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.
सनत्कुमार उवाच- गतोऽहं धर्मराजानं द्रष्टुं संपूजितो मुदा । श्रुतिभिः परया भक्त्या तेनोक्तोऽस्मि सुखासने
Sanatkumara said: I went, honored with joy, to see Dharmaraja; with supreme devotion I was addressed by him, seated comfortably, in accordance with the Vedas.
मया तत्रोपविष्टेन दृष्टं किंचिन्महाद्भुतम् । कांचनेन विमानेन वैडूर्यकृतवेदिना
As I sat there, I saw something truly wondrous: a golden aerial chariot, with a platform made of beryl.
मणिमुक्तविचित्रेण किंकिणीजालशोभिना । आगतं पुरुषं तत्र आसनाद्देवसत्तम
Adorned with jewels and pearls, shining with a network of little bells, a man arrived there, O best of gods, from his seat.
ससंभ्रमं समुत्थाय दृष्ट्वा धर्मः स्वयं विभुः । गृहीत्वा दक्षिणे पाणौ पूजितोऽर्घेण वै ततः
Seeing him, Dharma himself, the mighty one, rose up with excitement, took his right hand, and honored him with arghya.
शिरस्याघ्राय देवेशः पुरः स्थाप्य ततः परम् । पूजयित्वा तु तं धर्म इदं वाक्यमुवाच ह
The lord of the gods then smelled his head, set him before himself, and after worshipping him, Dharma spoke these words.
सुस्वागतं धर्मदर्शिन्प्रीतोऽस्मि दर्शनात्तव । समीपे मम तिष्ठस्व किंचिज्ज्ञानं वदस्व मे
Welcome, O seer of Dharma! I am pleased by your sight. Remain near me and speak to me some knowledge.
पुनर्यास्यसि तत्स्थानं यत्र ब्रह्मा व्यवस्थितः । इत्युक्ते च ततश्चान्यो विमानवरमास्थितः
Afterwards, you will return to that place where Brahma abides. When this was said, another, seated in a splendid chariot, arrived.
आगतः पुरुषो देवो यत्र तिष्ठति धर्मराट् । स पूजितो विमानस्थः प्रश्रयावनतेन च
A divine man arrived at the place where Dharmaraja stood; he too, seated in his chariot, was honored, bowing with humility.
सामपूर्वं तथोक्त्वा तु यथापूर्वं नरः स्वयम् । किमनेन कृतं कर्म यस्य तुष्टो भवान्भृशम्
Having spoken with gentle words, just as before, the man himself asked: What deed did this one perform, for which you are so greatly pleased?
अत्र मे कौतुकं जातं कृता हि स्वयमेव तु । यदस्य भवता पूजा सविस्मयमनंतरम्
At this, curiosity arose in me, for the worship was performed by you yourself; what is the reason for your wondrous honor towards him?