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.
जैमिनिरुवाच- नंदनादीनि रम्याणि दिव्यानि विविधानि च । तत्रोद्यानानि पुण्यानि सर्वकामयुतानि च
Jaimini said: There are delightful and divine places such as Nandana and others; there are sacred gardens there, filled with every desired pleasure.
सर्वकामफलैर्वृक्षैः शोभनानि समंततः । विमानानि सुदिव्यानि सेवितान्यप्सरोगणैः
Everywhere are beautiful trees bearing all desired fruits, and splendid celestial palaces attended by groups of apsaras.
सर्वत्रैव विचित्राणि कामगानि वशानि च । तरुणादित्यवर्णानि मुक्ताजालांतराणि च
Everywhere are wondrous and wish-fulfilling things, subject to one's will, shining with the radiance of young suns and adorned with strands of pearls.
चंद्रमंडलशुभ्राणि हेमशय्यासनानि च । सर्वकामसमृद्धाश्च सर्वदुःखविवर्जिताः
There are beds and seats as bright as the moon's disc and made of gold, abundant in every pleasure and free from all suffering.
नराः सुकृतिनस्तेषु विचरंति यथा भुवि । न तत्र नास्तिका यांति न स्तेना नाजितेंद्रियाः
The virtuous people wander there as they do on earth; atheists, thieves, and those who have not mastered their senses do not go there.
न नृशंसा न पिशुना न कृतघ्ना न मानिनः । सत्यास्तपःस्थिताः शूरा दयावंतः क्षमापराः
There are no cruel, slanderous, ungrateful, or arrogant people; only truthful, ascetic, brave, compassionate, and patient ones.
यज्वानो दानशीलाश्च तत्र गच्छंति ते नराः । न रोगो न जरामृत्युर्न शोको न हिमातपौ
Those who perform sacrifices and are generous go there; there is no disease, old age, death, sorrow, cold, or heat.
न तत्र क्षुत्पिपासा च कस्य ग्लानिर्न विद्यते । एते चान्ये च बहवो गुणाः स्वर्गस्य भूपते
There is no hunger or thirst, nor does anyone feel fatigue; these and many other virtues belong to heaven, O king.
दोषास्तत्रैव ये संति ताञ्छृणुष्व च सांप्रतम् । शुभस्य कर्मणः कृत्स्नं फलं तत्रैव भुज्यते
Now hear of the faults that exist there; the complete fruit of virtuous deeds is enjoyed there.
न चात्र क्रियते भूयः सोऽत्र दोषो महान्स्मृतः । असंतोषश्च भवति दृष्ट्वा दीप्तां परां श्रियम्
No further actions are performed there; this is considered a great fault. Dissatisfaction arises upon seeing intense and supreme prosperity.
सुखव्याप्तमनस्कानां सहसा पतनं तथा । इह यत्क्रियते कर्म फलं तत्रैव भुज्यते
Those whose minds are filled with happiness suddenly fall; whatever actions are performed here, their results are enjoyed there.
कर्मभूमिरियं राजन्फलभूमिरसौ स्मृता । सुबाहुरुवाच- महांतस्तु इमे दोषास्त्वया स्वर्गस्य कीर्तिताः
This world, O king, is the realm of action; that is known as the realm of results. Subahu said: These faults of heaven that you have described are indeed great.
निर्दोषाः शाश्वता येन्ये तांस्त्वं लोकान्वद द्विज । जैमिनिरुवाच- आब्रह्मसदनादेव दोषाः संति च वै नृप
Those worlds which are eternal and free from fault—tell me of them, O twice-born one. Jaimini said: From the abode of Brahma itself, faults indeed exist, O king.
अतएव हि नेच्छंति स्वर्गप्राप्तिं मनीषिणः । आब्रह्मसदनादूर्ध्वं तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्
Therefore, the wise do not desire attainment of heaven. Above the abode of Brahma is that supreme realm of Vishnu.
शुभं सनातनं ज्योतिः परंब्रह्मेति तद्विदुः । न तत्र मूढा गच्छंति पुरुषा विषयात्मकाः
They know it as the auspicious, eternal light, as the Supreme Brahman. There, foolish men and those absorbed in sense-objects do not go.
दंभमोहभयद्रोह क्रोधलोभैरभिद्रुताः । निर्ममा निरहंकारा निर्द्वंद्वास्संयतेंद्रियाः
Those afflicted by hypocrisy, delusion, fear, hostility, anger, and greed; but those who are free from possessiveness, ego, duality, and whose senses are restrained—
ध्यानयोगरताश्चैव तत्र गच्छंति साधवः । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि
And those devoted to meditation and yoga, such virtuous ones reach there. All this I have told you, as you have asked me.
एवं स्वर्गगुणं श्रुत्वा सुबाहुः पृथिवीपतिः । तमुवाच महात्मानं जैमिनिं वदतांवरम्
Hearing thus the qualities of heaven, Subahu, the lord of the earth, addressed the great-souled Jaimini, foremost among speakers.
सुबाहुरुवाच- नाहं स्वर्गं गमिष्यामि न चैवेच्छाम्यहं मुने । यस्माच्च पतनं प्रोक्तं तत्कर्म न करोम्यहम्
Subahu said: I will not go to heaven, nor do I desire it, O sage. Since you have spoken of its fall, I do not perform that action.
दानमेकं महाभाग नाहं दास्येकदाध्रुवम् । दानाच्च फललोभाच्च तस्मात्पतति वै नरः
O illustrious one, I do not give charity for the sake of its impermanent result. Because of the desire for the fruit of charity, a man indeed falls.