एतासां पुण्यकालेषु संति तीर्थान्यनेकशः । ग्रामे वा यदि वारण्ये नद्यः सर्वत्र पावनाः
At their auspicious times, there are countless sacred places; whether in a village or in the forest, rivers everywhere are purifying.
तत्र तत्र प्रकर्तव्याः स्नानदानादिकाः क्रियाः । यदा न ज्ञायते नाम तासां तीर्थस्य सत्तमाः
In those places, one should perform acts such as bathing and giving gifts; when the names of those foremost sacred places are not known.
नामोच्चारं प्रकुर्वीत विष्णुतीर्थमिदं नृप । तीर्थस्य देवता तद्वदहमेव न संशयः
One should utter the name, O king, for this is a sacred place of Viṣṇu; I myself am the deity of this holy place, of this there is no doubt.
मामेवमुच्चरेद्यो वै तीर्थे देवेषु साधकः । तस्य पुण्यफलं जातं मन्नाम्ना नृपनंदन
Whoever, being devoted, utters my name in this holy place among the gods, O delight of kings, obtains the merit that arises from my name.
अज्ञातानां सुतीर्थानां देवानां नृपसत्तम । स्नाने दाने महाराज मन्नाम हि समुच्चरेत्
O best of kings, when bathing or giving gifts at unknown holy places or to unknown deities, one should indeed utter my name, O great king.
तीर्थानामेव राजेंद्र धात्रा धात्र्य इमाः कृताः । सिंधवः सर्वपुण्यानां सर्वस्थाः क्षितिमंडले
O king, the creator has made these very rivers as forms of holy places on earth, and the oceans are the abodes of all merit, present everywhere on the earth.
यत्रतत्र प्रकर्त्तव्यं स्नानदानादिकं नृप । अक्षयं फलमाप्नोति सुतीर्थानां प्रसादतः
Wherever bathing, giving, and similar acts are performed, O king, one attains inexhaustible fruit by the grace of the holy places.
तीर्थरूपा महापुण्याः सागरा सप्त एव च । मानसाद्यास्तथा राजन्सरस्यश्च प्रकीर्तिताः
The seven oceans, beginning with Mānasa and others, O king, as well as the famous lakes, are indeed forms of holy places and are supremely meritorious.
निर्झराः पल्वलाः प्रोक्तास्तीर्थरूपा न संशयः । स्वल्पा नद्यो महाराज तासु तीर्थं प्रतिष्ठितम्
Streams and ponds are also declared to be forms of holy places, without doubt; and even small rivers, O great king, in them the holy place is established.
खातेष्वेवं च सर्वेषु वर्जयित्वा च कूपकम् । पर्वतास्तीर्थरूपाश्च मेर्वाद्याश्च महीतले
So too, in all excavated places except wells, and on mountains such as Meru and others on the earth, are forms of holy places.
यज्ञभूमिश्च यज्ञश्च अग्निहोत्रे यथा स्थितः । श्राद्धभूमिस्तथा शुद्धा देवशाला तथा पुनः
Just as the sacrificial ground and the sacrifice itself are established in the agnihotra, so too are the pure places for ancestral rites and temples for the gods.
होमशाला तथा प्रोक्ता वेदाध्ययनवेश्म च । गृहेषु पुण्यसंयुक्तं गोस्थानं वरमुत्तमम्
So too, the place for fire offerings and the house for Vedic study are spoken of; among houses, the best and most excellent is the cowshed endowed with merit.
सोमपायी भवेद्यत्र तीर्थं तत्र प्रतिष्ठितम् । आरामो यत्र वै पुण्यो अश्वत्थो यत्र तिष्ठति
Where soma is drunk, there a holy place is established; where there is a sacred grove, or where the aśvattha tree stands.
ब्रह्मवृक्षो भवेद्यत्र वटवृक्षस्तथैव च । अन्ये च वन्यसंस्थाने तत्र तीर्थं प्रतिष्ठितम्
Where the sacred fig tree or the banyan tree stands, and in other places where wild trees grow, there a holy place is established.
एते तीर्थाः समाख्याताः पितामाता तथैव च । पुराणं पठ्यते यत्र गुरुर्यत्र स्वयं स्थितः
These holy places have been described, as well as where the father and mother are present; where the Purāṇa is recited, and where the teacher himself resides.
सुभार्या तिष्ठते यत्र तत्र तीर्थं न संशयः । सुपुत्रस्तिष्ठते यत्र तत्र तीर्थं न संशयः
Where a virtuous wife dwells, there is a holy place, without doubt; where a good son dwells, there is a holy place, without doubt.
एते तीर्थाः समाख्याता राजवेश्म तथैव च । वेन उवाच- पात्रस्य लक्षणं ब्रूहि यस्मै देयं सुरोत्तम
These holy places have been described, as well as the royal palace; Vena said: Tell me the characteristics of the recipient to whom the gift should be given, O best of gods.
प्रसादसुमुखो भूत्वा कृपया मम माधव । वासुदेव उवाच- शृणु राजन्महाप्राज्ञ पात्रस्यापि सुलक्षणम्
With a gracious and kind face, out of compassion for me, O Mādhava; Vāsudeva said: Listen, O king, most wise one, to the excellent characteristics of the recipient.
यस्मै देयं सुदानं च श्रद्धापूतैर्महात्मभिः । ब्राह्मणं सुकुलोपेतं वेदाध्ययनतत्परम्
To whom should the excellent gift be given by the great-souled, purified by faith? To a brāhmaṇa of good family, devoted to Vedic study.
शांतं दांतं तपोयुक्तं शुक्लमेव विशेषतः । प्रज्ञावंतं ज्ञानवंतं देवपूजनतत्परम्
One who is peaceful, self-controlled, endowed with austerity, especially pure; intelligent, wise, and devoted to the worship of the gods.
सत्यवंतं महापुण्यं वैष्णवं ज्ञानपंडितम् । धर्मज्ञं मुक्तलौल्यं च पाखंडैस्तु विवर्जितम्
One who is truthful, greatly virtuous, devoted to Vishnu, learned in knowledge, versed in dharma, free from greed for liberation, and untouched by heretical views.
एवं पात्रं समाख्यातमन्यदेवं वदाम्यहम् । एवमेतैर्गुणैर्युक्तं स्वसृपुत्रं नरोत्तमम्
Thus has the worthy recipient been described; now I will speak of another. A noble person endowed with these qualities, whether one's own sister's son or an excellent man.
एतं पात्रं विजानीहि दुहितुस्तनयं ततः । जामातरं महाराज भावैरेतैश्च संयुतम्
Recognize this as the worthy recipient: a daughter, a son, and then a son-in-law, O great king, who is endowed with these qualities.
गुरुं च दीक्षितं चैव पात्रभूतं नरोत्तम । एतान्येव सुपात्राणि दानयोग्यानि सत्तम
A guru and one who has received initiation are also considered worthy recipients, O best of men. These alone are excellent recipients, fit for gifts, O noble one.
वेदाचारसमोपेतस्तृप्तिं नैव च गच्छति । वर्जयेत्किल तं विप्रं तथा काणं सुधूर्तकम्
One who follows Vedic conduct but never attains satisfaction should indeed be avoided, as should a blind or thoroughly wicked Brahmin.
अतिकृष्णं महाराज कपिलं परिवर्जयेत् । कर्कटाक्षं सुनीलं च श्यावदन्तं विवर्जयेत्
One who is excessively dark, O king, or tawny, should be avoided; one with crab-like eyes, very blue, or with dark teeth should also be avoided.
नीलदंतं तथा राजन्पीतदंतं तथैव च । गोघ्नं सुकृष्णदंतं च बर्बरं चातिपांशुलम्
Likewise, O king, one with blue teeth, or yellow teeth, a cow-killer, one with very black teeth, a barbarian, or one excessively dusty.
हीनांगमधिकांगं च कुष्ठिनं कुनखं तथा । दुश्चर्माणं महाराज खल्वाटं परिवर्जयेत्
One with deficient or excessive limbs, a leper, one with bad nails, one with diseased skin, O king, or bald, should be avoided.
अन्यायेषु रता यस्य जाया विप्रस्य कस्य च । तस्मै दानं न दातव्यं यदि ब्रह्मसमो भवेत्
If a Brahmin's wife is engaged in wrongful acts, gifts should not be given to him, even if he is equal to Brahma.
स्त्रीजिताय न दातव्यं शाखारंडे महामते । व्याधिताय न दातव्यं मृतभोजिषु भूपते
Gifts should not be given to one dominated by women, nor to one born from a branch or egg, O wise one; nor to one afflicted by disease, nor to those who eat the food of the dead, O king.