देयमेतन्महादानं द्रव्यमात्रागमे तथा
This great gift should be given according to the measure of one's means.
पुराणाभिरतो दक्षो देयं तस्मै च पार्थिव
To one devoted to the Purāṇas and skilled, O king, it should be given.
गोमयेनोपलिप्ते तु शुचौ देशे नराधिप
On a spot smeared with cow dung, in a pure place, O ruler of men,
कर्तव्यं रुक्मशृंगं तद्रौप्यदंतं तथैव च
A wise man should make it with golden horns and likewise with silver teeth.
तिलैः कृत्वा शिरो राजन्वाससाच्छादयेद्बुधः
Having formed the head with sesame seeds, O king, he should cover it with cloth.
पुष्पैर्गंधैः फलैश्चैव नैवेद्येन च पूजयेत्
He should worship with flowers, scents, fruits, and also with food offerings.
कांस्यपात्राणि चत्वारि तेषु दद्याद्यथाक्रमम्
He should give four bronze vessels in due order.
ततः सर्वसमीपे तु मंत्रमेतमुदीरयेत् 4.188.
Then, in the presence of all, he should recite this mantra:
त्वद्दानापास्तपापस्य प्रीयतां मे नमोनमः
May I, freed from sin by this gift of yours, be pleasing—salutations, salutations!
कृष्णोऽसि मूर्तिमान्साक्षात्कृष्णाजिन नमोऽस्तु ते
You are Krishna, embodied, directly present; salutations to you, O Krishna skin!
तत्प्रतिग्राहकं विप्रं वेदवेदांगपारगम्
Let the recipient be a Brahmin who has mastered the Veda and its branches.
प्रतिग्रहश्च तस्योक्तः पुच्छ देशे स्वयंभुवा
The acceptance is prescribed by the Self-born at the tail end.
न पश्येद्वदनं पश्चान्न चैनमभिभाषयेत्
He should not look at the recipient's face nor speak to him afterwards.
समग्रं भूमिदानस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः
A man attains the full fruit of gifting land.
ये प्रयच्छंति विप्राय न ते शोच्या भवंति वै
Those who give to a Brahmin are never to be mourned.
आभूतसंप्लवं यावत्स्वर्गं प्राप्ता न संशयः
They attain heaven up to the cosmic dissolution—there is no doubt.
प्रतिग्रहोपि पापीयानिति वेदविदो विदुः
Even so, the knowers of the Veda say that accepting is more sinful.
तत्सर्वं नाशमायाति दत्त्वा कृष्णाजिनं क्षणात् ।। 4.188.
All that is destroyed instantly by giving a Krishna skin.
कृष्णेक्षणं कृष्णमृगस्य चर्म दत्त्वा द्विजेद्राय समाहितात्मा
Having given the black antelope skin to a twice-born, with mind composed, one beholds Krishna.
हेमहस्तिदानविधिवर्णनम् यस्य प्रदानाद्भवनं वैष्णवं याति मानवः
By whose gift a person’s house becomes Vaishnava—
पर्वकालं समासाद्य संक्रांतौ ग्रहणेऽपि वा
At the time of a festival, or during a solstice, or even at an eclipse—
वलभीभिर्विचित्राभिश्चतुश्चक्रसमन्वितम्
With splendid canopies and adorned with four wheels—
ध्वजे च गरुडं कुर्यात्कूबराग्रे विनायकम्
On the banner one should make Garuda, and at the front of the yoke, Vinayaka.
मध्ये नारायणोपेतं लक्ष्मीपुष्टिसमन्वितम्
In the center, with Narayana present, endowed with Lakshmi and prosperity—
नानाफलसमायुक्तमुपरिष्टाद्वितानकम्
Furnished with various fruits, and above, a canopy—
कुर्यात्पंचपलादूर्ध्वमाशताच्च नरोत्तम
One should make it weighing at least five palas, and up to a hundred, O best of men.
त्रिःप्रदक्षिणमावृत्य गृहीतकुसुमांजलिः
Having circumambulated it three times, holding a handful of flowers—
नमोनमः शंकरपद्मजार्कलोकेशविद्याधरवासुदेवैः
Salutations again and again to Shankara, Padmaja, Arka, Lokesha, Vidyadhara, and Vasudeva.
यत्तत्पदं परमगुह्यतमं पुराणमानंदहेतुगणरूपविमुक्तबन्धाः 4.189.
That supreme, most secret, ancient abode, the cause of bliss, whose forms are free from bondage—
यस्मात्त्वमेव भवसागरसंप्लुतानामानंदभांडचितमध्यगपानपात्रम्
Because you alone are the vessel in the midst of the ocean of existence, filled with the treasure of bliss, for those submerged therein—