तथैव पायसं दत्वा मुनीनां प्रवरो भुवि। हविष्यान्नं मुदा दत्वा वेदशास्त्रार्थपारगः
Similarly, by giving pāyasa, one becomes foremost among sages on earth; by joyfully giving havis-food, one attains mastery of the meaning of the Vedas and śāstras.
निरामिषप्रदानाच्च ब्रह्मचारी व्रती भवेत्। मधुदानाच्च सौभाग्यं गुडेन लवणेन च
By giving food without meat, one becomes a celibate observer of vows; by giving honey, one gains good fortune, and by giving jaggery and salt as well.
शर्करादिभिर्लावण्यं सर्वलोकेषु गीयते। देवानां शंभुलिंगानामर्चां कृत्वा विधानतः
By giving sugar and the like, beauty is praised in all worlds. Having worshipped the liṅgas of the gods according to rule—
अनुक्रमेण स्वर्गादौ लोकानां स पतिर्भवेत्। लोकानां च हितार्थाय देवास्तिष्ठंति संमुखाः
In due order, one becomes lord of the worlds beginning with heaven; and for the welfare of the worlds, the gods stand before him.
सकृत्प्रदक्षिणां कृत्वा शंभुलिंगेषु पंडितः। दिव्यं वर्षशतं पूर्णं स्वर्गमेति नरोत्तमः
By performing even a single circumambulation of the Śiva liṅgas, the wise best of men attains heaven for a full hundred divine years.
एवमेव क्रमेणैव नमस्कारैः स्वयंभुवः। लोकवंद्यो व्रजेत्स्वर्गं तस्मान्नित्यं समाचरेत्
In this very way, by repeated salutations, one honored by the world attains heaven; therefore, one should always perform them.
लिंगरूपस्य देवस्य यो धनं हरते नरः। स च रौरवमासाद्य हरणात्कीटतां व्रजेत्
If a man steals wealth belonging to the god in liṅga form, he attains Raurava hell and, because of the theft, becomes an insect.
दातुः पूजां च लिंगार्थे हरेश्चाप्याददाति यः। कुलकोटिसहस्रेण नरकान्न निवर्तते
Whoever takes for himself the offerings or worship intended for the liṅga or for Hari does not return from hell for a thousand crores of family generations.
जलपुष्पादिदीपार्थे वसु चान्यद्गृहीतवान्। पश्चान्न दीयते लोभादक्षयं नरकं व्रजेत्
If one takes wealth meant for water, flowers, lamps, or other offerings, and later, out of greed, does not give it, he goes to unending hell.
दासीं हृत्वा तु लिंगस्य नरकान्न निवर्तते। कामार्तो मातरं गच्छेन्न गच्छेच्छिवचेटिकाम्
By abducting a female servant of the liṅga, one does not return from hell; a lustful man may approach his own mother, but should not approach a servant of Śiva.
शिवदासीं ततो गत्वा शिवस्व हरणे तथा। भक्षणादन्नपानानान्नरो दुर्गतिमाप्नुयात्
Having approached a Śiva-servant woman, or by seizing Śiva's property, or by eating food and drink belonging to Śiva, a man attains a miserable state.
अतो देवलविप्रो यो नरकान्न निवर्तते। तस्माद्वेश्याजनानां च दौष्ट्यमेव हितं भवेत्
Therefore, a temple priest who does not return from hell— for him, the wickedness of prostitutes is preferable.
अतस्तु गणिकां स्पृष्ट्वा नरः स्नानाद्विशुध्यति। मलिनां दुर्गतिं याति बहुपूरुषसंश्रयात्
But if a man touches a courtesan, he is purified by bathing; yet, because she is impure from the company of many men, she goes to a miserable state.
वेश्या तपस्विनी या च देवार्चनरता सदा। पतिव्रतपरा शुद्धा स्वर्गं चाक्षयमश्नुते
But a courtesan who is devoted to austerity, always engaged in worship of the gods, pure and devoted to her husband, attains inexhaustible heaven.
गणिकां मातृवद्यस्तु सदासन्नां प्रपश्यति। देववत्सुरलोकेषु निखिलं भोगमश्नुते
Whoever regards a courtesan as he would his mother, always seeing her as near, enjoys all pleasures among the gods and asuras.
सुरासुरनराणां च वंदनीयो यथा हरिः। तथार्होयं सर्वलोके सर्वभूतैकपावनः
Just as Hari is worthy of veneration among gods, asuras, and men, so too is this one, the purifier of all beings, worthy in every world.
देवदासः सदा यस्तु देवकृत्येषु लोलुपः। स च गच्छति लोकेशो देवलोके महीयते
He who is ever devoted as a servant of the gods, eager in divine duties, attains the status of lord of the world and is honored in the realm of the gods.
एतेषामेव लिंगानि कारयित्वा च मंडपम्। शक्त्या यं लभते नाकं कालस्य निश्चयं शृणु
Having made these very emblems and constructed a pavilion, hear with certainty how long, according to his ability, he attains heaven.
हायनैकं तृणेनैव शरकांडेन तच्छतम्। अयुतं त्वन्यकाष्ठेन लक्षं खादिरदारुणा१०० 1.59.
For one year with mere grass, for a hundred years with arrow-reed, for ten thousand with other wood, and for a hundred thousand with khadira wood.
कोटिकोटि च पाषाणैः सुदृढैर्यत्नसंयुतैः। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन मंडपं कारयेद्बुधः
With countless millions of stones, firm and carefully placed, therefore, the wise should construct the pavilion with all effort.
यावत्कालं वसेत्स्वर्गे नरो मंडपकारकः। तावत्कालं च हरणे नरो दुर्गतिमाप्नुयात्
For as long as the maker of the pavilion dwells in heaven, for that same duration, if he steals, he attains misfortune.
जनानां निचये रम्ये वस्तूनां क्रयविक्रये। आश्रये चाध्वगानां च नदीनद समागमे
In pleasant gatherings of people, in buying and selling of goods, in sheltering travelers, and at the meeting of rivers,
देवानां मंडपं कृत्वा यत्फलं लभते नरः। तत्फलं समवाप्नोति द्विगुणं विप्रमंदिरे
The fruit a man obtains by making a pavilion for the gods, that very fruit he gains twofold by building one for a Brahmin's abode.
अनाथस्य च दीनस्य श्रोत्रियस्य विशेषतः। कारयित्वा गृहं रम्यं नरः स्वर्गान्न हीयते
And especially by building a beautiful house for the orphan, the destitute, or a learned Brahmin, a man does not fall from heaven.
य इदं शृणुयान्नित्यं पुण्याख्यानमनुत्तमम्। अक्षयं लभते स्वर्गं प्रासादादेः फलं लभेत्
Whoever listens daily to this supreme, virtuous narrative attains inexhaustible heaven and receives the fruit of building a temple.
धनिनां चेश्वराणां च तथा पुण्यवतां पुनः। पाठयित्वा पठित्वा तु नरः स्वर्गान्न हीयते
And again, among the wealthy, the rulers, and the virtuous, by having it recited or reciting it, a man does not fall from heaven.
देवानां दासदासीनां सदा देवालयेषु च। पठेद्यस्तु सदा विप्रो मोक्षमार्गं स गच्छति
A Brahmin who always recites this in temples among the servants and maidservants of the gods attains the path to liberation.
नृपाणामीश्वराणां च धनिनां गुणिनां पुरः। पठित्वा मोक्षमाप्नोति श्रवणात्तत्फलं लभेत्
Reciting it before kings, rulers, the wealthy, and the virtuous, one attains liberation; by hearing it, one gains that fruit.
द्विजा ऊचुः- सामान्येकः परः पुण्यो मर्त्यलोके द्विजोत्तम। सुलभो मर्त्यपूज्यस्तु मुनीनां च तपस्विनाम्
The twice-born said: Among mortals, O best of Brahmins, there is one common and supreme merit, easily accessible and honored by mortals and ascetics alike.
चातुर्वर्ण्याश्रमाणां च पापपुण्यवतां नृणाम्। गुणागुणवतां चैव वर्णावर्णवतां तथा
For those of the four castes and stages of life, for men with merit or sin, for those with virtues or faults, and for those of all colors or none,