स उवाच मुदा विप्रा नाम्ना दंडकरोप्यहम् । सर्वपापसमायुक्तश्चोद्धारो मे कथं भवेत्
He said joyfully: 'O Brahmins, my name is Dandaka; I am filled with all sins. How can I be delivered?'
ऊचुस्ते वै व्रतं श्रेष्ठं कुरुष्व विष्णुपंचकम् । विप्राणामाज्ञया विप्र चकार विष्णुपंचकम्
They said: 'Perform the supreme vow, the Vishnu Panchaka.' By the command of the Brahmins, Dandaka performed the Vishnu Panchaka.
स प्रेत्य च हरेः स्थानमारुह्य स्यंदने वरे । आसाद्य श्रीहरेरूपं तस्थौ जन्मविवर्जितः
After death, he ascended to the abode of Hari, riding in a splendid chariot; attaining the form of Shri Hari, he stood, free from rebirth.
य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या चाख्यानं पापनाशनम् । कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं तस्य नश्यति तत्क्षणात्
Whoever hears this account with devotion, which destroys sin, the sin accumulated over millions of births perishes instantly.
शौनक उवाच। विदुषांवर तत्त्वज्ञ कथयस्व महामते । इदानीं मम दानानां माहात्म्यं क्रमतो मुने
Shaunaka said: 'O foremost among the learned, knower of truth, tell me, O wise one, now in order, the greatness of gifts.'
सूत उवाच। क्षितिदानं मुनिश्रेष्ठ दानानामुत्तमं मतम् । येन कृतं वै तद्दानं सर्वदानफलं मतम्
Suta said: 'The gift of land, O best of sages, is considered the highest among gifts; whatever gift is made, that gift is regarded as yielding the fruit of all gifts.'
क्षितिं ससस्यां यो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणाय द्विजोत्तम । विष्णुलोके सुखं भुंक्ते यावदिंद्राश्चतुर्दश
He who gives fertile land 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 as a universal sovereign, that king, after enjoying the whole earth for a long time, indeed goes to the abode of Śrī Hari.
गोचर्ममात्रां भूमिं यः प्रयच्छति द्विजातये । स गच्छति हरेर्गेहं सर्वपापविवर्जितः
He who gives land the size of a cowhide to a twice-born is freed from all sins and goes to the house of Hari.
शतं गावो वृषश्चैको यत्र तिष्ठंत्ययंत्रिताः । गोचर्ममात्रां तां भूमिं प्रवदंति महर्षयः
Where a hundred cows and one bull can stand unrestrained, that extent of land is called a cowhide's measure by the great sages.
भूमिनेता भूमिदाता द्वौ चापि स्वर्गगामिनौ । ग्राह्या भूमिर्द्विजैः प्राज्ञैस्त्यक्त्वा दानशतान्यपि
Both the one who takes land and the one who gives land go to heaven; land should be accepted by wise brāhmaṇas, even forsaking hundreds of other gifts.
अज्ञानी भूसुरो यस्तु त्यजेद्भूमिं विमोहितः । प्रतिजन्मन्यसौ विप्रो भवेच्चात्यंत दुःखभाक्
But the brāhmaṇa who, out of ignorance and delusion, abandons land, becomes subject to extreme suffering in every birth.
अन्यतो यः समासाद्य दद्याद्भूमिं द्विजातये । तस्मै विप्र जगन्नाथो ददाति परमं पदम्
He who, having obtained land from elsewhere, gives it to a twice-born, to him the Lord of the universe grants the supreme abode.
स्वदत्तां परदत्तां च मेदिनीं यो हरेद्द्विज । युक्तः कोटिकुलैर्याति नरकं चातिदारुणम्
A twice-born who seizes land, whether self-given or given by another, is bound with countless families and goes to a most terrible hell.
हरेद्यो वै महीं विप्र देवब्राह्मणयोरपि । न दृष्टा निष्कृतिस्तस्य कोटिकल्पशतैर्मुने
He who takes land from a brāhmaṇa or even from the gods, O sage, for him there is no expiation, even in hundreds of crores of ages.
भूमिं यो परदत्तां च रक्षति क्ष्मापतिर्द्विज । पुण्यं कोटिगुणं स्याद्वै तस्य दानं जनादपि
The king who protects land given by another, O twice-born, gains merit a crore times greater than that of the giver.
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 gained by a mortal who gives a cow to a twice-born.
ददाति वृषभं यस्तु दरिद्राय कुटुंबिने । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो शिवलोकं स गच्छति
He who gives a bull to a poor householder is freed from all sins and goes to the world of Śiva.
तिलप्रमाणं स्वर्णं यो ब्राह्मणाय प्रयच्छति । हरेर्निकेतनं याति युक्तः कोटिकुलैरपि
He who gives gold equal to a sesame seed to a brāhmaṇa goes to Hari's abode, accompanied by countless families.
यो दद्याद्रजतं विप्र साधवे भूसुराय वै । प्राप्नोति चंद्रलोकं च पिबेत्तत्रामृतं सदा
He who gives silver to a worthy brāhmaṇa attains the world of the moon and always drinks nectar there.
प्रवालं मौक्तिकं चैव हीरकं च मणिं तथा । यो ददाति द्विजश्रेष्ठ स्वर्गलोकं स गच्छति
He who gives coral, pearls, diamonds, or gems, O best of twice-born, goes to the heavenly world.
तुलापुरुषदानेन यत्पुण्यं लभते जनः । शालग्रामशिलां दत्त्वा तस्मात्कोटिगुणं लभेत्
The merit a person gains by giving a tulāpuruṣa gift is obtained a crore times over by giving a śālagrāma stone.
सप्तद्वीपां क्षितिं दत्वा सशैलवनकाननाम् । यत्पुण्यं लभते तद्वै शालग्रामशिलाप्रदः
The merit gained by giving the earth with its seven continents, along with mountains, forests, and groves, is indeed gained by one who gives a śālagrāma stone.
शालग्रामशिलां यो वै दद्याद्भूमिसुराय च । तेन विप्र प्रदत्तानि भुवनानि चतुर्दश
He who gives a śālagrāma stone to a brāhmaṇa, O brāhmaṇa, by him the fourteen worlds are given.
तुलापुरुषदानं यः करोति द्विजपुंगव । जनन्याश्चोदरे तस्य पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते
O best of twice-born, whoever performs the gift of a Tula-purusha shall not be born again in his mother's womb.
सालंकारां द्विजश्रेष्ठ कन्यां यच्छति यो नरः । स गच्छेद्ब्रह्मसदनं पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते
He who gives away a maiden adorned with ornaments, O foremost of Brahmins, goes to the abode of Brahma and is not born again.
कन्याविक्रयिणो नास्ति नरकान्निष्कृतिः पुनः । कन्यादानकृतो नास्ति स्वर्गादागमनं पुनः
There is no expiation from hell for one who sells a maiden; and 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 shoes or a leaf to a twice-born, after death goes to Indra's city and dwells there for four aeons.
वस्त्रं यच्छति यो दिव्यं साधवे वै द्विजायते । स्वर्गे दिव्यांबरधरश्चिरं तिष्ठेद्द्विजोत्तम
He who gives a divine garment to a worthy Brahmin, O best of twice-born, remains in heaven long, wearing celestial clothes.
धेनुं पुरातनीं यच्छेद्वस्त्रं च जरितं द्विज । नूत्नां रजोवतीं कन्यां स गच्छेन्निरयं तथा
If one gives an old cow or worn-out cloth to a Brahmin, or a maiden who is not new and pure, he goes to hell likewise.