ब्राह्मणेष्वक्षयं दानमन्नं शूद्रे महत्फलम् । अन्नदानं च शूद्रे च ब्राह्मणे चावशिष्यते
Giving food to Brahmins yields inexhaustible merit; to a Shudra, it brings great fruit; the gift of food benefits both Shudra and Brahmin alike.
न पृच्छेद्गोत्रचरणं न च स्वाध्यायमेव च । भिक्षुको ब्राह्मणो ह्यत्र दद्यादन्नं प्रयाति च
One should not ask a begging Brahmin his lineage, school, or study; one should give him food, and he will depart.
अन्नदस्य शुभा वृक्षाः सर्वकामफलान्विताः । संभवंतीह लोके च हर्षयुक्तास्त्रिविष्टपे
A giver of food is surrounded by auspicious trees bearing all desired fruits, both in this world and joyfully in heaven.
अन्नदानेन ये लोकास्तान्शृणुष्वमहामुने । विमानानि प्रकाशंते दिवि तेषां महात्मनाम्
Hear, O great sage, of the worlds attained by food-givers: their shining palaces appear in heaven for those great souls.
नानासंस्थानरूपाणि नानाकामान्वितानि च । सर्वकामफलाश्चापि वृक्षा भुवनसंस्थिताः
There are trees of various forms and places, fulfilling all desires, and all-desire-yielding trees established throughout the worlds.
हेमवाप्यः शुभाः सर्वा दीर्घिकाश्चैव सर्वशः । घोषवंति च यानानि मुक्तान्यथ सहस्रशः
All golden reservoirs and ponds are found there, and countless vehicles resound, adorned with pearls.
भक्ष्यभोज्यमयाः शैला वासांस्याभरणानि च । क्षीरं स्रवंत्यः सरितस्तथैवाज्यस्य पर्वताः
There are mountains made of all kinds of food and delicacies, garments and ornaments, rivers flowing with milk, and mountains of ghee.
प्रासादाः शुभ्रवर्णाभाः शय्याश्च कनकोज्वलाः । तदन्नं दातुमिच्छंति तस्मादन्नप्रदो भवेत्
There are mansions shining white, beds gleaming with gold; those who wish to give such food should become givers of food.
एते लोकाः पुण्यकृतामन्नदानं महत्फलम् । तस्मादन्नं विशेषेण दातव्यं मानवैर्भुवि
These worlds are attained by the virtuous; the gift of food bears great fruit. Therefore, humans should especially give food on earth.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायां उत्तरखण्डे उमापतिनारदसंवादे अन्नदानप्रशंसानाम षड्विंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the twenty-sixth chapter, 'The Praise of Food Donation,' in the dialogue between Umāpati and Nārada, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
महादेव उवाच- पानीयदानं परमं दानानामुत्तमं सदा । तस्माद्वापीश्च कूपांश्च तडागानि च कारयेत्
Mahādeva said: The gift of water is always the highest and best of gifts; therefore, one should construct wells, ponds, and reservoirs.
अर्द्धं पापं संहरंति पुरुषस्य विकर्मणः । कूपाः प्रवृत्तपानीयाः सुप्रवृत्तस्य नित्यशः
Wells with flowing water, constantly maintained, remove half the sin of a person who has acted wrongly.
स च तारयते वंशं यस्य खात जलाशये । गावः पिबंति विप्राश्च साधवश्च नराः सदा
He uplifts his lineage, in whose excavated reservoir cows, Brahmins, and virtuous men always drink.
निदाघकाले पानीयं यस्य तिष्ठति नारद । दुर्गे विषमकृच्छ्रे च न कदाचिदवाप्यते
In the season of intense heat, O Narada, whose water remains, and in difficult, inaccessible places, it is never lacking.
तडागानां च वक्ष्यामि कृतानां ये गुणाः स्मृताः । त्रिषु लोकेषु सर्वत्र पूजितो यस्तडागवान्
I will declare the virtues remembered of constructed ponds; in all three worlds, the possessor of a pond is honored everywhere.
अथवा मित्रसदनं मित्रमैत्रीविवर्द्धनम् । कीर्तिसंजननं श्रेष्ठं तडागस्योपलक्षयेत्
Or else, one should regard the pond as a house of friendship, a promoter of friendship, and the best source of fame.
धर्म्यस्यार्थस्य कामस्य फलमाहुर्मनीषिणः । तडागं सुकृतं देशे क्षेत्रमध्ये महाश्रयम्
The wise say that the fruit of righteousness, wealth, and desire is a well-made pond in a land, a great refuge in the midst of a field.
चतुर्विधानां भूतानां तडागस्योपलक्षयेत् । तडागानि च सर्वाणि दिशंति श्रेयमुत्तमम्
One should recognize the pond as beneficial to four kinds of beings; all ponds bestow the highest welfare.
देवामनुष्यागंधर्वाः पितरो नाग राक्षसाः । स्थावराणि च भूतानि संश्रयंति जलाशयम्
Gods, humans, Gandharvas, ancestors, Nagas, Rakshasas, and immobile beings all take refuge in the reservoir.
वर्षाऋतौ तडागे तु सलिलं यत्र तिष्ठति । अग्निहोत्रफलं तस्य जायते नात्र संशयः
When water remains in the pond during the rainy season, the fruit of Agnihotra arises for its owner—there is no doubt about this.
हेमंते शिशिरे चैव सलिलं यस्य तिष्ठति । गोसहस्रफलं तस्य लभते नात्र संशयः
In winter and in the cold season, whose water remains, he attains the fruit of a thousand cows—there is no doubt about this.
वसंतेऽपि तथा ग्रीष्मे सलिलं तिष्ठते यदि । अतिरात्राश्वमेधाभ्यां फलमाहुर्मनीषिणः
Even in spring and summer, if water remains, the wise declare the fruit to be equal to Atiratra and Ashvamedha sacrifices.
अथैतेषां तु वृक्षाणां रोपणे च गुणाञ्छृणु । अतीतानागतौ चोभौ पितृवंशौ महाऋषे
Now hear the virtues of planting these trees, O great sage, which benefit both past and future ancestral lineages.
तारयेद्वृक्षरोपी च तस्माद्वृक्षांस्तु रोपयेत् । पुत्रपौत्रा भवंत्येते पादपा नात्र संशयः
The planter of trees uplifts both lineages; therefore, one should plant trees. These trees become sons and grandsons—there is no doubt about this.
परलोकं गतः सोऽपि लोकानाप्नोति चाक्षयान् । पुष्पैः सुरगणान्सर्वान्पत्रैश्चापि तथा पितॄन्
Even after departing to the next world, he attains imperishable realms, and by their flowers he pleases all the divine hosts, and by their leaves, the ancestors as well.
छायया चातिथीन्सर्वान्पूजयंति महीरुहाः । किन्नरोरगरक्षांसि देवगंधर्वमानवाः
By their shade, all guests are honored by the trees—Kinnaras, Uragas, Rakshasas, gods, Gandharvas, and humans.
तथा ऋषिगणाश्चैव संश्रयंति महीरुहान् । पुष्पिताः फलवंतश्च तर्पयंतीह मानवान्
Likewise, groups of sages take refuge in the trees; those that are flowering and bearing fruit satisfy people here.
इहलोके परे चैव पुत्रास्ते धर्मतः स्मृताः । तडागवृक्षरोपाश्च इष्टयज्ञाश्च ये द्विजाः
In this world and the next, these are considered sons by righteousness: those who plant ponds and trees, and the twice-born who perform desired sacrifices.
एते स्वर्गान्नहीयंते ये चान्ये सत्यवादिनः । सत्यमेव परं ब्रह्म सत्यमेव परं तपः
These do not fall from heaven, nor do others who speak truth; truth alone is the supreme Brahman, truth alone is the highest austerity.
सत्यमेव परो यज्ञः सत्यमेव परं श्रुतम् । सत्यं देवेषु जागर्ति सत्यं च परमं पदम्
Truth alone is the highest sacrifice, truth alone is the highest scripture; truth is awake among the gods, and truth is the supreme state.