सर्गादीनां महाप्राज्ञ तासु गत्वा सुभुंजति । सूत उवाच- चौलदेशे महाप्राज्ञः सुबाहुर्नाम भूमिपः
In those, O wise one, beings enjoy after going through creation and so on. Sūta said: In the land of Caula, there was a wise king named Subāhu.
रूपवान्गुणवान्धीरः पृथिव्यां नास्ति तादृशः । विष्णुभक्तो महाप्राज्ञो वैष्णवानां च सुप्रियः
Handsome, virtuous, steadfast—there was no one like him on earth; devoted to Viṣṇu, supremely wise, and greatly beloved by the Vaiṣṇavas.
कर्मणा त्रिविधेनापि प्रध्यायन्मधुसूदनम् । अश्वमेधादिकान्यज्ञान्यजेत सकलान्नृप
By all three kinds of action, he meditated on Madhusūdana; O king, he performed all sacrifices, beginning with the Aśvamedha.
पुरोधास्तस्य चैवास्ति जैमिनिर्नाम ब्राह्मणः । स चाहूय सुबाहुं तमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
His priest was a brāhmaṇa named Jaimini; and he, having summoned Subāhu, spoke these words:
राजन्देहि सुदानानि यैः सुखं तु प्रभुंज्यत । दानैस्तु तरते लोकान्दुर्गान्प्रेत्य गतो नरः
"O king, give abundant gifts by which happiness may be enjoyed; by gifts, a man crosses over worlds and difficulties after death."
दानेन सुखमाप्नोति यशः प्राप्नोति शाश्वतम् । दानेन चातुला कीर्तिर्जायते मृत्युमंडले
By giving, one attains happiness and everlasting fame; by giving, unequalled glory arises even in the realm of death.
यावत्कीर्तिः स्थिता चात्र तावत्कर्ता दिवं वसेत् । तद्दानं दुष्करं प्राहुर्दातुं नैव प्रशक्यते
As long as the fame of a gift endures here, so long does the giver dwell in heaven; such a gift is said to be difficult to give, and it is not easily accomplished.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन दातव्यं मानवैः सदा । सुबाहुरुवाच- दानाच्च तपसो वापि द्वयोर्मध्ये सुदुष्करम्
Therefore, with every effort, gifts should always be given by people. Subahu said: Between giving and asceticism, both are exceedingly difficult.
किं वा महत्फलं प्रेत्य तन्मे ब्रूहि द्विजोत्तम । जैमिनिरुवाच- दानान्न दुष्करतरं पृथिव्यामस्ति किंचन
What great fruit is there after death from either? Tell me that, O best of twice-born. Jaimini said: There is nothing more difficult on earth than giving.
राजन्प्रत्यक्षमेवैकं दृश्यते लोकसाक्षिकम् । परित्यज्य प्रियान्प्राणान्धनार्थं लोभमोहिताः
O King, one thing is seen clearly before all, witnessed by the world: people, deluded by greed and attachment, abandon even dear life for the sake of wealth.
प्रविशंति नरा लोके समुद्रमटवीं तथा । सेवामन्ये प्रपद्यंतेऽश्ववृत्तिरिति या स्थिता
Men enter the ocean or the forest in this world, and others take up service, which is considered a base occupation.
हिंसाप्रायां बहुक्लेशां कृषिं चैव तथा पुरा । तस्य दुःखार्जितस्यापि प्राणेभ्योपि गरीयसः
They undertake agriculture, which is full of violence and much hardship; even so, the wealth gained with such suffering is dearer than life itself.
अर्थस्य पुरुषव्याघ्र परित्यागः सुदुष्करः । विशेषतो महाराज तस्य न्यायार्जितस्य च
O tiger among men, the renunciation of wealth is exceedingly difficult, especially, O great king, when that wealth has been justly earned.
श्रद्धया विधिवत्पात्रे दत्तस्यांतो न विद्यते । श्रद्धा धर्मसुता देवी पावनी विश्वतारिणी
When given with faith, properly, to a worthy recipient, its fruit has no end; faith is the daughter of Dharma, a goddess, purifier, and savior of all.
सावित्री प्रसवित्री च संसारार्णवतारिणी । श्रद्धया साध्यते धर्मो महद्भिर्न्नार्थराशिभिः
She is Sāvitrī, the mother of creation, who carries across the ocean of worldly existence; righteousness is accomplished through faith, not by heaps of wealth.
निष्किंचनास्तु मुनयः श्रद्धाधर्मा दिवं गताः । संति दानान्यनेकानि नानाभेदैर्नृपोत्तम
The sages, though possessing nothing, attained heaven by faith and righteousness; there are many kinds of gifts, of various sorts, O best of kings.
अन्नदानात्परं नास्ति प्राणिनां गतिदायकम् । तस्मादन्नं प्रदातव्यं पयसा च समन्वितम्
There is no gift greater than the giving of food, which grants passage to living beings; therefore, food should be given, accompanied by milk.
मधुरेणापि पुण्येन वचसा च समन्वितम् । नास्त्यन्नात्तु परं दानमिहलोके परत्र च
And with sweet merit, and with kind words; there is no gift greater than food, either in this world or the next.
तारणाय हितायैव सुखसंपत्तिहेतवे । श्रद्धया विधिवत्पात्रे निर्मलेनापि चेतसा
For rescue, for benefit, and as the cause of happiness and prosperity, food should be given with faith, properly, to a worthy recipient, even with a pure mind.
अन्नैकस्य प्रदानस्य फलं भुंक्ते भवेन्नरः । ग्रासाद्ग्रासं प्रदातव्यं मुष्टिप्रस्थं न संशयः
By giving even a single portion of food, a man enjoys its fruit; food should be given mouthful by mouthful, or by handful, without doubt.
अक्षयं जायते तस्य दानस्यापि महाफलम् । न च प्रस्थं न वा मुष्टिं नरस्य हि न संभवेत्
The great fruit of that gift becomes inexhaustible; for a man, neither a handful nor a mouthful is impossible to give.
अनास्तिक्यप्रभावेण पर्वणि प्राप्य मानवः । श्रद्धया ब्राह्मणं चैकं भक्त्या चैव प्रभोजयेत्
If, due to the influence of disbelief, a man attains a festival, he should feed even one Brahmin with faith and devotion.
एकस्यापि प्रधानस्य अन्नस्यापि प्रजेश्वर । जन्मांतरं सुसंप्राप्य नित्यं चान्नं प्रभुंजति
O lord of people, by giving even a single principal portion of food, one attains a good rebirth and always enjoys food.
पूर्वजन्मनि यद्दत्तं भक्त्या पात्रे सकृन्नरैः । जन्मांतरं सुसंप्राप्य नित्यमेव भुनक्ति च
Whatever was given with devotion, even once, to a worthy recipient in a previous birth, one attains a good rebirth and always enjoys it.
अन्नदानं प्रयच्छंति ब्राह्मणेभ्यो हि नित्यशः । मिष्टान्नपानं भुंजंति ते नरा अन्नदायिनः
People who continually offer food to Brahmins themselves enjoy delicious food and drink; those who give food are blessed.
अन्नमेव वदंत्येत ऋषयो वेदपारगाः । प्राणभूतं न संदेहममृताद्धि समुद्भवम्
The sages who are versed in the Vedas declare that food alone is essential; there is no doubt that it is the source of life, arising from ambrosia.
प्राणास्तेन प्रदत्ता हि येन चान्नं समर्पितम् । अन्नदानं महाराज देहि त्वं तु प्रयत्नतः
By offering food, one gives life itself; therefore, O great king, you should diligently give the gift of food.
एवमाकर्ण्य वै राजा जैमिनेस्तु महात्मनः । पुनः पप्रच्छ तं विप्रं जैमिनिं ज्ञानपंडितम्
Hearing this, the king listened to the noble Jaimini and again questioned that learned sage, Jaimini.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्ये च्यवनचरित्रे चतुर्नवतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the ninety-fourth chapter, the story of Cyavana, in the section on the greatness of Guru Tirtha, within the narrative of Vena, in the Bhumi Khanda of the glorious Padma Purana.
सुबाहुरुवाच- स्वर्गस्य मे गुणान्ब्रूहि सांप्रतं द्विजसत्तम । एतत्सर्वं द्विजश्रेष्ठ करिष्यामि स्वभाविकम्
Subahu said: O best of twice-born, tell me now the qualities of heaven; O foremost Brahmin, I will naturally accomplish all this.