How are Daanaas Given?

Pitrupaksha Day 13 

Garuda Puraanam

How are Daanaas Given?

अयने विषुवे पुण्ये व्यतीपाते दिनोदये  ।  चन्द्रसूर्योपरागे वा संक्रान्तौ दर्शवासरे   ॥

अन्येषु पुण्यकालेषु दीयते दानमुत्तमम्‌    । यदा तदा भवेद्वापि श्रद्धा दानं प्रति ध्रुवम्‌   ॥   

 (GP-PK-47-22/23)

Daanaas get more punya according to the ability of the recipient ! This is declared undoubtedly in Sumadhva Vijaya ( दानं ध्रुवं फलति  पात्र गुणानुकूल्यात्‌ ); also important is the time of giving Daana. It becomes more punyadaayaka if it is given on Uttaraayana /Dakshinaayana Parva kaala, or on Vyateepaata yoga, or at sunrise. When sun enters a raasi(Sankramana) that is also very auspicious time for daanaa. Amaavaasya day is also very apt; so also are the days when the Sun or the moon get eclipsed.

 When Such daanaas are gifted to a yogya vyakti at these special times, and if given with utmost care and respect, then it fetches multiple riches that are ever lasting.

Why we should not postpone doing Daanaas and other Satkaaryaas?

तदैव दानकाल स्यात्‌ यत: सम्पत्तिरस्थिरा  । अनित्यानि शरीराणि विभवो नैव शाश्वत:   ॥

नित्यं सन्निहितो म्रुत्यु: कर्तव्यो धर्मसंग्रह: । क्रुष्णां वा पाटलां वापि कुर्याद्वैतरणीं शुभाम्‌   ॥  

 (GP-PK- 47-25)

This life is very transient and temporary. That time is deemed as good for Daana, when one is endowed with the wherewithal or means to spend for Daanaa. These our shareeraas are anitya. They shall not be here forever! Death is just around the corner for everyone, so what ought to be done by everyone, everytime and always is accumulation of punya out of doing good activities. Therefore, if one does not get black coloured cow for Vaitaranee Go Daanaa, one may give a white cow as well. 

To give go daana within one's life time to a Satpaatra is more important! 

One Go-daana given willingly when one is hale and hearty and young, is equal to one hundred Go-daanaas given by him when he is at the dying moment! And it is equal to 1000 Go-daanaas given by his son after his death! That is to say, that Go Daanaa is to be given when one is very young and far away from death.

After such great Garuda Puraanam Preta Kaandam was completed by Soota Maharshi, All Rishis headed by Shaunaka prostrated to him and conveyed their gratitude. Further Soota Maharshi elucidated Tattva Chintanae as received by Garuda from Lord Krishna.

लाभस्तेषां जयस्तेषां कुतस्तेषां पराजय: । येषां इन्दीवरश्यामो ह्रुदयस्थो जनार्दन:  ॥  ( GP-PK-47-45)

They merit all the profits, they get victorious in all their endeavours; why would they ever be defeated by others? Those fortunate ones, in whose hrudayakamala the lilly-flower coloured dark blue Lord Janaardana is firmly resident!

मंगलं भगवान्‌ विष्णु: मंगलं गरुडध्वज:  । मंगलं पुण्डरीकाक्षो मंगलायतनो हरि:  ॥ ( GP-PK-47-49)

So auspicious is Lord Vishnu, who has Garuda in his flag. Auspicious is Lord Pundareekaakshaa who is an ocean of auspicious attributes who wipes away His devotees' sins made in countless births.

अपवित्र: पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोपि वा । य: स्मरेत्‌ पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्य अभ्यन्तर: शुचि:    ॥  (GP-PK-47-52)

One may be externally or internally impure and asvaccha  but still if he, for a moment, contemplates on Lotus-eyed Lord Vishnu, he immediately becomes very pure by his inner as well as exterior sides!

Lord Krishna then goes on to describe the mental condition of souls:-

सर्वं विजानाति हि गर्भ सम्स्थितो जातश्च सद्य: तदिदं च विस्मरेत्‌   । (GP-PK- 48-22)

The soul knows that he has committed lot of sins, undergoes commensurate punishments by Yama and his dootaas and after spending time in Narakaas, is returned to earth; he is made to enter into mother's womb and suffers indescribably inside the small space of mother's womb. At that time, he gets to remember his past sinful actions and he vows that he shall never commit the same again. But Alas! As soon as he comes into this world out of mother's womb, he forgets all that and starts to commit the sins all over again with more vengeance! 

मोहाद्विनष्टं यदि गर्भचिन्तितं स्म्रुतं पुनर्म्रुत्युगते च देहे ।    (GP-PK-48-23)

तस्मिन्‌ प्रनष्टे ह्रुदि चिन्तितं गतं स्म्रुतं पुनर्गर्भगते च देहे ॥ 

The sacred thoughts of realization that he gets in the womb are soon forgotten as he enters the world out of infatuation and association with the body that he has received. Same body ( Sthoola deha) when it is taken away from him upon death, he again realises how foolish he has been in committing sin after sin. The realisation gets firmer once he is into the womb back again!

1. I cheated others with this body; by gambling, by stealing and cheating. I always violated the dharmic principles. 

2. I struggled hard to amass wealth. I myself did not get to enjoy that wealth. I never used that wealth to give daanaas to vipraas and relatives.

3. I wasted holy periods of eclipses and did not do any saadhanaa. I did not do any pilgrimage; now I am in this mother's womb, surrounded by hot fluids, pungent fluids, mala and mootra and highly foul-smelling environment!

4. I did not worship Lord Vishnu's idols when I was having healthy body. I did not reflect upon Lord Krishna's various actions even once with bhakti!

5. I never did daanaa to Vipraas during pilgrimages; never did any kshetra Shraaddha for my elders at a holy place.

6. I never did namaskaaraams to my mother, Lord Vishnu, Rudradevaru, Lord Ganesha, or The Sun God; I did not do Sandhyavandanam at all. Now I am suffering.

7. I am certain that I shall not repeat these mistakes again if given a body again by the Lord.

So saying he gets a re-birth and again repeats the same actions that are sinful.When hit by Yamadootaas again during his transit to Yamaloka, he recounts his mistakes again.

How should he escape this cycle? This is the challenge now before him. The Lord answers further.

धर्म: पिता मात्रुदयानुरूपिणी वाणी कलत्रं मधुरार्थभाषिणी स्नानं सुतीर्थे सुबंधुवर्ग:  । (GP-PK-48-38)

One should know that Dharma is our father. Compassion towards fellow beings is mother! Talking to others sweetly is our wife. Taking a dip into holy waters is our relatives group.

करार्पितं यत्सुक्रुतं समस्तं स्वर्गस्सदास्यात्‌ तव किंकरोपम: ।

यो धर्मवान्‌ प्राप्स्यति सोतिसौख्यं पापी समस्तं विविधंच द्खम्‌ ॥  ( GP-PK-48-39)

Whatever good action is done by the hands, the same should be taken equal to heaven. If we follow dharma we will be happy and all sinful actions shall lead to misery only.

यो धर्मशाली जितमानरोष: विद्याविनीतो न परोपतापी ।

स्वदारतुष्ट: परदारदूर: स वै नरो नो भुवि वन्दनीय:   ॥     ( GP-PK-48-40)

Whoever follows dharma sincerely, who has controlled ego and anger, who is humbled by his learnings and who does not cause misery to others around him, one who is satisfied with his wife and one who keeps away from another's wife and unlawful sexual desires – that man deserves praise.

O Garuda, I myself bow to the following six persons whom I consider very great!

मिष्टान्नदाता चरिताग्निहोत्रो वेदान्तवित्‌ चन्द्रसहस्रजीवी  ।

मासोपवासी च पतिव्रता च षड़ जीवलोके मम वन्दनीया:  ॥ ( GP-PK-48-41)

1) Who offers sweet and tasty food to vipraas & relatives at Shubha & Ashubha occasions

2) Who regularly does Agnihotraadi Vidhigalu

3) Who has studied the essence of Vedaanta (Upanishads, BrahmaSutraas and Puraanagalu)

4) Who lives religiously for 80 odd years to see thousand full moons

5) Who fasts regularly on Ekadasi days

6) One who remains chaste all his life.

Such a good person is equal to a Sarovara inside a temple where people take bath and get purified.

The following also constitute very virtuous deeds:-

1. Feeding a vedic scholar all days in a year,

2. Performing the marriage of a daughter of a poor Brahmin,

3. Freeing a brahmin's family from debts,

4. Ploughing a land to construct a well to feed thirsty and needy

5. Feeding regularly to the hungry.

अध्यायमेनं सुक्रुतस्य सारं श्रुनोति गायत्यपि भावशुद्ध्या  ।

स वै कुलीन: स च धर्मयुक्तो विश्वालयं याति परं स नूनम्‌  ॥  ( GP-PK-48-44)

One who recites this chapter of Garuda Puraanam or one who with sincere intent and purity of heart, makes it heard by others, where virtue and its essence has been explained by me, O Garuda!, such a man I consider him as very noble! I consider him as religious! I am of the firm conviction that such a person goes to the highest world after death!

Thus ends 48th chapter of Preta Kaanda of Garuda Puraanam. 

In the next 49th chapter the discussion between Garuda & Lord Krishna ends. How the last chapter unfolds, what is its essence and what is the phalasruti – fruit for study of Garuda puraanam, what should one do after reading Garuda Puraanam – all this let us read in the coming two days!

By Ananthesh Sethumadhava Rao