वेदा यज्ञास्तथा मंत्राः संति विप्रेषु नित्यशः । न भांत्युज्झित सत्येषु तस्मात्सत्यं समाचरेत्
The Vedas, sacrifices, and mantras always exist among the Brahmins; they do not waver from those established in truth. Therefore, one should practice truth.
नारद उवाच-। तपसां मे फलं ब्रूहि पुनरेव विशेषतः । सर्वेषां चैव वर्णानां ब्राह्मणानां तपोबलम्
Narada said: Tell me again, in detail, the fruit of austerities, and the power of austerity among all castes and Brahmins.
प्रवक्ष्यामि तपोध्यानं सर्वकामार्थसाधकम् । सुदुश्चरं द्विजातीनां तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
I will declare the meditation on austerity, which accomplishes all desires and aims; it is very difficult for the twice-born. Hear it from me as I speak.
तपो हि परमं प्रोक्तं तपसा विंदते फलम् । तपोरतो हि यो नित्यं मोदते सह दैवतैः
Austerity is declared supreme; by austerity one attains its fruit. He who is always devoted to austerity rejoices with the gods.
तपसा प्राप्यते स्वर्गस्तपसा प्राप्यते यशः । तपसा मोक्षमाप्नोति तपसा विंदते महत्
By austerity heaven is attained, by austerity fame is attained; by austerity one obtains liberation, by austerity one realizes greatness.
ज्ञानविज्ञानसंपत्तिः सौभाग्यं रूपमेव च । तपसा लभते सर्वं मनसा यद्यदिच्छति
Acquisition of knowledge and wisdom, good fortune, and beauty—all is gained by austerity, whatever the mind desires.
नातप्ततपसो यांति ब्रह्मलोकं कदाचन । यत्कार्यं किंचिदास्थाय पुरुषस्तप्यते तपः
Those who have not practiced austerity never reach the world of Brahma. Whatever action a person undertakes, he performs austerity.
तत्सर्वं समवाप्नोति परत्रेह च मानवः । सुरापः परदारी च ब्रह्महा गुरुतल्पगः । तपसा तरते सर्वं सर्वतश्च विमुच्यते
He attains all that, both here and hereafter. Even a drinker, adulterer, murderer of a Brahmin, or violator of the teacher's bed—by austerity, one crosses all and is freed from everything.
अपि सर्वेश्वरः स्थाणुर्विष्णुश्चैव सनातनः । ब्रह्मा हुताशनः शक्रो ये चान्ये तपसान्विताः
Even the Supreme Lord, the Immutable One, and also Viṣṇu the Eternal, Brahmā, Agni, Indra, and others endowed with austerity—
षडशीतिसहस्राणि मुनीनामूर्द्ध्वरेतसाम् । तपसा दिवि मोदंते समेता दैवतैः सह
Eighty-six thousand sages of steadfast celibacy, rejoicing in heaven through their austerity, together with the gods—
तपसा प्राप्यते राज्यं शक्रः सर्वे पुरा सुराः । तपसा पालयन्सर्वानहन्यहनि वृत्तिदाः
By austerity, sovereignty is attained; Indra and all the gods of old, by austerity, maintain all beings, granting sustenance day by day.
सूर्याचंद्रमसौ देवौ सर्वलोकहिते रतौ । तपसैव प्रकाशंते नक्षत्राणि ग्रहास्तथा
The deities Sun and Moon, intent on the welfare of all worlds, shine by austerity, as do the stars and planets.
सर्वं च तपसाभ्येति सर्वं च सुखमश्नुते । तपस्तपति योऽरण्ये वनमूलफलाशनः
All is attained by austerity, and all happiness is enjoyed; he who practices austerity in the forest, living on roots and fruits, shines.
योऽधीते श्रुतिमेवादौ समं स्यात्तपसा मुने । श्रुतेरध्यापनात्पुण्यं यदाप्नोति द्विजोत्तमः
He who studies the Veda at the outset, O sage, is equal to one who performs austerity; the merit a twice-born gains by teaching the Veda—
तदध्यायस्य जप्याच्च द्विगुणं फलमश्नुते । जगद्यथा निरालोकं जायते शशिभास्करौ
That merit, by recitation and study, is doubled in its fruit; just as the world would be dark without the moon and sun—
विना तथा पुराणं हि ध्येयमस्मान्महामुने । तप्यमानस्तपो ज्ञानं यो धारयति शास्त्रतः
So too, the Purāṇa must be meditated upon, O great sage; he who, practicing austerity, upholds knowledge from scripture—
संबोधयति लोकं च तस्मात्पूज्यतमो गुरुः । सर्वेषां चैव पात्राणां श्रेष्ठपात्रं पुराणवित्
He enlightens the world, and therefore is the most worthy of honor as a teacher; among all recipients, the knower of the Purāṇa is the best vessel.
पतनात्त्रायते यस्मात्तस्मात्पात्रमुदाहृतम् । धनं धान्यं हिरण्यं वा वासांसि विविधानि च
Because he saves from downfall, he is called a worthy vessel; wealth, grain, gold, or various garments—
ये यच्छंति सुपात्राय ते यांति च परां गतिम् । गाश्चैव महिषीर्वापि गजानश्वांश्च शोभनान्
Whoever gives these to a worthy recipient attains the highest state; cows, buffaloes, elephants, and fine horses—
यः प्रयच्छति मुख्याय तत्पुण्यस्य फलं शृणु । अक्षयं सर्वलोकानां सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत् 6.27.
Whoever gives these to the foremost recipient, hear the fruit of that merit: he obtains the inexhaustible fruit of the Aśvamedha sacrifice in all worlds.
महीं ददाति यस्तस्मै कृष्टां फलवतीं शुभाम् । स तारयति वै वंशान्दशपूर्वान्दशापरान्
He who gives to such a one fertile, cultivated, auspicious land, delivers his lineage—ten ancestors before and ten after.
विमानेन च दिव्येन विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति । न यज्ञैस्तुष्टिमायांति देवाः प्रोक्षणकैरपि
He goes to Viṣṇu's world in a divine chariot; not by sacrifices or libations do the gods become satisfied—
बलिभिः पुष्पपूजाभिर्यथा पुस्तकवाचनैः । विष्णोरायतने यस्तु कारयेद्धर्मपुस्तकम्
Nor by offerings or flower-worship as by the recitation of scriptures; whoever establishes a sacred text in Viṣṇu's temple—
देव्याः शंभोर्गणेशस्य अर्कस्य च तथा पुनः । राजसूयाश्वमेधाभ्यां फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः
Or for Durgā, Śiva, Gaṇeśa, or the Sun, again, a man obtains the fruit of the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices.
इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां पुण्यं पुस्तकवाचनम् । सर्वान्कामानवाप्नोति सूर्यलोकं भिनत्ति सः
By reading histories and Purāṇas, one gains merit; he attains all desires and pierces the world of the Sun.
सूर्यलोकं च भित्त्वासौ ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति । स्थित्वा कल्पशतान्यत्र राजा भवति भूतले
Having passed beyond the world of the Sun, he goes to the world of Brahmā; there, remaining for hundreds of aeons, he becomes a king on earth.
अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य यत्फलं समुदाहृतम् । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति देवाग्रे यो जयं पठेत्
Whatever result is declared for a thousand horse sacrifices, that very result is attained by one who recites the Jaya before the gods.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन कार्यं पुस्तकवाचनम् । इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां विष्णोरायतने शुभम् । नान्यत्प्रीतिकरं विष्णोस्तथान्येषां दिवौकसाम्
Therefore, with all effort, one should undertake the reading of books—especially the auspicious Itihasas and Puranas—in the temple of Vishnu; nothing else brings such delight to Vishnu or to the other gods.
महादेव उवाच- अत्राप्युदाहरंतीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । पुराणं परमं पुण्यं सर्वपापहरं शुभम्
Mahadeva said: Here too, they cite an ancient story, a supreme and holy Purana, auspicious and remover of all sins.
कुमारेण च लोकानां नमस्कृत्य पितामहम् । प्रोक्तं चेदं ममाख्यानं देवर्षे ब्रह्मसूनुना
After bowing to the Grandfather of the worlds, Kumara spoke this account of mine, O sage among the gods, son of Brahma.