Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 6

Praise of Vṛṣotsarga (Bull-release), Worthy Dāna, and the Procedure for Kṣayāha & Ūrdhva-daihika Rites

Devanagari script

नापात्रे विदुषा किञ्चिदात्मनः श्रेय इच्छता / अपात्रे जातु गौर्दत्ता दातारं नरकं नयेत्

Transliteration

nāpātre viduṣā kiñcidātmanaḥ śreya icchatā / apātre jātu gaurdattā dātāraṃ narakaṃ nayet

Translation

Người trí, mong cầu điều thiện tối thượng cho mình, chớ bao giờ đem vật gì bố thí cho kẻ không xứng. Thật vậy, nếu lỡ dâng tặng một con bò cho kẻ bất xứng, điều ấy có thể dẫn người thí chủ vào địa ngục.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• apātre: in an unworthy recipient
• apātre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘अपात्र’ = अयोग्यपात्र

• viduṣā: by a learned person
• viduṣā: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘विदुष्’ (learned person)

• kiñcit: anything
• kiñcit: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṃcit (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अनिश्चितपरिमाणवाचक सर्वनाम

• ātmanaḥ: of oneself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• śreyaḥ: welfare, good
• śreyaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘श्रेयस्’ = कल्याणम्

• icchatā: by (one) desiring
• icchatā: Karta (Agent qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय कृदन्त (वर्तमानकाले वर्तमानकृदन्त/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘इच्छता’ = इच्छन् (by one who desires)

• apātre: in an unworthy recipient
• apātre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• jātu: ever, at any time
• jātu: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jātu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक/निषेधबलवर्धक (ever/at any time)

• gauḥ: a cow
• gauḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (गो-शब्दः), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• dattā: given
• dattā: Karta (Predicate qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘दत्ता’ = given

• dātāram: the giver
• dātāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• narakam: to hell
• narakam: Gati/Karma (Destination/गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• nayet: would lead
• nayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nī (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pātra-śuddhi is essential: giving to the unworthy (apātra) harms the donor’s śreyas; go-dāna misgiven can lead to naraka.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s moral texture: intention is not sufficient; right discernment (viveka) about recipient and context preserves dharmic merit.

Application: Before donating, assess recipient’s conduct/need/eligibility; avoid enabling adharma; treat high-sacral gifts (cow, land, food in rites) with stricter scrutiny.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: dāna-setting (gift-giving context)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.14 context: pātra/apātra dāna consequences; later naraka descriptions often tied to adharma and misdeeds

Characters & Entities

• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of worthy recipients (pātra) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that charity brings true spiritual benefit only when given to a worthy recipient; giving to the unworthy can invert the merit and become a cause of suffering.

How does this verse relate to consequences after death in the Garuda Purana?

By linking improper gifting to naraka, the verse frames charity as karmically consequential—actions done without discernment can shape post-death outcomes described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Give with discernment: support ethical, genuinely needy, and dharmic causes or persons; avoid donations that enable harm, deceit, or exploitation, especially in high-value gifts.