Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 28
Explanation of Purification (Śuddhi-vyākhyāna)
सौवर्णं शक्तितो नागं ततो दद्याद्द्विजोत्तमे / धेनुं दत्त्वा ततो ब्रूयात् प्रीयतां नागराडिति
sauvarṇaṃ śaktito nāgaṃ tato dadyāddvijottame / dhenuṃ dattvā tato brūyāt prīyatāṃ nāgarāḍiti
Tùy theo khả năng, nên bố thí một con rắn bằng vàng cho vị brāhmaṇa ưu tú. Sau khi dâng một con bò, nên nói: “Nguyện Nāgarāja, vua loài rắn, hoan hỷ.”
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)
Ritual Type: Parvana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: After core offerings, during prescribed dāna segment of the śrāddha sequence
Concept: Dāna according to capacity (śakti) generates puṇya and propitiates powerful beings; intention and proper recipient (dvijoत्तम) matter.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation: offering wealth without clinging, aligning action with dharma for purification.
Application: Give within means to worthy recipients; pair material gift with sincere prayer; treat dāna as responsibility, not display.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: ritual space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha/dāna passages: go-dāna as highly meritorious; specific propitiatory dānas in ritual chapters near 2.44
FAQs
This verse presents Suvarna Nāga-dāna (a golden serpent donation) as a capacity-based gift to a worthy brāhmaṇa, accompanied by an invocation for the Nāga-king’s satisfaction—indicating a ritualized act of merit and pacification.
In the Preta Kanda context, such prescribed gifts (dāna) and spoken sankalpa-like formulas are part of ritual supports meant to generate puṇya and remove obstacles, contributing to peace and favorable passage in post-death rites.
Give charity according to means, prioritize ethical giving to qualified recipients, and pair donations with a clear intention/prayer for welfare and harmony—keeping the spirit of dāna and dharma central.