आभ्युदयं प्रवक्ष्यामि यच्च यज्ञादिषु स्मृतम् । जातकर्मादिकार्येषु मौञ्ज्याद्युद्वाहकर्मसु
I will explain the prosperity, and what is remembered in sacrifices and the like, in rites like birth ceremonies, thread ceremonies, and marriage rituals.
प्रासादध्वजदेवानां प्रतिष्ठासु प्रयत्नतः । इत्यादिकं महीदेव दानमभ्युदयात्मकम्
At the installations of temples, flags, and gods, with effort—such things, O lord of the earth, are gifts of a prosperous nature.
प्रजावृद्धिकरं भोगयशःस्वर्गसुखप्रदम् । अंत्यं चैव प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु दानं द्विजोत्तम
They bring increase of progeny, pleasure, fame, heavenly happiness; and now I will explain the final gift—listen, O best of twice-born.
कामस्य संक्षयं ज्ञात्वा जरया परिपीडितः । दद्याद्दानानि यत्नेन कुर्यादाशां न कस्यचित्
Knowing the decline of desire, afflicted by old age, one should give gifts with effort, and should not place hope in anyone.
मृते च मयि मे पुत्रा जायाबांधवसोदराः । कथमेते भविष्यंति मां विना सुहृदो मम
When I am dead, my sons, wife, relatives, and brothers—how will these, my friends, be without me?
अहं वित्तविहीनो वा कथं जीवन्पुनस्तथा । भविष्यामीति विज्ञाय न ददाति हि किंचन
Or, if I am without wealth, how will I live again? Thinking thus, he gives nothing at all.
आशापाशशतैर्बद्धो भाग्यादेव कुमायया । मृत्युं प्रयाति मूढात्मा रुदंति च ततः सुताः
Bound by hundreds of cords of hope, by ill fortune and ignorance, the deluded soul goes to death, and then the sons weep.
दुःखेन पीडिताः किचिंन्मोहेनाकुलचेतसः । स्वल्पमल्पं च वा दानं कथंचित्कल्पयंति ते
Afflicted by sorrow, somewhat disturbed by confusion of mind, they somehow arrange a small and meager gift.
न तत्रास्मिन्गते काले महादुःखगते सति । विस्मरंति तदा दानं लोभाद्वा न ददत्यपि
When that time arrives, filled with great sorrow, people do not remember charity; out of greed, they do not give at all.
मृतोऽयं च पिता ज्ञात्वा स्नेहपाशो निवर्त्तते । योऽसौ मृतो महीदेव मम पाशैर्नियंत्रितः
When one realizes that the father has died, the bonds of affection are released; that king, my father, who has died, is restrained by these bonds.
तृष्णा क्षुधा समाक्रांतो बहुदुःखैः प्रपीडितः । पच्यते नरके घोरे चिरकालं न संशयः
Overcome by thirst and hunger, afflicted by many sufferings, he is tormented in the dreadful hell for a long time, without doubt.
तस्माद्दानं प्रदातव्यं स्वयमेव न संशयः । कस्य पुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च कस्य भार्या धनं च वा
Therefore, charity must be given by oneself, without doubt; whose are sons and grandsons, whose is wife or wealth?
संसारे नास्तिकः कस्य स्वयं तस्मात्प्रदीयते । पानमन्नं च तांबूलमुदकं कांचनं तथा
In this world, who truly possesses anything? Therefore, one should give: drink, food, betel, water, and gold as well.
वसनं गां च भूमिं च च्छत्रपात्राण्यनेकधा । फलानि भूमिदानानि विविधानि स्वशक्तितः
Clothing, cows, land, umbrellas, vessels of many kinds, fruits, gifts of land, and various things according to one's ability.
दातव्यानि महीदेव नात्र कार्या विचारणा । तीर्थानां लक्षणं विप्र प्रवक्ष्यामि तवाग्रतः
These must be given, O king; there should be no hesitation. I will declare to you, O Brahmin, the characteristics of holy places.
सुतीर्थानि इयं गंगा भाति पुण्या सरस्वती । रेवा च यमुना तापी नदी चर्मण्वती तथा
This Ganga shines as a holy place, as does the sacred Sarasvati; also Reva, Yamuna, Tapi, and the river Carmanvati.
सरयू च वरा वेणी पूर्णा पापप्रणाशिनी । कावेरी कपिला चान्या विशल्या विश्वतारिणी
Sarayu, the excellent Veni, the full river that destroys sin; Kaveri, Kapila, and others, Vishalya, Vishvatarini.
गोदावरी समाख्याता तुंगभद्रा च गंडकी । पापानां भीतिदा नित्यं नदी भीमरथी स्मृता
Godavari is renowned, as are Tungabhadra and Gandaki; Bhimarathi is remembered as a river that always gives fear to sinners.
देविका कृष्णगंगा च अन्या याः सरितांवराः । एतास्तु पुण्यकालेषु संति तीर्थान्यनेकशः
Devika, Krishna-Ganga, and other supreme rivers; these, during auspicious times, are many holy places.
ग्रामे वा यदि वारण्ये नद्यः सर्वत्र पावनाः । तत्र तत्रैव कर्त्तव्याः स्नानदानादिकाः क्रियाः
Whether in a village or in the forest, rivers are purifying everywhere; at each place, acts such as bathing and charity should be performed.
यदा न ज्ञायते नाम तस्य तीर्थस्य भो द्विज । तत्रेत्युच्चारणं कार्यं विष्णुतीर्थमिदं महत्
When the name of that holy place is not known, O twice-born, then one should declare: 'This is the great Vishnu holy place.'
तीर्थस्य देवता विष्णुःस र्वत्रापि न संशयः । नारायणेति यन्नाम स्मरेत्तीर्थेषु साधकः
The deity of the holy place is always Vishnu, without doubt; the practitioner should remember the name 'Narayana' at holy places.
तस्य तीर्थफलं सम्यग्विष्णुनाम्नैव जायते । अज्ञातानां च तीर्थानां देवतानां न संशयः
The fruit of the holy place is fully obtained by the name of Vishnu; for unknown holy places and deities, there is no doubt.
विष्णुनाम्नैव नामानि मानवः परिकीर्तयेत् । सर्वास्तु सिद्धयः पुण्यास्तीर्थभूतास्तु सागरः
A person should recite the names with the name of Vishnu; all attainments and merits, and the ocean itself, are holy places.
सरांसि मानसादीनि निर्झराः पल्वलादयः । स्वल्पा नद्योऽपि सर्वास्तास्तीर्थानि हरिनामतः
Lakes such as Manasa, waterfalls, ponds, even small rivers—all these become holy places through the name of Hari.
पर्वतास्तीर्थरूपाश्च यज्ञो यज्ञमही तथा । ब्राह्मणा यत्र विद्वांसः कौतुकेनाप्यवस्थिताः
Mountains are also in the form of holy places, as are sacrifices and sacrificial grounds; wherever learned Brahmins are present, even with curiosity.
तदेव तीर्थं सुमहत्सर्वपापहरं स्मृतम् । श्राद्धं च श्राद्धभूमिश्च देवशाला च होमभूः
That very place is regarded as a great sacred site, remover of all sins; it is the ground for offerings to ancestors, the place for ancestral rites, the temple of the gods, and the ground for sacrificial fire.
यत्र वेदध्वनिः सम्यग्यत्र विष्णुकथाः शुभाः । स्वगृहं पुण्यसंयुक्तं गोस्थानमपि पावनम्
Where the sound of the Vedas is properly heard, where auspicious stories of Vishnu are told, one's own home endowed with virtue, and even a cowshed are sanctified.
यत्राश्वत्थ तरु वने यत्रागारोपि पावनः । एवमादीनि तीर्थानि पिता माता तथैव च
Where there is a grove of fig trees, where even a shelter for cattle is pure; such places are sacred sites, as are father and mother likewise.
पच्यते यत्र धर्मार्थं स्वयं तत्र गुरुः स्थितः । साध्वी यत्रास्ति वै भार्या तत्र तीर्थं न संशयः
Where righteousness is pursued for its own sake, where the teacher is present, where a virtuous wife exists—there is a sacred site, without doubt.