Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 1
The Explanation of Various Gifts (Dāna) and the Soul’s Entry into Another Body
नानादाननिरूपणं नाम त्रिंसो ऽध्यायः श्रीविष्णुरुवाच / ये नराः पापसंयुक्तास्ते गच्छन्ति यमालयम् / नृणां मत्साक्षिकं दत्तमनन्तफलदं भवेत्
nānādānanirūpaṇaṃ nāma triṃso 'dhyāyaḥ śrīviṣṇuruvāca / ye narāḥ pāpasaṃyuktāste gacchanti yamālayam / nṛṇāṃ matsākṣikaṃ dattamanantaphaladaṃ bhavet
第三十章《诸施之阐明》。毗湿奴尊主说道：与罪业相系之人将往阎摩之居；然若在人前施与，并以我亲临为证，则此布施成为赐予无尽果报之因。
Lord Vishnu
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Concept: Dāna performed with divine witness/intention yields ananta-phala; pāpa leads to Yama’s abode.
Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sākṣitva (the Lord as inner witness) and karma-phala-niyati (lawful fruition of action).
Application: Give ethically acquired gifts with clear sankalpa and remembrance of Viṣṇu; treat charity as accountable action, not display.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: abode/court
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa themes: Yama’s abode and karmic adjudication recur across the Pretakalpa; Garuda Purana dāna-prakaraṇa: merit of gifts (dāna) as antidote to pāpa
FAQs
It contrasts sinful living that leads to Yama’s realm with meritorious giving, stating that charity performed with the Lord as witness yields “endless fruit,” i.e., enduring spiritual merit.
It gives a karmic principle: those entangled in sin proceed to Yama’s abode (the jurisdiction of post-death judgment), while righteous acts like sanctioned charity generate lasting merit that supports a better post-death outcome.
Reduce harmful actions that create karmic bondage, and practice sincere, accountable giving—especially charity connected with sacred intention and ethical conduct—so that one’s merit is stable and beneficial.