अनड्वाहं तु यो दद्याद्बलवन्तं धुरंधरम्। स निस्तरति दुर्गाणि स्वर्गलोकं च गच्छति
Whoever gives a strong, draught-bearing bull, he crosses over difficulties and attains the world of heaven.
वसुंधरां तु यो दद्याद्द्विजाय विदुषात्मने। दातारं ह्यनुगच्छन्ति सर्वे कामाभिवाञ्छिताः
Whoever gives land to a twice-born of wise soul, all the desired objects follow the giver.
पृच्छन्ति चान्नदातारं वदन्ति पुरुषा भुवि। अध्वनि क्षीणगात्राश्च पांसुना चावकुण्ठिताः
People on earth, their bodies exhausted on the road and covered in dust, ask and speak of the giver of food.
तेषामेव श्रमार्तानां यो ह्यन्नं कथयेद्बुधः। अन्नदातृसमः सोपि कीर्त्यते नात्र संशयः
If someone, seeing those weary and distressed, tells them where food is, he too is praised as equal to the giver of food—there is no doubt of this.
तस्मात्त्वं सर्वदानानि हित्वाऽन्नं संप्रयच्छ ह। न हीदृशं पुण्यफलं विचित्रामिह विद्यते
Therefore, you should give food, abandoning all other gifts; for I do not see any other meritorious fruit here like this.
यथाशक्ति च यो दद्यादन्नं विप्रेषु संस्कृतम्। स तेन कर्मणाऽऽप्नोति प्रजापतिसलोकताम्
And whoever gives, to the best of his ability, prepared food to Brahmins, by that act attains the same world as Prajapati.
अन्नमेव विशिष्टं हि तस्मात्परतरं न च। अन्नं प्रजापतिश्चोक्तः स च संवत्सरो मतः
Indeed, food is supreme; there is nothing higher than food. Prajapati is said to be food, and he is considered the year.
संवत्सरस्तु यज्ञोऽसौ सर्वं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम्। तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च
The year is indeed the sacrifice, and everything is established in sacrifice; therefore, all beings, both stationary and moving—
तस्मादन्नं विशिष्टं हि सर्वेभ्यइति विश्रुतम्
Therefore, food is indeed declared to be superior to all.
येषां तटाकानि महोदकानि वाप्यश्चकूपाश्चप्रतिश्रयाश्च। अन्नस्य दानं मधुरा च वाणी यमस्य ते निर्वचना भवन्ति
Those who have ponds and great reservoirs of water, wells and resting places, who give food and speak sweet words—their accounts with Yama become settled.
धान्यं श्रमेणार्जितवित्तसंचितं विप्रे सुशीले प्रतियच्छते यः। वसुंधरा तस्य भवेत्सुतुष्टा धारां वसूनां प्रतिमुञ्चतीव
He who gives to a virtuous Brahmin grain acquired through toil and wealth honestly gathered—the earth herself is well-pleased with him and seems to shower streams of riches.
अन्नदाः प्रथमं यान्ति सत्यवाक्यदनन्तरम्। अयाचितप्रदाता च समं यान्ति त्रयो जनाः
Those who give food go first, followed by those who speak the truth; and those who give unasked—these three proceed together.
कौतूहलसमुत्पन्नः पर्यपृच्छद्युधिष्ठिरः। मार्कण्डेयं महात्मानं पुनरेव सहानुजः
Then, filled with curiosity, Yudhishthira questioned the great-souled Markandeya once again, together with his brothers.
यमलोकस्य चाध्वानमन्तरं मानुषस्य च। कीदृशं किंप्रमाणं वा कथं वा तन्महामुने। तरन्ति पुरुषाश्चैव केनोपायेन शंस मे
O great sage, what is the path to Yama’s realm and to the world of men? What is it like, what is its measure, and how does one cross it? Tell me by what means people traverse it.
सर्वगुह्यतनं प्रश्नं पवित्रमृषिसंस्तुतम्। कथयिष्यामि ते राजन्धर्मं धर्मभृतांवर
O king, I shall tell you this most secret, pure, and sage-praised question—the dharma, O best of the righteous.
षडशीतिसहस्राणि योजनानां नराधिप। यमलोकस्य चाध्वानमन्तरं मानुषस्य च
O ruler of men, the distance between the world of men and the realm of Yama is eighty-six thousand yojanas.
आकाशं तदपानीयं घोरं कान्तारदर्शनम्। न तत्र वृक्षच्छाया वा पानीनं केतनानि च
That path is sky-like, waterless, and dreadful, with the appearance of a desolate wilderness; there is no shade of trees nor shelters for water-bearers.
विश्रमेद्यत्र वै श्रान्तः पुरुषोऽध्वनि कर्शितः। नीयते यमदूतैस्तु यमस्वाज्ञाकरैर्बलात्
There, a man, weary and exhausted on the journey, finds no place to rest; he is forcibly led by Yama’s messengers, who act according to Yama’s command.
नराः स्त्रियस्तथैवान्ये पृथिव्यां जीवसंज्ञिताः। ब्रह्मणेभ्यः प्रदानानि नानारूपाणि पार्थिव
Men, women, and others known as living beings on earth, O king, go bearing various gifts to Brahmins.
हयादीनां प्रकृष्टानि तेऽध्वानं यान्ति वै नराः। सन्निवार्यातपं यानति च्छत्रेणैव हि च्छत्रदाः
Those who have given horses and the like travel that path with ease; those who have given umbrellas proceed sheltered from the sun by umbrellas.
तृप्ताश्चैवान्नदातारो ह्यतृप्ताश्चाप्यनन्नदाः। वस्त्रिणो वस्त्रदा यान्ति अवस्त्रा यान्त्यवस्त्रदाः
Those who gave food go satisfied, while those who did not give food go unsatisfied; those who gave garments go clothed, while those who did not give garments go unclothed.
हिरण्यदाः सुखं यान्ति पुरुषास्त्वभ्यलंकृताः। भूमिदास्तुसुखं यान्ति सर्वैः कामैः सुतर्पिताः
Those who gave gold travel happily, adorned with ornaments; those who gave land travel happily, fully satisfied with all desires.
यान्ति चैवापरिक्लिष्टा नरा सस्यप्रदावकाः। नराः सुखतरं यान्ति विमानेषु गृहप्रदाः
Those who gave crops travel untroubled; those who gave houses travel even more happily in celestial chariots.
पानीयदा ह्यतृषिताः प्रहृष्टमनसो नराः। पन्थानं द्योतयन्तश्च यान्ति दीपप्रदाः सुखम्
Those who gave water go with unthirsty, joyful hearts; those who gave lamps travel happily, illuminating the path.
गोप्रदास्तु सुखं यान्ति निर्मुक्ताः सर्वपातकैः। विमानैर्हंससंयुक्तैर्यान्ति मासोपवासिनः
Those who gave cows travel happily, freed from all sins; those who fasted for a month travel in celestial vehicles yoked with swans.
तथा बर्हिप्रयुक्तैश्च षष्ठरात्रोपवासिनः। त्रिरात्रं क्षपते यस्तु एकभक्तेन पाण्डव
Likewise, those who fasted for six nights travel in vehicles yoked with birds; and he, O Pandava, who fasts for three nights with one meal a day, crosses over.
अन्तरा चैव नाश्नाति तस्य लोका ह्यनामयाः। पानीयस्य गुणा दिव्याः प्रेतलोकसुखावहाः
And if he does not eat in between, his worlds are free from affliction; the qualities of the water are divine, bringing happiness in the world of the departed.
तत्र पुष्पोदका नाम नदी तेषां विधीयते। शीतलं सलिलं तत्रपिबन्ति ह्यमृतोपमम्
There, for them, a river called Pushpodaka is established; there they drink cool water, like nectar.
ये चदृष्कृतकर्माणः पूयं तेषां विधीयते। एवं नदी महाराज सर्वकामप्रदा हि सा
And for those whose actions are pure, pure water is ordained for them; thus, O great king, that river grants every desire.
तस्मात्त्वमपि राजेन्द्र पूजयैनान्यथाविधि। अध्वनिं क्षीणगात्रश्च पथि पांशुसमन्वितः
Therefore, O king of kings, you too should honor them according to the proper rule, weary in body and covered with dust on the road.