आगता ज्ञातयः क्रुद्धास्तस्य पापपरायणम् । ज्ञातय ऊचुः। रे रे मूढ दुराचार विनाशं प्रतिनीयते । या प्रतिष्ठार्जिता पूर्वैरस्माकं निर्मलेऽन्वये
The relatives, having arrived and angered at his devotion to sin, spoke: 'Hey, you fool of evil conduct, you bring about the destruction of the pure lineage and the honor earned by our ancestors.'
इति क्रुद्धा द्विजश्रेष्ठ अपकीर्तिभयादपि । पापिनां प्रवरं सर्वे तत्यजुस्तं कुलादरम्
Thus, enraged and fearing disgrace, O best of twice-born, all abandoned that most sinful one, the disgrace of the family.
ततो गतो महारण्यं विनष्टाखिल वैभवः । कुर्यात्स दस्युभिः सार्द्धं दस्युकर्म निरंतरम्
Then, having lost all his wealth, he went to a great forest and continually engaged in the deeds of bandits together with them.
पथि प्रगच्छतां तेषां भयाद्विप्र न खादितुम् । प्राप्तं किंचित्क्षुधार्त्तास्ते गताश्चान्य स्थलं प्रति
While traveling on the road, out of fear, O Brahmin, they could not eat anything they obtained, though tormented by hunger, and so they went to another place.
तत्र प्रविष्टास्ते सर्वे दृष्ट्वा पुण्यजनान्बहून् । धात्रीमूले स्थितान्ब्रह्मन्वैष्णवान्द्विजसत्तमान्
There, having entered, they all saw many virtuous people—Brahmins devoted to Vishnu—standing at the root of a tree.
सर्वे ते दस्यवो विप्र गता दंडकरोऽपि सः । तेषां परिसरं गत्वा प्रणामं वै चकार ह
All those bandits, along with Dandaka, approached their vicinity and offered their respects.
दंडकर उवाच। क्षुधार्तोऽहं द्विजश्रेष्ठाः प्राणा यास्यंति मे ध्रुवम् । ददध्वं खादितुं किंचिद्युष्माकं शरणं गतः
Dandaka said: 'I am hungry, O best of Brahmins; surely my life will depart. Give me something to eat, for I have come to you for refuge.'
आकर्ण्य वचनं तस्य चोचुस्ते धर्मतत्पराः । सर्वपापहरे त्वं च विख्याते विष्णुपंचके
Hearing his words, those devoted to righteousness spoke: 'You are renowned as the destroyer of all sins in the famous group of Vishnu's devotees.'
कथमन्नं खादितुं ते वांछा त्वद्य हरेर्दिने । विशेषं ते ब्रूहि संज्ञा काते भवति सांप्रतम्
'How is it that today, on the day of Hari, you desire to eat food? Tell us clearly what is your present state.'
स उवाच मुदा विप्रा नाम्ना दंडकरोप्यहम् । सर्वपापसमायुक्तश्चोद्धारो मे कथं भवेत्
He said joyfully: 'O Brahmins, I am also called Dandaka by name, filled with all sins. How can I be delivered?'
ऊचुस्ते वै व्रतं श्रेष्ठं कुरुष्व विष्णुपंचकम् । विप्राणामाज्ञया विप्र चकार विष्णुपंचकम्
They said: 'Perform the excellent vow of the Vishnu-pancaka.' By the command of the Brahmins, he performed the Vishnu-pancaka.
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 Sri Hari, and remained free from rebirth.
य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या चाख्यानं पापनाशनम् । कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं तस्य नश्यति तत्क्षणात्
Whoever hears this account with devotion, which destroys sin, all the sins accumulated over millions of births are destroyed 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 now, O wise one, in order, the greatness of gifts.'
सूत उवाच। क्षितिदानं मुनिश्रेष्ठ दानानामुत्तमं मतम् । येन कृतं वै तद्दानं सर्वदानफलं मतम्
Suta said: 'O best of sages, the gift of land is considered the highest among gifts. The one who gives such a gift is regarded as having attained the fruit of all gifts.'
क्षितिं ससस्यां यो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणाय द्विजोत्तम । विष्णुलोके सुखं भुंक्ते यावदिंद्राश्चतुर्दश
Whoever gives land with crops to a Brahmin, O best of twice-born, enjoys happiness in the world of Vishnu as long as the fourteen Indras exist.
पृथिव्यां जन्म चासाद्य सार्वभौमस्ततो नृपः । महीं सर्वां चिरं भुक्त्वा व्रजेद्वै श्रीहरेर्गृहम्
Having taken birth on earth, a king who rules as sovereign, after enjoying the whole earth for a long time, should then go to the abode of Lord Hari.
गोचर्ममात्रां भूमिं यः प्रयच्छति द्विजातये । स गच्छति हरेर्गेहं सर्वपापविवर्जितः
Whoever gives to a twice-born the measure of land covered by a cowhide, he goes to the house of Hari, freed from all sins.
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 by the great sages the measure of a cowhide.
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 twice-born, even leaving aside hundreds of other gifts.
अज्ञानी भूसुरो यस्तु त्यजेद्भूमिं विमोहितः । प्रतिजन्मन्यसौ विप्रो भवेच्चात्यंत दुःखभाक्
A brahmin who, out of ignorance and delusion, abandons land, in every birth that brahmin will experience extreme suffering.
अन्यतो यः समासाद्य दद्याद्भूमिं द्विजातये । तस्मै विप्र जगन्नाथो ददाति परमं पदम्
Whoever, obtaining 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, bound with countless families, goes to a most terrible hell.
हरेद्यो वै महीं विप्र देवब्राह्मणयोरपि । न दृष्टा निष्कृतिस्तस्य कोटिकल्पशतैर्मुने
O sage, one who takes land even from a god or a brahmin, 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
A king who protects land previously given by another to a twice-born, his merit from that act is a crore times greater than that of ordinary donors.
सप्तद्वीपां महीं दत्त्वा यत्पुण्यं प्राप्यते द्विज । तत्पुण्यं प्राप्नुयान्मर्त्यो धेनुं यच्छन्द्विजातये
The merit gained by giving the earth with its seven continents, that same merit a mortal attains by giving a cow to a twice-born.
ददाति वृषभं यस्तु दरिद्राय कुटुंबिने । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो शिवलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever gives a bull to a poor householder, he, freed from all sins, goes to the world of Shiva.
तिलप्रमाणं स्वर्णं यो ब्राह्मणाय प्रयच्छति । हरेर्निकेतनं याति युक्तः कोटिकुलैरपि
Who gives gold equal in weight to a sesame seed to a brahmin, he goes to the abode of Hari, accompanied by countless families.
यो दद्याद्रजतं विप्र साधवे भूसुराय वै । प्राप्नोति चंद्रलोकं च पिबेत्तत्रामृतं सदा
Who gives silver to a worthy brahmin, he attains the world of the moon and always drinks nectar there.
प्रवालं मौक्तिकं चैव हीरकं च मणिं तथा । यो ददाति द्विजश्रेष्ठ स्वर्गलोकं स गच्छति
Who gives coral, pearl, diamond, or gem, O best of twice-born, he goes to the heavenly world.