आसनं चैव तांबूलं दत्वा स्वर्गान्न हीयते। एवं वर्षत्रयेणैव पुष्करिण्याः फलं लभेत्
By offering seats and betel leaves, one does not lose heaven; and in this way, within three years, one attains the fruit of a lotus pond.
स्वर्गाच्चैवाच्युतो मर्त्यो देवैरपि प्रपूज्यते। मासमेकं तु यो दद्यात्प्रपां ग्रीष्मेथ निर्जले५० 1.58.
From heaven, the mortal is never cast down and is honored even by the gods; whoever gives a drinking water station for one month in the summer, where there is no water, attains this.
कल्पैकं तु वसेत्स्वर्गे स्वर्गाद्भ्रष्टो महीयते। प्रपादास्तत्र तिष्ठंति यत्र पुष्करिणीप्रदाः
He dwells in heaven for a single age; when fallen from heaven, he is exalted on earth. Drinking water stations remain where lotus ponds have been given.
नोचेद्धर्मघटो देयः पुण्यः पापक्षयाय च। एष धर्मघटो ज्ञेयो ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मकः
If not, then a vessel of righteousness should be given, for merit and the destruction of sin; this vessel of righteousness is to be understood as embodying Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
तवप्रसादात्सफलाः मम संतु मनोरथाः। स्वर्णमाषं चतुर्भागं दक्षिणार्थं घटस्य च
By your grace, may my wishes bear fruit; a quarter part of a gold coin should be given as a fee for the vessel.
एवं वर्षत्रयेणैव प्रपादानफलं लभेत्। यः पठेच्छ्रावयेद्वापि पुष्करिण्यादिजं फलम्
Thus, within three years, one attains the fruit of giving drinking water stations; whoever recites or causes to be heard the fruit arising from lotus ponds,
साक्षात्पापाद्भवेन्मुक्तस्तत्प्रसादात्तु सद्गतिः। जनेषु श्रावयेद्यस्तु पुण्याख्यानमिदं शुभम्
He is freed directly from sin and, by that grace, attains a good destination; whoever causes this auspicious account of merit to be heard among people,
कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि सुरलोके स तिष्ठति
He dwells in the world of the gods for thousands of millions of aeons.
इति श्रीपाद्मपुराणे प्रथमे सृष्टिखंडे पुष्करिण्यादिधर्मकीर्तनंनामाष्टपंचाशत्तमो। ऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-eighth chapter, named 'The Praise of Righteousness Arising from Lotus Ponds,' in the first section of creation in the glorious Padma Purana.
एकोनषष्ठित्तमोऽध्यायः। । व्यास उवाच- अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि कीर्त्तिधर्मं परं शुभम्। सेतुबंधफलं पुण्यं ब्रह्मणा भाषितं यथा
The fifty-ninth chapter. Vyasa said: Next, I will declare the supreme and auspicious merit of fame, the fruit of constructing a bridge, as spoken by Brahma.
कांतारे दुस्तरे पंके पुरुशंकुसमाकुलं। आलिं कृत्वा भवेत्पूतो देवत्वं याति मानवः
In a difficult forest, in deep mud, filled with obstacles for men, by building a bridge, one becomes purified and attains divinity.
वितस्तौ तु लभेत्स्वर्गं दिव्यं वर्षशतं समम्। एवं संख्याविधानेन नरः स्वर्गान्न हीयते
For each span, one obtains heaven for a hundred divine years; thus, by this rule of enumeration, a man is never deprived of heaven.
कदाचित्पंकयोगाच्च स्वर्गाद्भुवि विजायते। तदा भट्टारकः श्रीमान्रोगशोकविवर्जितः
Sometimes, due to association with mud, one is born on earth from heaven; then, the blessed lord is free from disease and sorrow.
पंकादौ संक्रमांश्चैव कृत्वा स्वर्गान्न हीयते। सर्वपापं क्षयं तस्य संप्रयाति दिनेदिने
By constructing crossings at the beginning of the mud, one is not deprived of heaven; all his sins are destroyed, and he attains it day by day.
तथालिसंक्रमाणां च फलं तुल्यं प्रकीर्तितम्। धनप्राणाव्ययेनैव धीमता क्रियते सदा
Likewise, the result of transferring merit is said to be equal; the wise always perform it by expending wealth or life.
श्रूयतां यत्पुरावृत्तमाख्यानं वृद्धसंमतं। कश्चिच्चोरो महाभीष्मे स्तेयकर्मणि चोद्यतः
Hear now a story from the past, approved by the elders: there was once a certain thief, greatly feared, intent on the act of stealing.
कांतारे गोशिरः स्थाप्य क्रांत्वा स्तेयं गतो ह्यसौ। धनापहरणं कृत्वा गृहस्थस्य च तेन हि
In a wilderness, he placed a cow’s head, committed theft, and departed; by taking away the wealth of a householder, he did so.
गतः स्वमंदिरं तत्र जना गच्छंति वर्त्मनि। सर्वेषामेकपादस्य सुखं भवति निश्चितं
He went to his own house, while people traveled along the road; for all of them, the comfort of walking on one foot was certain.
एकपादे ह्रदे दुर्गे तारकं गोशिरः परम्। चांद्रायणं च तत्तस्य कांतारे संस्थितं शिरः
On one foot, in a pond or fortress, the cow’s head is a raft; and the Cāndrāyaṇa fast is that head placed in the wilderness.
ततश्चोरस्य निधने चित्रगुप्तप्रणीतके। धर्मस्य फलमात्रं तु एतस्य च न विद्यते
Then, upon the thief’s death, led by Citragupta, there was only the fruit of his deeds; for him, nothing else remained.
न दैवं पैतृकं कार्यं तीर्थं स्नानं द्विजार्चनं। दानं गुरुजने मानं ज्ञानं परहितं शुभम्
No divine, ancestral, or ritual act, no bathing at holy places, worship of twice-born, giving, respect to elders, knowledge, or good done for others—
मनसा न कृतं तेन क्रियया च कथं पुनः। कृतं साहसिकं स्तेयं परदाराभिमर्शनम्
None of these were done by him in mind, so how could they be done in action? What he did was bold theft and the violation of another’s wife.
भूतमिथ्यापवादं च साधुनिंदा परं तथा। एवं शतसहस्रं तु तथा गोहरणं कृतम्
He uttered false accusations about the past, slandered the virtuous, and likewise committed the theft of cows a hundred thousand times.
तत्राह धर्मराजस्तु कालानलसमप्रभः। नयतैनं फलं शूरा दुर्गतिं चापुनर्भवम्
There, the Lord of Dharma, shining like the fire of time, said: 'Take him, heroes, to his result—misery and no rebirth.'
एतस्मिन्नंतरेऽवोचच्चित्रगुप्तोनुकंपकः। अस्त्यस्य गोशिरः पुण्यं किचिन्नाथ क्षमाधुना
At that moment, compassionate Citragupta spoke: 'Is there any merit at all for this cow’s head, O Lord? Forgive now.'
नृपो द्वादशवार्षिक्यं लभेत्पुण्योदयं क्षितौ। तथाह धर्मराजस्तं गच्छ मर्त्यं दुरात्मक
A king, after twelve years, may attain the rise of merit on earth; so said the Lord of Dharma to him: 'Go, wicked one, to the mortal world.'
अकंटकं च राज्यं च भुंक्ष्व द्वादशवत्सरम्। यद्धृतं गोशिरो मार्गे मुक्तस्तस्यैव कारणात्
'Enjoy a kingdom free of thorns for twelve years; because the cow’s head was placed on the path, he is released for that reason.'
पुनरत्र समागम्य संगंता चापुनर्भवम्। ततः कृतांजलिर्देवमुवाच दुःखपीडितः
Then, after returning here again, he will reach union and not be reborn; then, with hands joined, afflicted by sorrow, he addressed the god.
धर्मराजानुकंपा च मय्येवं पापकारिणि। कुरु नाथ त्वनाथे च जानामि प्रीतिपूर्वकम्
'O Lord, the compassion of the Lord of Dharma for me, a doer of evil, and for the helpless—I know it is with true affection.'
धर्मराजस्तु तं चाह बाढमेवमितो व्रज। स्मरिष्यसि स्ववृत्तांतं मत्प्रसादात्सुदुःखितः
Then the Lord of Dharma said to him: 'So be it—go from here; by my grace, you will remember your past, though greatly afflicted.'