प्रसादे मृन्मयं पुण्यं मयैतत्कथितं द्विजाः
In a temple, the merit of a clay (image) has been described by me, O twice-born ones.
तृणमये शतमयं तदर्धं नववल्कले
For one made of grass, it is a hundredfold; for one made of bark, it is half that.
ततो दशगुणं प्रोक्तमिष्टिकारचिते शुभे
After that, it is said to be ten times greater for one beautifully made of bricks.
ततश्च शतसाहस्रं सौवर्णे द्विजसत्तमाः
And then, O best of the twice-born, a hundred thousandfold for one made of gold.
यदतीतं भविष्यच्च कुलानामयुतं नरः
Whatever has passed and whatever is to come, a man (thus) benefits ten thousand lineages.
कनिष्ठं मध्यमं श्रेष्ठं कारयित्वा हरेर्गृहम्
Having constructed a lesser, a middling, or a superior house for Hari—
हस्तानां पोडशैर्यावत्प्रस्थे स्यात्करहीनकम्
The measure of a hand, when lacking a finger, is as much as a poḍa in a prastha.
कनिष्ठं तारहस्तं स्यादुत्तमं पंचविंशतिः
The little finger is called the tāra hand; the highest is counted as twenty-five.
पुरद्वारं च कर्तव्यं चतुरस्रं समं भवेत्
The city gate should be made square and equal on all sides.
सुरवेश्मनि यावंतो द्विजेन्द्राः परमाणवः 2.1.9.
In the house of the gods, as many atoms as there are, O best of twice-born,
कर्तुर्दशगुणं प्रोक्तमापानपरिपालकः
It is said to be ten times for the maker, the protector of water and drink.
पतितं पतमानं च तथार्द्धस्फुटितं तथा
That which has fallen, is falling, or is half-broken as well,
पतितस्य तु यः कर्ता पतमानस्य रक्षिता
He who repairs what has fallen, or protects what is falling,
यः कुर्याद्विष्णुप्रासादं ज्योतिर्लिंगस्य वा क्वचित्
Whoever constructs a temple of Viṣṇu or a shrine for a liṅga of light anywhere,
स्वयं स्वकुलमुद्धृत्य कल्पकोटिं वसेद्दिवि
He himself, uplifting his own lineage, dwells in heaven for a crore of aeons.
देवीलिंगेषु योनौ वा कृत्वा देवकुलं नरः
If a man builds a temple at the site of a goddess's liṅga or in a yoni,
प्रावृट्काले स्थितं तोयमग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
Water kept during the rainy season yields the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
निदाघकाले पानीयं यस्य तिष्ठति वापिनः
He who has water remaining in his reservoir during the hot season,
एकाहं तु स्थितं तोयं पृथिव्यां द्विजसत्तमाः
O best of twice-born, water that remains on the earth for a single day,
पूर्वं पितृकुले सप्त तद्वन्मातृकुले द्विजाः 2.1.9.
First, seven in the father's lineage, and likewise in the mother's lineage, O twice-born.
पितुरूर्ध्वं कुलं विंशं मातुरूर्ध्व कुलं तथा
Twenty generations above the father’s line, and likewise above the mother’s line.
पंच वै मातृतश्चास्य पितुर्मातामहे कुले
Five also from the mother’s side, in the maternal grandfather’s lineage of the father.
गुरोः पितृकुले पंच तस्य मातृकुले तथा
Five in the teacher’s paternal line, and likewise in his maternal line.
राज्ञो मातामहकुले पंच चैव प्रकीर्तिताः
Five are also mentioned in the maternal grandfather’s line of the king.
आत्मना सह विप्रेंद्रा उद्धारः संमतः स्मृतः
The deliverance, together with oneself, O best of Brahmins, is considered approved and remembered.
समुद्धरेत्कुलशतं शृणु विंशकुलं द्विज
One may uplift a hundred families; listen, O twice-born, even twenty families.
मातुर्मातामहस्यैव जातिं द्वंद्वमुदाहृतम्
The lineage of the maternal grandfather and mother is declared as a pair.
परपक्षस्य चैकं स्यादेकविंशं कुलं क्रमात्
Of the other side, there is one; thus, in order, twenty-one families.
पानीयेन विना वृत्तिर्लोके नास्तीति कर्हिचित्
Without water, there is never any livelihood in the world.
तावत्कालं वसेत्स्वर्गे चान्ते ब्रह्मत्वमाप्नुयात् 2.1.9.
One dwells in heaven for that period, and at the end attains Brahmanhood.