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.
उष्णेच्छायां प्रगृह्णंति गावो देवद्विजातयः। कर्तुः पितृगणानां च स्वर्गो भवति चाक्षयः
Cows, gods, and twice-born ones find comfort in its shade and warmth; for the one who plants it, and for the hosts of ancestors, heaven becomes inexhaustible.
कर्तुं स्वस्थस्य वै विघ्नमक्षयत्वान्न शक्यते। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन रोपयेद्वृक्षमाधवम्
Obstacles cannot hinder the merit of one who plants while in good health, for its reward is imperishable; therefore, with all effort, one should plant a noble tree.
एकं वृक्षं समारोप्य नरः स्वर्गान्न हीयते। तस्मादेव महावृक्षं रोपयध्वं द्विजोत्तमाः
By planting a single tree, a person does not fall from heaven; therefore, O best of twice-born, plant great trees.
जलानां निकटे रम्ये रसानां क्रयविक्रये। मार्गे जलाशये वृक्षान्रोपयेद्यो महाशयः
Whoever plants trees near water, in pleasant places, at sites of trade in juices, or along the road by a reservoir, is truly noble.
अश्वत्थादीन्समारोप्य स्वर्गं याति मनोरमम्। अर्चयित्वा तु यत्पुण्यं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्विजातयः
By planting trees such as the aśvattha, one attains delightful heaven; now, O twice-born, I will declare the merit of worshipping it.
स्नात्वाश्वत्थं स्पृशेद्यस्तु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते। अस्नातो यः स्पृशेन्मर्त्यो लभते स्नानजं फलम्
Whoever, having bathed, touches the aśvattha is freed from all sins; even one who touches it without bathing gains the fruit of bathing.
दृष्ट्वा च नाशयेत्पापं स्पृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मीं प्रपद्यते। प्रदक्षिणे भवेदायुः सदाश्वत्थ नमोस्तु ते
By seeing it, one destroys sin; by touching it, one attains prosperity; by circumambulating, one gains long life—O aśvattha, I bow to you.
चलद्दलाय वृक्षाय सदा विष्णुस्थिताय च। बोधिसत्वाय योग्याय सदाश्वत्थ नमोस्तु ते
To you, O tree with trembling leaves, in whom Viṣṇu always abides, worthy for the awakened, I ever offer my reverence—O aśvattha, I bow to you.
अश्वत्थाय तु हव्यं तु पयो नैवेद्यमेव च। पुष्पं धूपं दीपकं च दत्वा स्वर्गान्न हीयते
By offering oblations, milk, food, flowers, incense, and lamps to the aśvattha, one does not fall from heaven.
सपुत्रं चाक्षयं विद्धि धनवृद्धियशस्करम्। विजयं मानदं भद्रमश्वत्थस्य प्रपूजनम्
Know that worship of the aśvattha brings undying prosperity with sons, increases wealth and fame, grants victory, honor, and well-being.