Shloka 61

Sṛṣṭi-krama, Pratibimba-Upādhi, and Viṣṇu as Primary Brahman

with Pralaya and Nāma-Stuti

Devanagari script

सर्वापराधाद्रहितं दानमानैर्युक्तं सदा तारतम्याच्च हीनम् / दृष्ट्वापराधं तस्य विष्णुर्महात्मा हाहाकारं कुरुते क्रोधबुद्ध्या

Transliteration

sarvāparādhādrahitaṃ dānamānairyuktaṃ sadā tāratamyācca hīnam / dṛṣṭvāparādhaṃ tasya viṣṇurmahātmā hāhākāraṃ kurute krodhabuddhyā

Translation

即使布施毫无过失，且常伴以应有的恭敬；若不明辨次第高下（受者之当得与礼法之相宜）而施与，大心的毗湿奴见此不当，便以愤怒之意而发出悲号哀呼。

Word by Word

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective used as upapada in compound

• अपराधात्: from offence/sin
• अपराधात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन

• रहितम्: free from
• रहितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रहित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past participial adjective ‘devoid of’

• दान: gift/charity
• दान: Samāsa-pūrvapada (समासपूर्वपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; first member in compound

• मानैः: with honours/respect
• मानैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• युक्तम्: endowed/connected
• युक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past participle of √युज् (युज् धातु) ‘joined/endowed’

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• तारतम्यात्: from gradation/inequality
• तारतम्यात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारतम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हीनम्: deficient/inferior
• हीनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having seen’

• अपराधम्: offence
• अपराधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• महात्मा: the great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता-विशेषण), एकवचन

• हाहाकारम्: a cry of ‘hā hā’/lamentation
• हाहाकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हाहाकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• कुरुते: does/makes
• कुरुते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• क्रोध: anger
• क्रोध: Samāsa-pūrvapada (समासपूर्वपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; first member in compound

• बुद्ध्या: with an angry mind/intent
• बुद्ध्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; with implied compound sense ‘क्रोध-बुद्ध्या’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even ‘faultless’ charity becomes improper if given without tāratamya-viveka (discernment of recipient-worthiness and contextual propriety).

Vedantic Theme: Karma requires right intention and right ordering (niyama); dharma is subtle (sūkṣma) and not reducible to external correctness.

Application: Practice discerning generosity: verify need, integrity, and impact; honor recipients appropriately; avoid performative giving that violates ethical gradations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dāna, śrāddha, and recipient-qualification discussions where improper offering yields diminished or adverse results

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of tāratamya (gradation) in dana according to the Garuda Purana?

This verse says that even a well-intentioned, respectful gift becomes deficient if offered without proper discernment of worthiness and appropriateness; that lack itself is treated as an aparādha.

How does this verse connect charity (dāna) with sin (aparādha) in the Garuda Purana narrative?

It frames “improper giving” as a real fault: Viṣṇu is portrayed as reacting strongly when an offering violates dharmic propriety, implying that ritual and ethical correctness governs the merit of dāna.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Give with respect, but also with discernment—support genuinely suitable causes/recipients and follow correct procedures—so that charity remains dharmic and does not become an avoidable impropriety.