Shloka 51

Dāna for the Preta: Supreme Gifts, Yama’s Pacification, and Viṣṇu-Smaraṇa at the Time of Death

Devanagari script

दत्त्वा वरां सकृदपि कपिलां सर्वकामिकाम् / उद्धरेदन्तकाले स आत्मानं पापसञ्चयात्

Transliteration

dattvā varāṃ sakṛdapi kapilāṃ sarvakāmikām / uddharedantakāle sa ātmānaṃ pāpasañcayāt

Translation

Chỉ cần đã bố thí—even chỉ một lần—một con bò kapilā (bò vàng nâu) quý tuyển, kẻ ban thành mọi ước nguyện, thì vào lúc lâm chung, người ấy tự nâng mình lên và được cứu khỏi đống tội lỗi tích tụ.

Word by Word

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; अव्ययीभाव-भाव)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• वराम्: excellent
• वराम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• कपिलाम्: a tawny cow
• कपिलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सर्वकामिकाम्: fulfilling all desires
• सर्वकामिकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + कामिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• उद्धरेत्: may he lift out/deliver
• उद्धरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + हृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्तकाले: at the time of death
• अन्तकाले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• आत्मानम्: himself/soul
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पापसञ्चयात्: from the accumulation of sins
• पापसञ्चयात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + सञ्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kapilā-dāna (gift of a tawny cow), even once, can counteract accumulated pāpa and aid the self at death.

Vedantic Theme: Upāya within karma-kāṇḍa: remedial merit (puṇya) can mitigate karmic burden; yet ultimate freedom still transcends merit/demerit.

Application: Engage in sincere dāna (especially life-sustaining gifts) with right intention; plan ethical giving before crisis; pair charity with inner reform.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.30: surrounding verses on karmic accounting and cow-related protective prayers

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Kapila (cow as a sacred gift)

FAQs

What is the importance of Kapila-dāna (gift of a tawny cow) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even a single offering of a kapilā cow functions as a powerful act of dāna that rescues the donor from accumulated sins, especially at the critical moment of death.

How does this verse explain the soul’s condition at the time of death (antakāla)?

It highlights antakāla as a decisive threshold when karmic results press upon the jīva; meritorious acts like dāna can counteract pāpa-sañcaya and support a safer passage beyond death.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Practice sincere charity and support of dharmic causes (traditionally including cow-care and feeding) as a lifelong discipline, so that one’s end-of-life state is strengthened by merit rather than burdened by wrongdoing.