ऊचुस्ते वै व्रतं श्रेष्ठं कुरुष्व विष्णुपंचकम् । विप्राणामाज्ञया विप्र चकार विष्णुपंचकम्
They said: 'Perform the excellent vow of the Vishnu-panchaka.' By the command of the Brahmins, he performed the Vishnu-panchaka.
स प्रेत्य च हरेः स्थानमारुह्य स्यंदने वरे । आसाद्य श्रीहरेरूपं तस्थौ जन्मविवर्जितः
After death, he ascended to the abode of Hari in a splendid chariot, attained the form of Lord Hari, and remained free from birth.
य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या चाख्यानं पापनाशनम् । कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं तस्य नश्यति तत्क्षणात्
Whoever listens with devotion to this narration, which destroys sin, has the sins accumulated over millions of lifetimes vanish in that very instant.
शौनक उवाच। विदुषांवर तत्त्वज्ञ कथयस्व महामते । इदानीं मम दानानां माहात्म्यं क्रमतो मुने
Śaunaka said: O foremost among the wise, knower of truth, tell me, O great-minded one, now in order, the greatness of gifts.
सूत उवाच। क्षितिदानं मुनिश्रेष्ठ दानानामुत्तमं मतम् । येन कृतं वै तद्दानं सर्वदानफलं मतम्
Sūta said: O best of sages, the gift of land is considered the highest among gifts; whatever is given as such is regarded as yielding the fruit of all gifts.
क्षितिं ससस्यां यो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणाय द्विजोत्तम । विष्णुलोके सुखं भुंक्ते यावदिंद्राश्चतुर्दश
Whoever gives land with crops to a brāhmaṇa, O best of twice-born, enjoys happiness in Viṣṇu's world for as long as the fourteen Indras reign.
पृथिव्यां जन्म चासाद्य सार्वभौमस्ततो नृपः । महीं सर्वां चिरं भुक्त्वा व्रजेद्वै श्रीहरेर्गृहम्
Having attained birth on earth, then becoming a sovereign king, after enjoying the entire land for a long time, he goes to the abode of Śrī Hari.
गोचर्ममात्रां भूमिं यः प्रयच्छति द्विजातये । स गच्छति हरेर्गेहं सर्वपापविवर्जितः
Whoever gives land the size of a cow's hide to a twice-born, he goes to Hari's abode, free from all sin.
शतं गावो वृषश्चैको यत्र तिष्ठंत्ययंत्रिताः । गोचर्ममात्रां तां भूमिं प्रवदंति महर्षयः
Where a hundred cows and a single bull stand unrestrained, that land the size of a cow's hide is spoken of by the great sages.
भूमिनेता भूमिदाता द्वौ चापि स्वर्गगामिनौ । ग्राह्या भूमिर्द्विजैः प्राज्ञैस्त्यक्त्वा दानशतान्यपि
Both the one who leads land and the one who gives land are destined for heaven; land should be accepted by wise twice-born, even forsaking hundreds of other gifts.
अज्ञानी भूसुरो यस्तु त्यजेद्भूमिं विमोहितः । प्रतिजन्मन्यसौ विप्रो भवेच्चात्यंत दुःखभाक्
A brāhmaṇa who, out of ignorance, abandons land, being deluded, becomes a recipient of extreme suffering in every birth.
अन्यतो यः समासाद्य दद्याद्भूमिं द्विजातये । तस्मै विप्र जगन्नाथो ददाति परमं पदम्
Whoever, having obtained land from elsewhere, gives it to a twice-born, to him the Lord of the universe grants the supreme state.
स्वदत्तां परदत्तां च मेदिनीं यो हरेद्द्विज । युक्तः कोटिकुलैर्याति नरकं चातिदारुणम्
A twice-born who takes land, whether self-given or given by others, goes to a most terrible hell, accompanied by millions of families.
हरेद्यो वै महीं विप्र देवब्राह्मणयोरपि । न दृष्टा निष्कृतिस्तस्य कोटिकल्पशतैर्मुने
Whoever takes land from a brāhmaṇa or a deity, O sage, no expiation is seen for him even after hundreds of millions of ages.
भूमिं यो परदत्तां च रक्षति क्ष्मापतिर्द्विज । पुण्यं कोटिगुणं स्याद्वै तस्य दानं जनादपि
A king who protects land given by others, O twice-born, gains merit multiplied by millions, more than from gifts given by people.
सप्तद्वीपां महीं दत्त्वा यत्पुण्यं प्राप्यते द्विज । तत्पुण्यं प्राप्नुयान्मर्त्यो धेनुं यच्छन्द्विजातये
The merit obtained by giving the earth with its seven continents, O twice-born, is also gained by a mortal who gives a cow to a twice-born.
ददाति वृषभं यस्तु दरिद्राय कुटुंबिने । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो शिवलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever gives a bull to a poor householder becomes free from all sin and goes to the realm of Śiva.
तिलप्रमाणं स्वर्णं यो ब्राह्मणाय प्रयच्छति । हरेर्निकेतनं याति युक्तः कोटिकुलैरपि
Whoever gives gold the size of a sesame seed to a brāhmaṇa goes to Hari's abode, accompanied by millions of families.
यो दद्याद्रजतं विप्र साधवे भूसुराय वै । प्राप्नोति चंद्रलोकं च पिबेत्तत्रामृतं सदा
Whoever gives silver to a virtuous brāhmaṇa attains the realm of the moon and always drinks nectar there.
प्रवालं मौक्तिकं चैव हीरकं च मणिं तथा । यो ददाति द्विजश्रेष्ठ स्वर्गलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever gives coral, pearls, diamonds, or gems, O best of twice-born, goes to the heavenly realm.
तुलापुरुषदानेन यत्पुण्यं लभते जनः । शालग्रामशिलां दत्त्वा तस्मात्कोटिगुणं लभेत्
The merit a person obtains by giving the gift of tulāpuruṣa is gained a crore times over by giving a śālagrāma stone.
सप्तद्वीपां क्षितिं दत्वा सशैलवनकाननाम् । यत्पुण्यं लभते तद्वै शालग्रामशिलाप्रदः
By giving the earth with its seven continents, along with mountains, forests, and groves, one attains the same merit as one who gives a śālagrāma stone.
शालग्रामशिलां यो वै दद्याद्भूमिसुराय च । तेन विप्र प्रदत्तानि भुवनानि चतुर्दश
O learned one, whoever gives a śālagrāma stone to a Brāhmaṇa thereby gives the fourteen worlds.
तुलापुरुषदानं यः करोति द्विजपुंगव । जनन्याश्चोदरे तस्य पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते
O best of twice-born, one who performs the gift of tulāpuruṣa will not be born again in a mother's womb.
सालंकारां द्विजश्रेष्ठ कन्यां यच्छति यो नरः । स गच्छेद्ब्रह्मसदनं पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते
O foremost of Brāhmaṇas, a man who gives a well-adorned maiden will go to the abode of Brahmā and will not be born again.
कन्याविक्रयिणो नास्ति नरकान्निष्कृतिः पुनः । कन्यादानकृतो नास्ति स्वर्गादागमनं पुनः
There is no expiation from hell for one who sells a maiden; for one who gives a maiden in charity, there is no return from heaven.
उपानहौ वातपत्रं यो ददाति द्विजातये । प्रेत्य चेंद्रपुरं गत्वा वसेत्कल्पचतुष्टयम्
Whoever gives sandals or a leaf as protection from wind to a Brāhmaṇa, after death, having gone to Indra's city, dwells there for four ages.
वस्त्रं यच्छति यो दिव्यं साधवे वै द्विजायते । स्वर्गे दिव्यांबरधरश्चिरं तिष्ठेद्द्विजोत्तम
Whoever gives a divine garment to a worthy Brāhmaṇa, O best of Brāhmaṇas, remains in heaven for a long time, adorned with celestial clothes.
धेनुं पुरातनीं यच्छेद्वस्त्रं च जरितं द्विज । नूत्नां रजोवतीं कन्यां स गच्छेन्निरयं तथा
A person who gives an old cow and worn-out garment to a Brāhmaṇa, or a new, beautiful maiden, also goes to hell.
कन्याविक्रयिणो ब्रह्मन्न पश्येल्लपनं बुधः । दृष्ट्वा चाज्ञानतो वापि कुर्य्यान्मार्तंड दर्शनम्
O Brāhmaṇa, a wise person should not even speak with one who sells maidens; if he sees such a person, even unknowingly, he should look at the sun as expiation.