Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 33

Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva

Devanagari script

ग्रासमात्रं नियमतो नित्यदानं करोति यः / चतुश्चामरसंयुक्तविमानेनाधिगच्छति

Transliteration

grāsamātraṃ niyamato nityadānaṃ karoti yaḥ / catuścāmarasaṃyuktavimānenādhigacchati

Translation

Ai giữ kỷ luật, đều đặn làm bố thí hằng ngày dù chỉ một miếng ăn—người ấy sẽ đạt được cỗ xa giá trên trời, trang nghiêm với bốn chiếc phất trần (cāmara).

Word by Word

• grāsamātram: only a mouthful
• grāsamātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grāsa-mātra (ग्रास-मात्र)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular, Neuter

• niyamataḥ: regularly/according to rule
• niyamataḥ: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: niyama (नियम)
• Form: Adverb (Tasil Pratyaya/तसिल्)

• nityadānam: daily charity
• nityadānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitya-dāna (नित्य-दान)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular, Neuter

• karoti: does/performs
• karoti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ)
• Form: Present Tense (Lat/लट्), 3rd Person (Prathama/प्रथम), Singular

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular, Masculine

• catuścāmarasaṃyuktavimānena: by a vehicle equipped with four chowries
• catuścāmarasaṃyuktavimānena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur-cāmara-saṃyukta-vimāna (चतुर्-चामर-संयुक्त-विमान)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular, Neuter

• adhigacchati: attains/goes to
• adhigacchati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-gam (अधि-गम्)
• Form: Present Tense (Lat/लट्), 3rd Person (Prathama/प्रथम), Singular

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nitya-dāna (even minimal) yields great puṇya and exalted post-mortem fruition.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyama (lawful fruition of action) and purification through sattvic giving.

Application: Adopt a daily habit of giving—food, water, or essentials—consistently, even in small quantity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta/ācāra sections): recurring praise of dāna as purifier and svarga-bestower; Garuda Purana: vimāna imagery as puṇya-phala motif

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Vimana

FAQs

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

This verse teaches that even a minimal gift—one mouthful of food—when given daily with discipline produces great merit and leads to elevated post-death rewards.

How does this verse explain the soul’s path after death?

By linking disciplined charity to attainment of a celestial vimāna, it frames punya as a force that supports a favorable transition and higher realms after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Commit to a small, consistent act of giving—especially food—every day (to a needy person, guest, or animal), treating regularity as more important than quantity.