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.
चोराय च न दातव्यं स यद्यत्रिसमो भवेत् । अतृप्ताय न दातव्यं शावं तु परिवर्जयेत्
Nor should gifts be given to a thief, even if he is equal to Atri; nor to one who is unsatisfied, and a corpse should be avoided.
अतिस्तब्धाय नो देयं शठाय च विशेषतः । वेदशास्त्रसमायुक्तः सदाचारेण वर्जितः
Gifts should not be given to one who is excessively arrogant, especially to a deceitful person; even if he is versed in Vedas and scriptures, lacking good conduct, he should be avoided.
श्राद्धे दाने च राजेंद्र नैव युक्तः कदा भवेत् । अथ दानं प्रवक्ष्यामि सफलं पुण्यदायकम्
In śrāddha and giving, O king, such a person is never suitable; now I will explain the giving that is fruitful and bestows merit.
कालतीर्थसुपात्राणां श्रद्धा योगात्प्रजायते । नास्ति श्रद्धासमं पुण्यं नास्ति श्रद्धासमं सुखम्
From the union of faith, proper time, holy place, and worthy recipients, merit arises; there is no virtue equal to faith, nor happiness equal to faith.
नास्ति श्रद्धासमं तीर्थं संसारे प्राणिनां नृप । श्रद्धाभावेन संयुक्तो मामेवं परिसंस्मरेत्
There is no holy place equal to faith for living beings in this world, O king; one who is joined with lack of faith should remember me thus.
पात्रहस्ते प्रदातव्यं स्वल्पमेव नृपोत्तम । एवंविधस्य दानस्य विधियुक्तस्य यत्फलम्
A gift should be given into the hand of the recipient, even if small, O best of kings; the fruit of such giving, performed according to rule—
अनंतं तदवाप्नोति मत्प्रसादात्सुखी भवेत्
Is infinite; he attains it by my grace and becomes happy.
वेन उवाच- नित्यदानफलं देव त्वत्तः पूर्वं मया श्रुतम् । नैमित्तिकस्य दानस्य दत्तस्यापि हि यत्फलम्
Vena said: O Lord, I have previously heard from you about the perpetual fruit of giving; now tell me the fruit of occasional giving as well.
तत्फलं मे समाचक्ष्व त्वत्प्रसादात्प्रयत्नतः । महातृप्तिं न गच्छामि श्रोतुं श्रद्धा प्रवर्तते
Tell me the result of this, by your grace and effort; I do not attain great satisfaction, and my faith is stirred to hear more.
विष्णुरुवाच- नैमित्तिकं प्रवक्ष्यामि दानमेव नृपोत्तम । महापर्वणि संप्राप्ते येन दानानि श्रद्धया
Viṣṇu said: I will explain the occasional gift, O best of kings, by which, when the great festival arrives, gifts are given with faith.