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.
तुलापुरुषदानेन यत्पुण्यं लभते जनः । शालग्रामशिलां दत्त्वा तस्मात्कोटिगुणं लभेत्
The merit that a person gains by giving the gift of a tulāpuruṣa, by giving a śālagrāma stone, he obtains that merit multiplied by a crore.
सप्तद्वीपां क्षितिं दत्वा सशैलवनकाननाम् । यत्पुण्यं लभते तद्वै शालग्रामशिलाप्रदः
By giving the earth with seven continents, along with mountains, forests, and groves, the merit attained is that which is gained by giving a śālagrāma stone.
शालग्रामशिलां यो वै दद्याद्भूमिसुराय च । तेन विप्र प्रदत्तानि भुवनानि चतुर्दश
Whoever gives a śālagrāma stone to a brahmin, O brahmin, by him the fourteen worlds are given.
तुलापुरुषदानं यः करोति द्विजपुंगव । जनन्याश्चोदरे तस्य पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते
Who performs the gift of tulāpuruṣa, O best of twice-born, for him there is no rebirth in his mother's womb.
सालंकारां द्विजश्रेष्ठ कन्यां यच्छति यो नरः । स गच्छेद्ब्रह्मसदनं पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते
O best of twice-born, the man who gives a maiden adorned with ornaments attains the abode of Brahma and is not subject to rebirth.
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 a wind-shield to a twice-born, after death goes to the city of Indra and dwells there for four ages.
वस्त्रं यच्छति यो दिव्यं साधवे वै द्विजायते । स्वर्गे दिव्यांबरधरश्चिरं तिष्ठेद्द्विजोत्तम
He who gives a divine garment to a worthy twice-born remains in heaven, clothed in celestial garments, for a long time, O best of Brahmins.
धेनुं पुरातनीं यच्छेद्वस्त्रं च जरितं द्विज । नूत्नां रजोवतीं कन्यां स गच्छेन्निरयं तथा
If one gives an old cow or worn-out garment to a Brahmin, or a new, beautiful maiden, he surely goes to hell.
कन्याविक्रयिणो ब्रह्मन्न पश्येल्लपनं बुधः । दृष्ट्वा चाज्ञानतो वापि कुर्य्यान्मार्तंड दर्शनम्
O Brahmin, a wise man should not even speak with sellers of maidens; if he sees them, even unknowingly, he should look at the sun as expiation.