Garuda Purana

त्रीण्याहुरतिदानानि गावः पृथ्वी सरस्वती । नरकादुद्धरन्त्येते जपपूजनहोमतः ॥ २,४२.

They declare three supreme gifts: cows, earth, and Sarasvatī; these rescue from hell through recitation, worship, and sacrifice.

कृत्वा बहूनि पापानि रौद्राणि विपुलानि च । अपि गोचर्ममात्रेण भूमिदानेन शुध्यति ॥ २,४२.

Even after committing many and terrible sins, one is purified by the gift of land, even if it is only as much as a cowhide.

हरन्तमपि लोभेन निरुध्यैनं निवारयेत् । स याति नरके घोरे यस्तं न परिरक्षति ॥ २,४२.

If someone tries to seize it out of greed, he should be restrained; the one who does not protect it goes to a dreadful hell.

अकर्तव्यं न कर्तव्यं प्राणैः कण्ठगतैरपि । कर्तव्यमेव कर्तव्यमिति धर्मविदो विदुः ॥ २,४२.

What should not be done must not be done, even at the risk of one's life; what ought to be done must indeed be done—so declare those who know dharma.

आकारप्रवर्तने पापं गोसहस्रवधैःसमम् । वृत्तिच्छेदे तथा वृत्तेः करणं लक्षधेनुकम् ॥ २,४२.

To initiate a wrongful act is a sin equal to killing a thousand cows; to deprive someone of their livelihood is as sinful as killing a hundred thousand cows.

वरमेकाप्यपहृता न तु दत्तं गवां शतम् । एकां हृत्वा शतं दत्त्वा न तेन समता भवेत् ॥ २,४२.

Better that even one cow be stolen than a hundred cows given and then reclaimed; taking back after giving does not equal the act of giving.

स्वयमेव तु यो दत्त्वा स्वयमेव प्रबाधते । स पापी नरकं याति यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् ॥ २,४२.

He who, having given with his own hand, later harasses the recipient, is sinful and goes to hell until the end of the cosmic dissolution.

न चाश्वमेधेन तथा विधिवद्दक्षिणावता । अवृत्तिकर्शिते दीने ब्राह्मणे रक्षिते यथा ॥ २,४२.

Not even the properly performed Aśvamedha sacrifice with gifts equals the merit of protecting a Brahmin who is deprived, emaciated, and in distress.

न तद्भवति वेदेषु यज्ञे सुबहुदक्षिणे । यत्पुण्यं दुर्बले त्रस्ते ब्राह्मणे परिरक्षिते ॥ २,४२.

The merit gained by protecting a weak and frightened Brahmin is not found in the Vedas, nor in sacrifices with abundant gifts.

ब्रह्मस्वैश्च सुपुष्टानि वाहनानि बलानि च । युद्धकाले विशीर्यन्ते सैकताः सेतवो यथा ॥ २,४२.

Even the well-nourished possessions, vehicles, and forces of Brahmins are destroyed in battle, just as sand embankments collapse.

स्वदत्तां परदत्तां वा यो हरेच्च वसुन्धराम् । षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि विष्ठायां जायते कृमिः ॥ २,४२.

Whoever seizes land, whether given by himself or by another, is born as a worm in excrement for sixty thousand years.

ब्रह्मस्वं प्रणयाद्भुक्तं दहत्यासप्तमं कुलम् । तदेव चौर्यरूपेण दहत्याचन्द्रतारकम् ॥ २,४२.

Enjoying Brahmin property with affection burns up to the seventh generation of one's lineage; taking it by theft burns until the moon and stars endure.

लोहचूर्णाश्मचूर्णानि कदाचिज्जरयेत्पुमान् । ब्रह्मस्वन्त्रिषु लोकेषु कः पुमाञ्जरयिष्यति ॥ २,४२.

A man may sometimes wear down iron or stone powder, but who can wear down Brahmin property in the three worlds?

देवद्रव्यविनाशेन ब्रह्मस्वहरणेन च । कुलान्यकुलतां यान्ति ब्राह्मणातिक्रमेण च ॥ २,४२.

Through the destruction of divine wealth, the taking of Brahmin property, and transgression against Brahmins, families lose their nobility.

ब्राह्मणाति क्रमो नास्ति विप्रे विद्याविवर्जिते । ज्वलन्तमग्निमुत्सृज्य न हि भस्मनि हूयते ॥ २,४२.

There is no transgression against a Brahmin who lacks knowledge; just as one does not offer oblations into ashes, leaving the blazing fire.

संक्रान्तौ यानि दानानि हव्यकव्यानि यानि च । सप्तकल्पक्षयं यावद्ददात्यर्कः पुनः पुनः ॥ २,४२.

The gifts and offerings made at the time of transfer, whether for the gods or ancestors, are repaid by the sun again and again until the end of seven cycles of creation.

प्रतिग्रहाध्यापनयाजनेषु प्रतिग्रहं स्वेष्टतमं वदन्ति । प्रतिग्रहाच्छ्रुध्यति जाप्यहोमं न याजनं कर्म पुनन्ति वेदाः ॥ २,४२.

Among accepting gifts, teaching, and officiating at sacrifices, accepting gifts is said to be most desirable; from accepting gifts, recitation and oblation become impure, and the Vedas declare that officiating at sacrifices does not purify the ritual.

सदा जापी सदा होमी परपाकविवर्जितः । रत्नपूर्णामपि महीं प्रतिगृह्णन्न लिप्यते ॥ २,४२.

One who always recites and always performs oblations, avoiding food cooked by others, is not tainted even if he accepts the earth filled with jewels.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् ४३ श्रीविष्णुरुवाच । जलाग्निबन्धनभ्रष्टा प्रव्रज्यानाशकच्युताः । ऐन्दवाभ्यां विशुध्यन्ति दत्त्वा धेनुं तथा वृषम् ॥ २,४३.

O Tārkṣya, those who have fallen from water, fire, bonds, or clouds, or who have lost their renunciation, are purified by the lunar rites after giving a cow and a bull.

ऊनद्वादशवर्षस्य चतुर्वर्षाधिकस्य च । प्रायश्चित्तं चरेन्माता पिता वान्योऽपि बान्धवः ॥ २,४३.

For a child under twelve years or one four years older, the mother, father, or another relative should perform the expiation.

अतो बालनरस्यापि नापराधो न पातकम् । राजदण्डो न तस्यास्ति प्रायश्चित्तं न विद्यते ॥ २,४३.

Therefore, even for a young person, there is neither offense nor sin; he is not subject to royal punishment, nor is expiation prescribed.

रक्तस्य दर्शने दष्टे आतुरा स्त्री भवेद्यदि । चतुर्थेऽह्नि पदादींश्च त्यक्त्वा स्नात्वा विशुध्यति ॥ २,४३.

If a woman becomes ill upon seeing blood or being bitten, she becomes pure by bathing and abandoning contact with feet and other things on the fourth day.

आतुरे स्नान उत्पन्ने दशकृत्वो ह्यनातुरः । स्नात्वास्नात्वास्पृशेदेनं ततः शुध्येत्स आतुरः ॥ २,४३.

When an ill person arises, a healthy person should touch him after bathing ten times, whether bathed or unbathed; then the ill person becomes pure.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् ४४ श्रीविष्णुरुवाच । स्वेच्छया तार्क्ष्य मरणं शृङ्गिदंष्ट्रिसरीसृपः । चाण्डालाद्यात्मघातैश्च विषाद्यैस्ताडनैस्तथा ॥ २,४४.

O Tārkṣya, death by one's own will, by horned or fanged reptiles, by outcastes, by suicide, by poison, and by assaults—

जलाग्निपातवातैश्च निराहारादिभिस्तथा । येषामेव भवेन्मृत्युः प्रोक्तास्ते पापकर्मिणः ॥ २,४४.

By water, fire, falls, wind, fasting, and similar causes—death occurs only for those who are evil-doers, as declared.

पाषड्यनाश्रमाश्चैव महापातकिनस्तथा । स्त्रियश्च व्यभिचारिण्य आरूढपतितास्तथा ॥ २,४४.

Those outside the four stages of life, great sinners, adulterous women, and those who have fallen from their status—

न तेषां स्यान्नव श्राद्धं न संस्कारः सपिण्डनम् । श्राद्धानि षोडशोक्तानि न भवन्ति च तान्यपि ॥ २,४४.

For them, there is no ninefold funeral rite, no ritual, nor offering to ancestors; even the sixteen prescribed funeral rites do not apply to them.

वेतनं यत्क्षिपेदप्सु गृह्याग्निश्च चतुष्पथे । पात्राणिनिर्दहेदग्नौ साग्निके पापकर्मणि ॥ २,४४.

Whatever wages are thrown into water, or household fire at a crossroads, or vessels—these should be burned in fire, if they belong to one who has died with sin.

पूर्णे संवत्सरे तेषामित्थं कार्यं दयालुभिः । एकादशीं समासाद्य शुक्लपक्षे च काश्यप ॥ २,४४.

When a full year has passed, compassionate people should perform this rite, O Kāśyapa, upon the arrival of the Ekādaśī in the bright fortnight.