Shloka 8

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

एतान्यष्टौ महादानान्युत्तमाय द्विजातये / आतुरेण तु देयानि पदरूपाणि मे शृणु

Transliteration

etānyaṣṭau mahādānānyuttamāya dvijātaye / ātureṇa tu deyāni padarūpāṇi me śṛṇu

Translation

یہ آٹھ مہادان افضل دِوِج (برہمن) کو دینے کے لائق ہیں۔ اب مجھ سے سنو—موت کے قریب آتُر شخص کو کون کون سی مخصوص چیزیں دان کرنی چاہئیں۔

Word by Word

• etāni: these
• etāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• aṣṭau: eight
• aṣṭau: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• mahādānāni: great gifts/major donations
• mahādānāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास

• uttamāya: to the excellent (one)
• uttamāya: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• dvijātaye: to a twice-born (Brahmin etc.)
• dvijātaye: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvijāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• ātureṇa: by/for an afflicted person
• ātureṇa: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; emphasis/contrast)

• deyāni: should be given
• deyāni: Kriyā (Verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु) + ya (यत्/णीय)
• Form: कृदन्त (णीयत्/यत्-प्रत्यय), विधेय/कर्तव्यता (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; 'are to be given'

• padarūpāṇi: items in the form of 'pada' (foot-related gifts)
• padarūpāṇi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (padasya rūpāṇi)

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (Verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Antima-kāla (point of death) and immediately post-death sequence leading into ekoddiṣṭa observances.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Antima-kāla dāna: directing one’s remaining agency into meritorious giving to shape post-mortem welfare.

Vedantic Theme: Karma at life’s end as saṃskāra-shaping; dāna as purification and as a means to reduce attachment (vairāgya-support).

Application: Prepare a planned set of end-of-life gifts; choose a worthy brāhmaṇa/recipient; give with clear intention and minimal attachment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household/ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: antima-kāla instructions on dāna, śrāddha, and preta-path support items (immediately following verses); Garuda Purana: mahādāna enumerations in śrāddha/dāna chapters

Characters & Entities

• Dvijati (twice-born/Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the importance of mahādāna (great gifts) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces the eight mahādānas as a high dharmic act, especially relevant near death, where giving is prescribed to support the soul’s auspicious transition and merit.

How does this verse relate to the journey of the soul after death?

By framing donations as “to be given by the dying,” the verse places dāna within end-of-life rites, implying that merit and ritual generosity aid the departed in the post-death passage described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Support ethical charity and end-of-life giving: arrange meaningful donations (as tradition permits) to worthy recipients, and pair generosity with calm remembrance and responsible rites.