धर्मादर्थं च कामं च मोक्षं चैतत्त्रयं लभेत् । तस्माद्धर्मं समीहेत विद्वान्यः स बुधः स्मृतः
From dharma, one attains wealth, desire, and liberation—these three. Therefore, the wise should strive for dharma; such a one is called learned.
तपसा चैव दानेन व्रतेन नियमेन च । तपसा प्राप्यते स्वर्गः सात्विकेन तथैव च
By austerity, by giving, by vows, and by discipline—by austerity, heaven is attained, and likewise by the quality of goodness.
इहायातो लभेद्राज्यं क्रोधलोभविवर्जितः । जन्मांतरेण मुक्तिः स्यात्पदं विंदति वैष्णवम्
One who comes here, free from anger and greed, obtains sovereignty; in another birth, liberation is attained, and the Vaiṣṇava state is reached.
तपसा राजसेनेह राजसश्चैव जायते । तप्त्वा तामसभावेन क्रूरकर्मा हि निष्ठुरः
By royal austerity here, one is born as a royal person; but by practicing with a dark nature, a cruel person performs harsh deeds.
तपस्तद्रक्षसां चोक्तं भुक्तिदं तामसात्मनाम् । यत्तप्तं सात्विकं चैव तत्तपो भवति ध्रुवम्
The austerity prescribed for demons grants enjoyment to those of dark nature; but whatever is practiced with goodness, that austerity is certainly true.
रजस्तमोभ्यां नियतं तपस्यां वने सतां वायुभुजां सुनिर्जने । तपस्विनां चैव धनादिवांच्छतां वनेऽपि दोषाः प्रभवंति रागिणाम्
Through passion and darkness, even in the forest among the virtuous who live on air in solitude, faults arise for those who desire wealth, even among ascetics.
गृहेऽपि पंचेंद्रियनिग्रहस्तपस्त्वकुत्सिते कर्मणि यः प्रवर्त्तते । निवृत्तरागस्य तपोवनं गृहं गृहाश्रमोऽतो गदितः स्वधर्मः
Even at home, the restraint of the five senses is austerity; but one who engages in impure actions—if his passion is subdued, his home is like a forest of ascetics, and thus the householder's path is called one's own dharma.
सुदुस्तरः सत्वजितेंद्रियाणां संहन्यते श्रेष्ठतमः शुभाश्रमः । गृहस्तु धर्मः प्रवरो मनीषिणां ब्रह्मादिभिश्चाभिहितो नगात्मजे
For those who have conquered their senses, the highest and most auspicious stage is extremely difficult to attain; but for the wise, the householder's dharma is declared best, even by Brahmā and others, O daughter of the mountain.
तप्त्वा तपस्वी विपिने क्षुधार्तो गृहं समायाति सदान्नदातुः । भक्त्या स चान्नं प्रददाति तस्मै तपोविभागं भजते हि तस्य
When an ascetic, afflicted by hunger, comes from the forest to the house of one who always gives food, and that person gives food with devotion, he partakes in the merit of the ascetic's austerity.
गृहाश्रमं ज्येष्ठमिहाश्रमाणां सम्यक्च यः पालयते मनुष्यः । इहैव भुंजन्समनुष्यभोगान्स्वर्गं प्रयातीति न संशयोऽत्र । गृहं सदा पालयतां नराणां पापं समायाति कथं हि देवि
Among all the stages of life, the householder's is the foremost; whoever properly maintains it, enjoying human pleasures here, surely attains heaven—of this there is no doubt. How could sin approach those who always uphold the householder's life, O goddess?
गृहाश्रमः पुण्यतमः सर्वदा तीर्थवद्गृहम् । अस्मिन्गृहाश्रमे पुण्ये दानं देयं विशेषतः
The householder stage is most holy, and the home is always like a sacred pilgrimage place; in this sacred householder life, one should especially give gifts.
देवानां पूजनं यत्र अतिथीनां च भोजनम् । पथिकानां च शरणं अतो धन्यतमो मतः
Where the gods are worshipped, guests are fed, and travelers are given shelter, that is considered most blessed.
तद्गृहं तु समाश्रित्य येऽर्चयंति द्विजान्नराः । आयुर्लक्ष्मीस्तथा पुत्रा न हीयंते कदाचन
Those people who, taking refuge in such a home, honor the twice-born, never suffer loss of lifespan, wealth, or children.
शृणु सुंदरि वक्ष्यामि महापापविशोधनम् । सर्वसंपत्करं दानं इहामुत्रफलप्रदम्
Listen, O beautiful one, I will tell you of a great purifier of sins: the giving of gifts, which brings all prosperity and yields results both here and hereafter.
शुभेकाले समायाते समभ्यर्च्य स्वदैवतम् । नित्यं नैमित्तकं कृत्वा दद्याद्दानं स्वशक्तितः
When an auspicious time arrives, having properly worshipped one’s chosen deity, and having performed daily and occasional rites, one should give gifts according to one’s ability.
गृहीत्वा परद्रव्यं च द्विजदेवेभ्य एव हि । दद्यात्स निरयं दृष्ट्वा पश्चाद्याति परां गतिम्
If one gives to the twice-born and the gods, even after having taken another’s wealth, seeing hell, he later attains the highest state.
शतानीको यथा दानात्सपुत्रश्चैव तारितः । दत्त्वान्ये च द्विजेभ्यश्च स गंता धर्मतो दिवम्
Just as Shatānīka was saved along with his son by giving gifts, so too, one who gives to the twice-born will go to heaven by righteousness.
धर्मस्थानेषु यैर्दत्तं तेषां धर्ममुदाहृतम् । शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि वित्तदानं समासतः
Those who give in places of righteousness are declared to have righteousness; listen, O goddess, I will briefly explain the giving of wealth.
देहशुद्धिकरं दानं न भूतं न भविष्यति । पापहीनो येन पुमान्जायते नात्र संशयः
There has never been, nor will there be, a gift that purifies the body as this does; by it, a man is born free from sin—of this there is no doubt.
भोगान्भुक्त्वा ततश्चायं याति विष्णुं सनातनम् । पुरा वै ब्रह्मणा प्रोक्तं भार्गवाय महात्मने
After enjoying pleasures, he then attains the eternal Vishnu; this was formerly spoken by Brahmā to the great-souled Bhārgava.
पापयुक्ताय रामाय तुलावृषभमेव च । पापकर्मरतश्चैव भवबंधक्रियो नृपः
To Rāma, who was engaged in sinful acts and bound by worldly ties, Brahmā spoke of the tulā and vṛṣabha gifts, as well as to the king who delighted in sinful deeds.
अभक्षभक्षणरता भ्रूणहा गुरुतल्पगः । एतेप्यनृतवादी च प्रसूयंते वियोनिषु
Those who delight in eating forbidden food, who slay embryos, who violate their teacher’s bed, and who speak falsehoods—these are born in degraded wombs.
अयाज्ययाजनं कृत्वा याचयित्वा तु निंदितान् । सदा कोपसमायुक्ताः साधूनां पीडने रताः
Those who perform forbidden sacrifices, who beg from the censured, who are always filled with anger, and who delight in harming the virtuous—
विश्वासोपहताश्चैषामसुभिर्धर्मनिंदकाः । पापैरेभिः समायुक्ता ज्ञात्वात्मानं गतायुषम्
Those whose trust is broken, who are evil, who revile righteousness, and who are joined with these sins, knowing themselves to be near death—
इति ज्ञात्वा तु तैर्देवि दानं देयं विशेषतः । बहवो धर्मकर्त्तारो वैष्णवा भुवि विश्रुताः
Knowing this, O goddess, gifts should especially be given by them; there are many righteous doers, devotees of Vishnu, renowned on earth.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे दानधर्मोनाम चतुःसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the seventy-fourth chapter, called 'The Dharma of Giving,' in the dialogue between Umāpati and Nārada, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
महादेव उवाच- गंडिकायास्तु माहात्म्यं वक्ष्ये देवि विधानतः । यथा गंगा तथा सा च कथिता नगनंदिनि
Mahādeva said: I will properly describe to you, O goddess, the greatness of Gaṇḍikā; just as the Gaṅgā is, so is she, O daughter of the mountain.
शालग्रामशिला यत्र जायते बहुधा तथा । माहात्म्यं चैव तस्याश्च कथितं मुनिसत्तमैः
Where the Śālagrāma stone arises in many forms, there too is her greatness, as declared by the best of sages.
अंडजा उद्भिजा यत्र स्वेदजाश्च जरायुजाः । यस्या दर्शनमात्रेण पुण्यरूपास्तु पार्वति
Where creatures born from eggs, from sprouts, from sweat, and from wombs dwell—by merely seeing her, O Pārvatī, they become embodiments of merit.
उत्तरे सा तु संभूता गंडिका तु महानदी । संस्मृता संस्मृता नूनं पापं हंत्यगनंदिनि
In the north, the great river Gaṇḍikā arose; remembered again and again, O destroyer of sin, she surely destroys all evil.