Garuda Purana

तिला लौहं हिरण्यञ्च कार्पासं लवणं तथा । सप्तधान्यं क्षितिर्गाव एकैकं पावनं स्मृतम् ॥ २,३०.

Sesame seeds, iron, gold, cotton, salt, seven grains, land, and cows—each one is regarded as purifying.

लोहदानाद्यमस्तुष्येद्धर्म राजस्तिलार्पणात् । लवणे दीयमाने तु न भयं विद्यते यमात् ॥ २,३०.

The king of righteousness is pleased by the gift of iron and similar things, as well as by the offering of sesame; and when salt is given, there is no fear from Yama.

कर्पासस्य तु दानेन न भूतेभ्यो भयं भवेत् । तारयन्ति नरं गावस्त्रिविधाश्चैव पातकात् ॥ २,३०.

By the gift of cotton, there is no fear from spirits; and cows of three kinds deliver a person from sin.

हेमदानात्सुखं स्वर्गे भूमिदानान्नृपो भवेत् । हेमभूमिप्रदानाच्च न पीडा नरके भवेत् ॥ २,३०.

By giving gold, one attains happiness in heaven; by giving land, one becomes a king; and by giving both gold and land, there is no suffering in hell.

सर्वेऽपि यमदूताश्च यमरूपा विभीषणाः । सर्वे ते वरदा यान्ति सप्तधान्येन प्रीणिताः ॥ २,३०.

All the messengers of Yama, terrifying and in the form of Yama, become bestowers of boons when pleased with the gift of the seven grains.

विष्णोः स्मरणमात्रेण प्राप्यते परमा गतिः । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं मर्त्यैर्या गतिराप्यते ॥ २,३०.

By merely remembering Vishnu, the highest state is attained; all this has been told to you—this is the path reached by mortals.

तस्मात्पुत्रं प्रशंसन्ति ददाति पितुराज्ञया । भूमिष्ठं पितरं दृष्ट्वा ह्यर्धोन्मीलितलोचनम् ॥ २,३०.

Therefore, a son is praised who, by his father's command, gives gifts, having seen his father lying on the ground with half-opened eyes.

तस्मिन् काले सुतो यस्तु सर्वदानानि दापयेत् । गयाश्राद्धाद्विशिष्येत स पुत्रः कुलनन्दनः ॥ २,३०.

At that time, the son who causes all gifts to be given surpasses even the śrāddha at Gayā; such a son is the delight of the family.

स्वस्थानाच्चलितश्चासौ विकलस्य पितुस्तदा । पुत्रैर्यत्नेन कर्तव्या पितरं तारयन्ति ते ॥ २,३०.

When the father, having lost his senses, departs from his place, the sons must strive to perform the rites; they deliver their father.

किं दत्तैर्बहुभिर्दानैः पितुरन्त्येष्टिमाचरेत् । अश्वमेधो महायज्ञः कलां नार्हति षोडशीम् ॥ २,३०.

What is the use of many gifts if one does not perform the final rites for the father? Even the great horse sacrifice does not equal a sixteenth part of it.

धर्मात्मा स नु पुत्रो वैदेवैरपि सुपूज्यते । दापयेद्यस्तु दानानि ह्यातुरं पितरं भुवि ॥ २,३०.

Such a son, who causes gifts to be given for a father who is ill on earth, is truly righteous and is highly honored even by the Vedas.

लोहदानञ्च दातव्यं भूमियुक्तेन पाणिना । यमं भीमञ्च नाप्नोति न गच्छेत्तस्य वेश्मनि ॥ २,३०.

The gift of iron should be given with a hand touching the earth; one does not encounter the terrible Yama, nor does one go to his abode.

कुठारो मुसलो दण्डः खड्गश्च च्छुरिका तथा । एतानि यमहस्तेषु दृश्यानि पापकर्मिणाम् ॥ २,३०.

An axe, pestle, staff, sword, and knife—these are seen in the hands of Yama for those who perform evil deeds.

तस्माल्लोहस्य दानन्तु ब्राह्मणायातुरो ददेत् । यमायुधानां सन्तुष्ट्यै दानमेतदुदाहृतम् ॥ २,३०.

Therefore, a sick person should give iron to a Brahmin; this gift is prescribed for the satisfaction of Yama's weapons.

गर्भस्थाः शिशवो ये च युवानः स्थविरास्तथा । एभिर्दानविशेषैस्तु निर्दहेयुः स्वपातकम् ॥ २,३०.

Children in the womb, youths, and the elderly—all can burn away their own sins by these special gifts.

छुरिणः श्यामशबलौ षण्डामर्का उदुम्बराः । शबला श्यामदूता ये लोहदानेन प्रीणिताः ॥ २,३०.

Those who are dark, spotted, neuter, sunless, or fig trees, and the messengers who are spotted and dark—these are pleased by the gift of iron.

पुत्राः पौत्रास्तथा बन्धुः सगोत्राः सुहहृदस्तथा । ददते नातुरे दानं ब्रह्मघ्नैस्तु समा हि ते ॥ २,३०.

Sons, grandsons, relatives, those of the same lineage, and dear friends—if they do not give gifts for the sick, they are equal to slayers of Brahmins.

पञ्चत्वे भूमियुक्तस्य शृणु तस्य च या गतिः । अतिवाहः पुनः प्रेतोवर्षोर्ध्वं सुकृतं लभेत् ॥ २,३०.

Hear now the fate of one who dies while touching the earth: he becomes a bearer of burdens, and after a year as a spirit, he attains the fruit of good deeds.

अग्नित्रयं त्रयो लोकास्त्रयो वेदास्त्रयोऽमराः । कालत्रयं त्रिसन्ध्यं च त्रयो वर्णास्त्रिशक्तयः ॥ २,३०.

Three fires, three worlds, three Vedas, three immortals, three times, three junctions of the day, three castes, and three powers.

पादादूर्ध्वं कटिं यावत्तावद्ब्रह्याधितिष्ठति । ग्रीवां यावद्धरिर्नाभेः शरीरे मनुजस्य च ॥ २,३०.

From the feet up to the waist, Brahmā resides; from the navel up to the neck, Hari dwells in the body of a human.

मस्तके तिष्ठतीशानो व्यक्ताव्यक्तो महेश्वरः । एकमूर्तेस्त्रयो भागा ब्रह्मा विष्णुहेश्वराः ॥ २,३०.

Īśāna, both manifest and unmanifest, Maheshvara, abides in the head; in the single form, three portions are Brahmā, Vishnu, and Īshvara.

अहं प्राणः शरीरस्थो भूतग्रामचतुष्टये । धर्माधर्मे मतिं दद्यात्सुखदुःखे कृताकृते ॥ २,३०.

I am the vital breath situated in the body, within the fourfold host of beings; I grant discernment in righteousness and unrighteousness, in pleasure and pain, in what is done and not done.

जन्तोर्वुद्धिं समास्थाय पूर्वमर्माधिवासिताम् । अहमेव तथा जीवान्प्रेरयामि च कर्मसु । स्वर्गं च नरकं मोक्षं प्रयान्ति प्राणिनो ध्रुवम् ॥ २,३०.

Assuming the intellect of the creature, previously established in the vital points, I alone thus impel the living beings in their actions; certainly, beings proceed to heaven, hell, or liberation.

स्वर्गस्थं नरकस्थं वा श्राद्धे वाप्यायनं भवेत् । तस्माच्छ्राद्धानि कुर्वीत त्रिविधानि विचक्षणः ॥ २,३०.

Whether dwelling in heaven, in hell, or at a śrāddha, nourishment is obtained; therefore, the wise should perform threefold śrāddhas.

मत्स्यं कर्मं च वाराहं नारसिंहञ्च वामनम् । रामं रामं च कृष्णं च बुद्धं चैव सकल्किनम् । एतानि दश नामानि स्मर्तव्यानि सदा बुधैः ॥ २,३०.

Matsya, Kurma, Varāha, Narasimha, Vāmana, Rāma, Rāma, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalkin—these ten names should always be remembered by the wise.

स्वर्गं जीवाः सुखं यान्ति च्युताः स्वर्गाच्च मानवाः । लब्ध्वा सुखं च वित्तं च दयादाक्षिण्यसंयुताः । पुत्रपौत्रैर्धनैराढ्या जीवेयुः शरदां शतम् ॥ २,३०.

Beings who go to heaven attain happiness; those who fall from heaven as humans, having gained happiness and wealth, endowed with compassion and generosity, live a hundred autumns, rich in sons, grandsons, and possessions.

आतुरे च ददेद्दानं विष्णुपूजाञ्च कारयेत् । अष्टाक्षरं तथा मन्त्रं जपेद्वा द्वादशाक्षरम् ॥ २,३०.

One should give gifts to the sick and perform worship of Vishnu; one should recite either the eight-syllable or the twelve-syllable mantra.

पूजयेच्छुक्लपुष्पैश्च नैवेद्यैर्घृतपाचितैः । तथा गन्धैश्च धूपैश्च श्रुतिस्मृतिमनूदितैः ॥ २,३०.

One should worship with white flowers, offerings cooked in ghee, as well as with fragrances and incense, as prescribed by the Vedas and Smritis.

विष्णुर्माता पिता विष्णुर्विष्णुः स्वजनबान्धवाः । यत्र विष्णुं न पश्यामि तेन वासेन किं मम ॥ २,३०.

Vishnu is mother, Vishnu is father, Vishnu is kinsmen and relatives; where I do not see Vishnu, what use is that dwelling to me?