Shloka 38

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and Dāna as the Soul’s True Companion on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

दानप्रभावेण विमानसंस्थितो धर्मः पिता मातृदयानुरूपिणी / वाणी कलत्रं मधुरार्थभाषिणी स्नानं सुतीर्थे च सुबन्धवर्गः

Transliteration

dānaprabhāveṇa vimānasaṃsthito dharmaḥ pitā mātṛdayānurūpiṇī / vāṇī kalatraṃ madhurārthabhāṣiṇī snānaṃ sutīrthe ca subandhavargaḥ

Translation

دان کے اثر سے دھرم آسمانی وِمان میں بیٹھا ہوا باپ بن جاتا ہے؛ ماں کے دل جیسی کرُونا ماں بن جاتی ہے۔ شیریں اور معنی خیز گفتار زوجہ بن جاتی ہے؛ سُتیرتھ میں اشنان تِیرتھ یاترا بن جاتا ہے؛ اور نیک رشتہ دار ہی سچا خاندان ٹھہرتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• dāna-prabhāveṇa: by the power of giving
• dāna-prabhāveṇa: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (दान-प्रातिपदिक) + prabhāva (प्रभाव-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dānasya prabhāvaḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• vimāna-saṃsthitaḥ: seated in an aerial car
• vimāna-saṃsthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of dharmaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimāna (विमान-प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthita (संस्थित-प्रातिपदिक; √sthā क्त)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (vimāne saṃsthitaḥ), क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• dharmaḥ: Dharma/righteousness
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (धर्म-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• pitā: father
• pitā: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (पितृ-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mātṛ-dayā-anurūpiṇī: conforming to a mother's compassion
• mātṛ-dayā-anurūpiṇī: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mātṛ (मातृ-प्रातिपदिक) + dayā (दया-प्रातिपदिक) + anurūpiṇī (अनुरूपिणी-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (mātuḥ dayāyāḥ anurūpiṇī), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (implied: mātā)

• vāṇī: speech
• vāṇī: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṇī (वाणी-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kalatram: wife/spouse
• kalatram: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalatra (कलत्र-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• madhura-artha-bhāṣiṇī: speaking sweet meanings/words
• madhura-artha-bhāṣiṇī: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (मधुर-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (अर्थ-प्रातिपदिक) + bhāṣiṇī (भाषिणी-प्रातिपदिक; √bhāṣ (भाष्-धातु) णिनि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (madhurān arthān bhāṣate), णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of vāṇī)

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (स्नान-प्रातिपदिक; √snā (स्ना-धातु) ल्युट्)
• Form: ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक/क्रियावाचक कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• su-tīrthe: in a good sacred ford/place
• su-tīrthe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (सु-उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (तीर्थ-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (su ca tat tīrtham), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• su-bandha-vargaḥ: a good circle of relatives/friends
• su-bandha-vargaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (सु) + bandhu (बन्धु-प्रातिपदिक) + varga (वर्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (su ca sa bandhuvargaḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ethical qualities and practices (dāna, dayā, sweet speech, tīrtha-snān) function as one’s real family/support system; Dharma is personified as a father in a vimāna.

Vedantic Theme: Inner wealth (guṇa, puṇya) surpasses external relations; sattva-building practices prepare the mind for bhakti/jñāna.

Application: Practice regular charity, compassion, and truthful-sweet speech; undertake periodic tīrtha/ritual bathing with ethical intent; cultivate sādhusanga as ‘good relatives’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dāna-mahātmyas and tīrtha/ācāra sections that praise charity, compassion, and sacred bathing (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Dharma

FAQs

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

This verse states that charity generates transformative merit: it elevates one’s standing (symbolized by a vimāna) and supports Dharma itself as a protecting ‘father’ in one’s life and destiny.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s welfare after death?

In the Preta Kanda context, merits like dāna, tīrtha-snāna, and dharmic conduct are presented as supports that accompany and protect the being beyond ordinary social supports, functioning like true kin in the post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Give regularly (dāna), speak kindly and meaningfully, cultivate compassion, and observe purifying practices (like tīrtha-snāna or sincere ritual bathing)—treating these as lasting ‘supports’ more reliable than mere status.