Shloka 57

Veṅkaṭeśa-Māhātmya: Varāha Prelude, Descent of Śeṣācala, Svāmipuṣkariṇī and the Network of Tīrthas

with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

अत्युत्तमं गृष्टिदानं च पुण्यं नैवाप्यते दुग्धदोहाश्च गावः / अत्युत्तमे वस्त्रदाने सुबुद्धिः सुदुर्घटा परमा वै जनानाम्

Transliteration

atyuttamaṃ gṛṣṭidānaṃ ca puṇyaṃ naivāpyate dugdhadohāśca gāvaḥ / atyuttame vastradāne subuddhiḥ sudurghaṭā paramā vai janānām

Translation

گِرشٹی (زیادہ دودھ دینے والی) گائے کا دان نہایت اعلیٰ اور بڑا پُنّیہ ہے؛ کثرتِ دودھ دینے والی گائیں آسانی سے نہیں ملتیں۔ اسی طرح بہترین کپڑا دان کرنے کی سُبودھ بھی لوگوں میں بہت ہی نایاب ہے۔

Word by Word

• ati-uttamam: most excellent
• ati-uttamam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• gṛṣṭi-dānam: gift of a milch-cow
• gṛṣṭi-dānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (गृष्टेः दानम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• puṇyam: meritorious
• puṇyam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicative adjective

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• āpyate: is obtained
• āpyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Passive (कर्मणि), 3rd Person, Singular

• dugdha-dohāḥ: yielding milk
• dugdha-dohāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dugdha (प्रातिपदिक) + doha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; tatpuruṣa ‘milk-yielding’ (दुग्धस्य दोहः यस्य) used adjectivally

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• gāvaḥ: cows
• gāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• ati-uttame: in the most excellent (case)
• ati-uttame: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in the most excellent…’

• vastra-dāne: in the giving of clothes
• vastra-dāne: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (वस्त्रस्य दाने)

• su-buddhiḥ: good discernment
• su-buddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (अव्यय) + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; ‘good understanding’

• su-durghaṭā: very difficult (to have)
• su-durghaṭā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + durghaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with subuddhiḥ

• paramā: supreme
• paramā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with subuddhiḥ

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

• janānām: of people
• janānām: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The highest gifts are those that are rare and truly beneficial (a high-yield cow; best clothing); such excellence requires uncommon buddhi (discernment).

Vedantic Theme: Cultivation of sattva through selfless, high-quality giving; dharma as a means to inner refinement.

Application: When giving, prioritize genuine utility and quality (e.g., livelihood-supporting aid, durable essentials) rather than token items.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.26.56 (intention in giving); Garuda Purana 3.26.58 (supreme objects: Bhāgavata, tīrtha, Hari-vicāra)

Characters & Entities

• Cows
• Donor (dātā)
• Recipients (brāhmaṇas/needful persons)

FAQs

What is the importance of go-dāna (cow donation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights go-dāna—specifically gifting a high-quality milch cow—as a supremely meritorious act, emphasizing that such valuable cows are not easy to obtain and therefore the gift is especially significant.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals and afterlife merit?

In the Preta Kanda context, dāna is taught as a means to accumulate puṇya that supports the departed and the living; the verse stresses that rare, high-quality gifts (cow and clothing) carry exceptional merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Give thoughtfully and within capacity: prioritize genuinely useful, high-quality donations (e.g., supporting dairy livelihood, food security, or providing durable clothing) with sincere intent rather than token giving.