विमृश्य धनिना चोक्तं व्याहारं शृणुताधुना। दीनारस्यायुतं वा ते दास्याम्यस्याश्च कारणात्
Having considered, the wealthy man spoke—listen now to his words: 'I will give you ten thousand dinars, and for this reason.'
लब्धं ते पुष्करिण्याश्च पुण्यं लाभात्प्रमन्यसे। शक्त्या दत्वाथ मूल्यं तां स्वीयां कर्तुं व्यवस्थितः
'You think you have gained merit from the pond by acquiring it; having paid the price according to your ability, you are resolved to make it your own.'
एवमुक्ते स तं प्राह वासरेप्ययुतं पुनः। फलं भवति वै नित्यं पुण्यं पुण्यविदो विदुः
When this was said, he replied, 'Even if you give ten thousand again in a single day, the fruit is always obtained; the wise know the merit.'
एतस्मिन्निर्जले देशे शिवं खातं कृतं च मे। स्नानपानादिकं कर्म सर्वे कुर्वंत्यभीष्टतः
'In this waterless place, I have dug and made a reservoir; all perform bathing, drinking, and other acts here as they desire.'
तस्मान्मेप्ययुतार्थस्य नैत्यकं फलमिष्यते। ततस्तस्याभवद्धास्यं तथैव च सभासदाम्
Therefore, for my ten thousand, the perpetual fruit is desired; then laughter arose among him and likewise among the assembly.
ह्रिया च पीडितः सोपि वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह। सत्यमेतद्वचोस्माकं परीक्षां कुरु धर्मतः
Afflicted with shame, he too spoke these words: 'This statement of ours is true—test it according to righteousness.'
मत्सरात्स तु तं प्राह शृणु मे वचनं पितः। दीनारायुत मे तत्ते दत्वा चानीय प्रस्तरम्
Out of envy, he said to him, 'Listen to my words, father: bring me a slab after giving ten thousand dinars.'
पातयिष्यामि ते खाते यथायोगं प्रमज्जतु। उन्मज्जति च यत्काले प्रस्तरः संतरत्यपि
'I will throw the slab into the reservoir; let it sink as is proper, and at the time it rises, the slab will also cross over.'
क्षयं यास्यति नो वित्तं नोचेन्मे धर्मतो हि सा। बाढमुक्त्वायुतं तस्य गृहीत्वा स्वगृहं गतः
'My wealth will not be diminished, unless, indeed, it is so by righteousness; having agreed, he took the ten thousand and went to his own house.'
साक्षिणामग्रतस्तेन प्रस्तरः पातितस्तथा। पुष्करिण्यां महत्यां च दृष्टं नरसुरासुरैः
In the presence of witnesses, the slab was thrown in just so; in the great pond, it was seen by men, gods, and demons.
ततो धर्मतुलायां तु तुलितं धर्मसाक्षिणा। दीनारायुतदानस्य पुष्करिण्या जलस्य तु
Then, on the scale of righteousness, it was weighed by witnesses of righteousness—the ten thousand dinars given and the water of the pond.
न समं तु दिनैकं तु जलस्य धर्मतो भृशम्। धनिनो मानसं दुःखं मोघार्थं च परेऽहनि
Not even for a single day was the merit of the water equal, by righteousness; the wealthy man's mind was filled with sorrow, and the purpose was in vain on the next day.
शिलोच्चयोऽभवत्तीर्णो द्वीपवच्च जलोपरि। ततः कोलाहलः शब्दो जनानां समुपस्थितः
A heap of stones arose, standing upon the water like an island; then a tumultuous sound of people gathered there.
तच्छ्रुत्वाद्भुतवाक्यं च मुदा तौ चागतौ ततः। दृष्ट्वा शैलं तथाभूतं कृतं तेनायुतं तथा
Hearing that wondrous event, both of them came joyfully; seeing the mountain thus formed, he made a donation of ten thousand.
ततः खाताधिपेनैव शैलं दूरे निपातितम्। पुण्यं खातस्य चोत्खाते प्रलुप्तस्य सुतेन हि
Then, by the lord of the excavation, the mountain was cast far away; the merit of the excavation, even when lost, was restored by his son.
सोपि नाकं समारुह्य जन्मजन्मसु निर्वृतः। गोत्रमातृगणानां च नृपाणां सुहृदां तथा
He too, ascending to heaven, was content through many births, along with the groups of his maternal ancestors, kings, and friends.
सखीनां चोपकर्तॄणां खातं खात्वाऽक्षयं फलम्। तपस्विनामनाथानां ब्राह्मणानां विशेषतः
And for companions and benefactors, by digging a tank, the fruit is inexhaustible, especially for ascetics, the destitute, and Brahmins.
खातं तु जनयित्वा तु स्वर्गं चाक्षयमश्नुते। तस्मात्खातादिकं विप्राः शक्तितो यः करिष्यति
By creating a tank, one attains imperishable heaven; therefore, O Brahmins, whoever performs the making of a tank and the like, according to his ability—
सर्वपापक्षयात्पुण्यं मोक्षं यायान्न संशयः। य इदं श्रावयेल्लोके धर्माख्यानं महोत्कटम्
He attains virtue, liberation from all sins—of this there is no doubt; and whoever causes this great and excellent account of righteousness to be heard in the world—
सर्वखातप्रदानस्य फलमश्नाति धार्मिकः। ग्रहणे भास्करस्यैव भागीरथ्यां तटे वरे
The righteous one enjoys the fruit of giving all tanks, especially at the auspicious bank of the Bhagirathi at the time of the sun's eclipse.
गवां कोटिप्रदानस्य फलं श्रुत्वा लभेन्नरः। न च दारिद्रतामेति न शोकं व्याधिसंचयम्
By hearing this, a man obtains the fruit of giving ten million cows; he does not fall into poverty, nor does he encounter sorrow or accumulation of disease.
असंमानं महद्दुःखमुभयोर्नाधिगच्छति। इति श्रीपाद्मपुराणे प्रथमे सृष्टिखंडे खातादिकीर्तनंनाम सप्तपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
He does not incur the great suffering of disrespect for either; thus ends the fifty-seventh chapter named 'The Praise of Tanks' in the first section of the glorious Padma Purana.
अष्टपञ्चाशत्तमोऽध्यायः। व्यास उवाच- शाखिनामेव सर्वेषां फलं वक्ष्यामि यादृशम्। तच्छृणुध्वं महाभागा रोपणे च पृथक्पृथक्
Chapter fifty-eight— Vyasa said: I will now declare the fruit of all trees, and what it is like; listen, O blessed ones, to the separate results of planting them.
यस्तु रोपयते तीरे पुण्यवृक्षान्समंततः। तस्य पुण्यफलं ज्ञातुं कथितुं नैव शक्यते
Whoever plants sacred trees along the riverbank, his merit cannot be known or described.
अन्यत्र रोपणं कृत्वा शाखिनां यत्फलं लभेत्। ततो जलसमीपे तु लक्षकोटिगुणं भवेत्
Whatever fruit one obtains by planting trees elsewhere, near water it becomes a hundred thousand times greater.
स्वयं पुष्करिणी तीरे त्वनंतं फलमश्नुते। तस्माच्छतगुणं ब्रूमः शाखिनां पुण्यकारिणाम्
By planting on the bank of a lotus-pond, one attains endless fruit; therefore, we say the merit of planting trees is a hundredfold.
अश्वत्थरोपणं कृत्वा जलाशयसमीपतः। यत्फलं लभते मर्त्यो न तत्क्रतुशतैरपि
By planting an ashvattha tree near a reservoir of water, the fruit a mortal gains cannot be obtained even by a hundred sacrifices.
पतंति यानि पत्राणि जले पर्वणि पर्वणि। तानि पिंडसमानीह पितॄणामक्षयं ययुः
The leaves that fall into the water at each festival become, for the ancestors, inexhaustible offerings here.
खादंति पतगास्तत्र फलानि कामतो ध्रुवम्। ब्रह्मभक्ष्यसमं तस्य पुण्यं भवति चाक्षयम्
There, birds surely eat the fruits as they wish; his merit becomes equal to that of food offered to Brahma, and it is inexhaustible.
अश्वत्थेनैव भक्ष्येण रोपणेनैव यत्फलम्। तद्वै क्रतुशतैर्नैव पुत्रैरेव शतैरपि
The fruit from the ashvattha's produce and its planting cannot be gained by a hundred sacrifices or even by a hundred sons.