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.
यत्र नारायणो देवो नित्यं तिष्ठति भूतिदः । शंखचक्रधरास्तस्य समीपे निवसंति ये
There, where the god Nārāyaṇa, bestower of existence, always abides, those who dwell near him bear the conch and discus.
ते मृत्युं समनुप्राप्य दिव्यरूपाश्चतुर्भुजाः । ऋषयस्तत्र तिष्ठंति देवाश्चैवं विशेषतः
Having reached death, they attain divine forms with four arms; sages and especially the gods reside there.
रुद्रा नागास्तथा यक्षा नात्र कार्या विचारणा । तस्याः समीपे ह्येकोऽयं स्थलो वै विष्णुरूपधृक्
Rudras, nāgas, and yakṣas as well—there is no need for doubt here; near her, indeed, is a place where Viṣṇu himself abides.
स्थलेऽस्मिन्वर्तते मूर्तिर्बहुरूपातिमुक्तिदा । चतुर्विंशतिभूतानां जातयः संति तत्र वै
In this place, a form exists, bestowing supreme liberation in many manifestations; there, the births of the twenty-four elements are found.
एका वै मत्स्यरूपा च कृष्णरूपातिमुक्तिदा । अन्या च या बुधैः प्रोक्ता स्थले वै विष्णुसंज्ञके
One is in the form of a fish, granting supreme liberation in the form of Kṛṣṇa; another, as declared by the wise, is called Viṣṇu at that place.
कल्किनाम्नी तथा पुण्या कपिला या मयोदिता । अन्यास्तु विविधाकारा दृश्यंते बहुधा अपि
Another, named Kalki, is also meritorious, and the Kapilā I have described; others of various forms are seen there in many ways.
तिष्ठंति मूर्त्तयः सर्वा नानारूपा ह्यनेकशः । सा गंगा महती पुण्या धर्मकामार्थमुक्तिदा
All these forms stand there, of many shapes and countless kinds; that great and holy Gaṅgā bestows righteousness, desire, and liberation.
यस्यां भूमौ हृषीकेशो नियमेन समन्वितः । वर्त्ततेऽद्यापि तत्रैव मया सह न संशयः
On whose ground Hṛṣīkeśa, endowed with discipline, still abides there today with me—of this there is no doubt.
भ्रूणहत्या बालहत्या गोहत्या च विशेषतः । यस्याः स्पर्शनमात्रेण मुच्यते सर्वकिल्बिषात्
By merely touching her, one is freed from all sins, especially the killing of embryos, children, or cows.
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश्चैवान्यजातयः । सर्वे ते वै विमुच्यंते दर्शनाद्गंडिकांबुनः
Brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, and other castes—all of them are released by the sight of the water of Gaṇḍikā.