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?
तथैवास्य कृता पूजा द्वितीयस्य नरस्य तु । मेनेऽहं शुभकर्माणौ विमानं वरसत्तमौ
In the same way, you worshipped this second man; I considered both to be doers of auspicious deeds, the best among those in splendid chariots.
यस्त्वमाभ्यां स्वयं पूजां कुरुषे धर्मकारणात् । ब्रह्माविष्णुशिवाद्यैस्तु पूज्यसे त्वं सदानिशम्
For what reason, O Dharma, do you yourself honor these two? You are always worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and others.
यस्येदृक्परमं पुण्यं किमेतौ कर्म चक्रतुः । कथ्यतां मम सर्वज्ञ फलं दिव्यमवापतुः
Whose supreme merit is such as this? What deeds did these two perform? Tell me, all-knowing one, what divine fruit they attained.
तच्छ्रुत्वा स तु मां प्राह शृणु कर्मानयोः कृतम् । यत्कृत्वार्हमिहायातौ तच्छृणुष्व महामते
Hearing this, he said to me: Listen to the deeds performed by these two; having done them, they have come here—hear this, O wise one.
धर्म उवाच- वैदिशं नाम नगरं पृथिव्यामस्ति विश्रुतम् । तत्राभूत्पृथिवीपालो धरापाल इति श्रुतः
Dharma said: There is a renowned city on earth called Vaidiśa. There, a king named Dharāpāla was known.
कस्मिन्काले पुरा देवी शशाप स्वगणं क्रुधा । मदृतेन परा नारी भर्त्तुर्यन्मे निवेशिता
Once, in ancient times, the goddess, angered, cursed her own retinue: 'Because another woman, not me, was placed by my husband—'
तस्माद्द्वादशवर्षाणि जंबुकस्त्वं भविष्यसि । इत्युक्तः स च बभ्राम जंबुको मेदिनीतलम्
'Therefore, for twelve years, you shall become a jackal.' Thus spoken to, he wandered the earth as a jackal.
वेतसी वेत्रवत्योस्तु संगमे लोकविश्रुते । शापांतो भविता पुत्र इत्युक्तं गिरिकन्यया
'At the famous confluence of the Vetasī and Vetravatī rivers, the curse will end, my son,' said the mountain maiden.
तत्र चानशनं कृत्वा क्षेत्रे प्राणांस्ततोऽत्यजत् । दिव्यरूपवपुर्भूत्वा जगाम विष्णुसन्निधौ
There, after fasting, he gave up his life in the field, and, taking on a divine form, he went to the presence of Viṣṇu.
तत्राश्चर्यं महद्दृष्ट्वा धरापालो महीपतिः । विष्णोरायतनं कृत्वा क्षेत्रे प्राणंस्ततोऽत्यजत्
There, witnessing a great wonder, King Dharāpāla built a temple of Viṣṇu in the field and then gave up his life.