सस्याद्दिव्यतिथिर्भूप देवानां कीर्तिवर्धनः । तस्माच्छ्रद्धान्वितैर्देयं तत्फलं भवति ध्रुवम्
O King, the day of the divine festival is renowned for increasing the glory of the gods; therefore, offerings should be made with faith, for their result is certain.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने पितृतीर्थवर्णने ययातिचरित्रेऽष्टषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixty-eighth chapter, called 'The Story of Yayāti,' in the narrative of Vena, describing the holy places of the ancestors, within the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
मातलिरुवाच- अथ धर्माः शिवेनोक्ताः शिवधर्मागमोत्तमाः । ज्ञेया बहुविधास्ते च कर्मयोगप्रभेदतः
Mātali said: Now, the righteous duties spoken by Śiva, the supreme Śiva-dharma scriptures, are to be understood as manifold, distinguished by the paths of action and yoga.
हिंसादिदोषनिर्मुक्ताः क्लेशायासविवर्जिताः । सर्वभूतहिताः शुद्धाः सूक्ष्मायासा महत्फलाः
Free from the faults of violence and the like, devoid of suffering and fatigue, pure, subtle, bringing great results, and beneficial to all beings—such are they.
अनंतशाखाकलिताः शिवमूलैकसंश्रिताः । ज्ञानध्यानसुपुष्पाढ्याः शिवधर्माः सनातनाः
Endowed with countless branches, all rooted solely in Śiva, adorned with the flowers of knowledge and meditation—these are the eternal Śiva-dharmas.
धारयंति शिवं यस्माद्धार्यते शिवभाषितैः । शिवधर्माः स्मृतास्तस्मात्संसारार्णवतारकाः
Because they uphold Śiva, and are upheld by Śiva’s words, these are called Śiva-dharmas, remembered as the means to cross the ocean of worldly existence.
तथाऽहि सा क्षमा सत्यं ह्रीः श्रद्धेन्द्रियसंयमः । दानमिज्यातपोदानं दशकं धर्मसाधनम्
Thus, forbearance, truthfulness, modesty, faith, control of the senses, charity, worship, austerity, and giving—these ten are the means to righteousness.
अथ व्यस्तैः समस्तैर्वा शिवधर्मैरनुष्ठितैः । शिवैकरस्य संप्राप्तैर्गतिरेकैव कल्पिता
Whether practiced separately or together, when these Śiva-dharmas are performed and one attains unity with Śiva, a single destination is established.
यथा भूः सर्वभूतानां स्थानं साधारणं स्मृतम् । तत्तथा शिवभक्तानां तुल्यं शिवपुरंस्मृतम्
Just as the earth is regarded as the common abode of all beings, so too is the city of Śiva remembered as equally accessible to all devotees of Śiva.
यथेह सर्वभूतानां भोगाः सातिशयाः स्मृताः । नानापुण्यविशेषेण भोगाः शिवपुरे तथा
As here, all beings are said to enjoy pleasures of various kinds, so in the city of Śiva, pleasures arise according to the particular merits acquired.
शुभाशुभफलं चापि भुज्यते सर्वदेहिभिः । शिवधर्मस्य चैकस्य फलं तत्रोपभुज्यते
Both good and bad results are experienced by all embodied beings; and there, the fruit of even a single Śiva-dharma is enjoyed.
यस्य यादृग्भवेत्पुण्यं श्रद्धापात्रविशेषतः । भोगाः शिवपुरे तस्य ज्ञेयाः सातिशयाः शुभाः
According to the particular merit one possesses, and the worthiness of one’s faith, the pleasures in Śiva’s city are to be known as exceedingly auspicious.
स्थानप्राप्तिः परं तुल्या भोगाः शांतिमयाः स्थिताः । कुर्यात्पुण्यं महत्तस्मान्महाभोगजिगीषया
The attainment of that place is equally supreme, and the pleasures there are established in peace; therefore, one should perform great merit, desiring the highest enjoyment.
सर्वातिशयमेवैकं भावितं च सुरोत्तमैः । आत्मभोगाधिपत्यं स्याच्छिवः सर्वजगत्पतिः
When one thing alone, cultivated by the best of gods, surpasses all else, then sovereignty over one’s own enjoyment is attained—Śiva is the Lord of all the worlds.
केचित्तत्रैव मुच्यंते ज्ञानयोगरता नराः । आवर्तंते पुनश्चान्ये संसारे भोगतत्पराः
Some men, devoted to the yoga of knowledge, are liberated there itself; others, intent on enjoyment, return again to the cycle of worldly existence.
तस्माद्विमुक्तिमिच्छंस्तु भोगासक्तिं च वर्जयेत् । विरक्तः शांतचित्तात्मा शिवज्ञानमवाप्नुयात्
Therefore, one who desires liberation should abandon attachment to enjoyment; the dispassionate one, with a peaceful mind and self, attains knowledge of Śiva.
ये चापीशान्यहृदया यजंतीशं प्रसंगतः । तेषामपि ददातीशः स्थानं भावानुरूपतः
Even those whose hearts are not devoted to the Lord, but who worship him incidentally, Śiva grants them a place according to their disposition.
तत्रार्चयंति ये रुद्रं सकृदुच्छिन्नकल्मषाः । तेषां पिशाचलोकेषु भोगानीशः प्रयच्छति
Those who worship Rudra there, even once, their sins destroyed, Śiva grants them enjoyments in the realms of spirits.
संतप्ता दुःखभारेण म्रियंते सर्वदेहिनः । अन्नदः पुण्यदः प्रोक्तः प्राणदश्चापि सर्वदः
All embodied beings, oppressed by the burden of suffering, perish; the giver of food is declared to be the giver of merit, and always the giver of life.
तस्मादन्नप्रदानेन सर्वदानफलं लभेत् । त्रैलोक्ये यानि रत्नानि भोगस्त्रीवाहनानि च
Therefore, by giving food, one obtains the fruit of all gifts; all the jewels, enjoyments, women, and vehicles in the three worlds.
अन्नदानप्रदः सर्वमिहामुत्र फलं लभेत् । यस्यान्नपानपुष्टांगः कुरुते पुण्यसंचयम्
The giver of food obtains all fruits, both here and hereafter; he whose body is nourished by food and drink accumulates merit.
अन्नप्रदातुस्तस्यार्धं कर्तुश्चार्धं न संशयः । धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां देहः परमसाधनम्
Of the giver of food, half the merit is his, and half belongs to the one who performs the act—of this there is no doubt; the body is the supreme means for dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation.
स्थितिस्तस्यान्नपानाभ्यामतस्तत्सर्वसाधनम् । अन्नं प्रजापतिः साक्षादन्नं विष्णुः शिवः स्वयम्
Its existence depends on food and drink, thus these are the means for everything; food is Prajapati himself, food is Vishnu, and Shiva himself.
तस्मादन्नसमं दानं न भूतं न भविष्यति । त्रयाणामपि लोकानामुदकं जीवनं स्मृतम्
Therefore, there has never been, nor will there be, a gift equal to food; water is considered the life of all three worlds.
पवित्रमुदकं दिव्यं शुद्धं सर्वरसायनम् । अन्नपानाश्व गो वस्त्र शय्या सूत्रासनानि च
Water is pure, divine, clean, and the universal elixir; food, drink, horses, cows, garments, beds, threads, and seats—
प्रेतलोके प्रशस्तानि दानान्यष्टौ विशेषतः । एवं दानविशेषेण धर्मराजपुरं नरः
These eight gifts are especially praised in the world of the departed; thus, by the excellence of giving, a man reaches the city of Dharma-king.
यस्माद्याति सुखेनैव तस्माद्धर्मं समाचरेत् । ये पुनः क्रूरकर्माणः पापादानविवर्जिताः
Because of this, one goes there with ease, therefore one should practice righteousness; but those who perform cruel deeds, devoid of the gift of merit—
भुंजते दारुणं दुःखं नरके नृपनंदन । तथा सुखं प्रभुंजंति दानकर्तार एव तु
They experience terrible suffering in hell, O delight of kings; but those who are givers indeed enjoy happiness.
तेषां तु संभवेत्सौख्यं कर्मयोगरतात्मनाम् । अप्रमेयगुणैर्दिव्यैर्विमानैः सर्वकामकैः
For those whose minds delight in the path of action, happiness arises; with divine, immeasurable virtues, and celestial palaces fulfilling all desires.
असंख्यैस्तत्पुरं व्याप्तं प्राणिनामुपकारकैः । सहस्रसोमदिव्यं वा सूर्यतेजः समप्रभम्
That city is filled with countless beings who are benefactors of life; it shines like a thousand moons or with the brilliance of the sun.