Shloka 91
न नित्यदानं न गावाह्निकं कृतं न वेददानं न च शास्त्रपुस्तकम् / पुरा नदृष्टं न च सेवितो ऽध्वा देहिन्क्वचिन्निस्तर यत्त्वया कृतम्
na nityadānaṃ na gāvāhnikaṃ kṛtaṃ na vedadānaṃ na ca śāstrapustakam / purā nadṛṣṭaṃ na ca sevito 'dhvā dehinkvacinnistara yattvayā kṛtam
Ngươi đã không làm bố thí hằng ngày, cũng không thực hành các nghi lễ thường nhật dành cho bò; ngươi chẳng hiến tặng Veda, cũng chẳng trao sách giáo pháp. Thuở trước ngươi không thấy chân lý, cũng không tu theo con đường—hỡi linh hồn mang thân, rốt cuộc ngươi đã từng làm việc gì đem lại sự vượt thoát vào bất cứ lúc nào?
Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda, addressing the departed jiva as 'dehin')
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Concept: Neglect of nitya-dana, go-seva, and scriptural gifting leaves no ‘taraṇa’ (means of crossing) at death.
Vedantic Theme: Karma as upadhi shaping post-mortem trajectory; dharmic action as purificatory support for higher pursuit.
Application: Maintain daily giving/service (especially go-seva), support learning (veda/śāstra), and regularly ‘walk the path’ through practice, not mere intent.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated ‘kim kṛtaṃ taraṇāya’ refrains in jiva’s lament passages; Garuda Purana: dana-mahima and go-dana/go-seva sections (general parallel)
FAQs
This verse frames nitya-dāna as a core dharmic practice that supports one’s spiritual “crossing over”; neglecting it leaves the soul without meritorious support in the post-death journey.
It presents an audit of neglected duties—charity, prescribed observances, and support of sacred learning—implying that without such dharma the embodied soul lacks the means of nistāra (deliverance) in the afterlife narrative of the Preta Kanda.
Maintain regular giving, serve and protect life (symbolized by the cow), support authentic learning/scriptures, and follow a consistent spiritual discipline—small daily actions accumulate as dharmic strength.