mahima, and Rules of Acceptance

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मवेत्ता च तेभ्यो ऽपि पात्रं विद्यात्तपो ऽन्विताः (तम्) / गोभूधान्यहिरण्यादि पात्रे दातव्यमर्चितम्

Transliteration

brahmavettā ca tebhyo 'pi pātraṃ vidyāttapo 'nvitāḥ (tam) / gobhūdhānyahiraṇyādi pātre dātavyamarcitam

Translation

ان میں بھی برہمن کے جاننے والے اور تپسیا سے یُکت شخص ہی کو حقیقی مستحق سمجھنا چاہیے۔ ایسے معزز پاتر کو گائے، زمین، اناج، سونا وغیرہ دان احترام کے ساتھ دینا چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मवेत्ता: knower of Brahman
• ब्रह्मवेत्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + वेत्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (ब्रह्मणः वेत्ता = ब्रह्मवेत्ता)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• तेभ्यः: from them / for them
• तेभ्यः: Apadana/Recipient (Source/सम्प्रदान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th) / चतुर्थी (4th) बहुवचन; अत्र ‘तेभ्यः’ = ‘उनसे/उनके लिए’ (contextual)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपि-निपात (particle: also/even)

• पात्रम्: a worthy recipient (fit person)
• पात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विद्यात्: should know/recognize
• विद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Hetu/Qualifier (Cause/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र समास/विशेषण-सम्बन्धे उपपदवत्

• अन्विताः: endowed (with)
• अन्विताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √इ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (endowed with)

• तम्: him/that (person)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; पाठान्तर/कोष्ठकस्थ

• गोभूधान्यहिरण्यादि: cows, land, grain, gold, etc.
• गोभूधान्यहिरण्यादि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + भू + धान्य + हिरण्य + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (cows, land, grain, gold, etc.)

• पात्रे: in/for a worthy recipient
• पात्रे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (ought to be given)

• अर्चितम्: honoured, duly revered
• अर्चितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (honoured/worshipped)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pātra-parīkṣā: the highest recipient is a brahma-vid endowed with tapas; gifts gain merit when offered with honor to such a worthy person.

Vedantic Theme: Brahma-jñāna as the supreme qualification; honoring the knower of Brahman supports the transmission of liberating knowledge while purifying the giver’s intent.

Application: Before donating, assess integrity, learning, and discipline of the recipient; give respectfully (satkāra) and choose meaningful, sustaining gifts (food, land, wealth) without condescension.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.98.3 (warning against unqualified acceptance); Garuda Purana 1.98.4 (daily giving; faith-purified gifts); Garuda Purana (Śrāddha/pretakalpa sections broadly emphasize dāna as support for pitṛs and merit)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmavetta (knower of Brahman)

FAQs

What is the importance of choosing a worthy recipient (pātra) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that the spiritual qualification of the recipient matters: a brahmavettā who is disciplined in tapas is the highest pātra, making the gift spiritually effective when offered with honor.

How does this verse connect to Garuda Purana guidance on post-death rites and merit?

In the context of śrāddha/antyeṣṭi-related giving, it emphasizes that offerings meant to generate punya for the departed should be placed into a fit ‘vessel’—a realized, austere person—rather than given carelessly.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When giving charity (especially during śrāddha), prioritize integrity and spiritual discipline in the recipient or institution, and give respectfully—rather than treating dāna as a mere transaction.