The Causes of the Highest Worlds, Liberation, and Human Birth

Verse 1 (garuda.2.38.1)

तार्क्ष्य उवाच । दानतीर्थार्थितं मोक्षं स्वर्गञ्च वद मे प्रभो । केन मोक्षमवाप्नोति केन स्वर्गे वसेच्चिरम्

tārkṣya uvāca dānatīrthārthitaṁ mokṣaṁ svargañca vada me prabho kena mokṣamavāpnoti kena svarge vasecciram

Tarkshya said: "Tell me, O Lord, of the liberation and heaven attained through gift and pilgrimage. By what does one obtain liberation, and by what does a man dwell long in heaven?"

Verse 2 (garuda.2.38.2)

केन गच्छति तेजस्तु स्वर्लोकात्सत्यलोकतः । मानुष्यं केन लभते नरकेशु निमज्जति

kena gacchati tejastu svarlokātsatyalokataḥ mānuṣyaṁ kena labhate narakeśu nimajjati

"By what does that radiance travel from the world of heaven to Satyaloka? By what is human birth attained, and by what does a man sink into the hells?"

Verse 3 (garuda.2.38.3)

एतन्मे वदनिश्चित्य भक्तानां मोक्षदायक । ब्रूहि कस्मिन्मृते स्वर्गे पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते

etanme vadaniścitya bhaktānāṁ mokṣadāyaka brūhi kasminmṛte svarge punarjanma na vidyate

"O granter of liberation to your devotees, tell me this with certainty. Tell me, dying in which place is there no rebirth even from heaven?"

Verse 4 (garuda.2.38.4)

श्रीविष्णुरुवाच । मानुष्यं भारते वर्षे त्रयोदशसु जातिषु

śrīviṣṇuruvāca mānuṣyaṁ bhārate varṣe trayodaśasu jātiṣu

Shri Vishnu said: "Human birth, in the land of Bharata among the thirteen sacred regions —"

Verse 5 (garuda.2.38.5)

तत्प्राप्य म्रियते क्षेत्रे पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते । अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका

tatprāpya mriyate kṣetre punarjanma na vidyate ayodhyā mathurā māyā kāśī kāñcī avantikā

"having attained that, and dying in that land, there is no rebirth. Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kashi, Kanchi, Avantika,"

Verse 6 (garuda.2.38.6)

पुरी द्वारवती ज्ञेया सप्तैता मोक्षदायिकाः । सन्न्यस्तमिति यो ब्रुयात्प्राणैः कण्ठगतैरपि

purī dvāravatī jñeyā saptaitā mokṣadāyikāḥ sannyastamiti yo bruyātprāṇaiḥ kaṇṭhagatairapi

"Puri, and Dvaraka — these seven should be known as bestowers of liberation. Whoever declares, even with his life-breath at his very throat, 'I have taken renunciation',"

Verse 7 (garuda.2.38.7)

मृतो विष्णुपुरं याति न पुनर्जायते क्षितौ । सकृदुच्चरितं येन हरिरित्यक्षरद्वयम्

mṛto viṣṇupuraṁ yāti na punarjāyate kṣitau sakṛduccaritaṁ yena harirityakṣaradvayam

"upon dying goes to the city of Vishnu and is not born again upon the earth. By whoever has uttered even once the two syllables 'Hari',"

Verse 8 (garuda.2.38.8)

बद्धः परिकरस्तेन मोक्षाय गमनं प्रति । कृष्णकृष्णेति कृष्णेति यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः

baddhaḥ parikarastena mokṣāya gamanaṁ prati kṛṣṇakṛṣṇeti kṛṣṇeti yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ

"a firm resolve is fastened toward liberation. Whoever ever remembers me, saying 'Krishna, Krishna, Krishna',"

Verse 9 (garuda.2.38.9)

जल भित्त्वा यथा पद्मं नरकादुद्धराम्यहम् । शालग्रामजिला यत्र यत्र द्वारवती शिला

jala bhittvā yathā padmaṁ narakāduddharāmyaham śālagrāmajilā yatra yatra dvāravatī śilā

"him I raise up out of hell just as a lotus is drawn forth by parting the water. Wherever a Shaligrama stone lies, and wherever a Dvaravati stone lies,"

Verse 10 (garuda.2.38.10)

उभयोः सङ्गमो यत्र मुक्तिस्तत्र न संशयः । शालग्रामशिला यत्र पापदोषक्षयावहा

ubhayoḥ saṅgamo yatra muktistatra na saṁśayaḥ śālagrāmaśilā yatra pāpadoṣakṣayāvahā

"wherever the two come together, there liberation is certain. Wherever a Shaligrama stone lies, which destroys the taint of sin,"

Verse 11 (garuda.2.38.11)

तत्सन्निधानमरणान्मुक्तिर्जन्तोः सुनिश्चता । रोपणात्पालनात्सेकाद्ध्यानस्पर्शनकीर्तनात् । तुलसी दहते पापं नृणां जन्मार्जितं खग

tatsannidhānamaraṇānmuktirjantoḥ suniścatā ropaṇātpālanātsekāddhyānasparśanakīrtanāt tulasī dahate pāpaṁ nṛṇāṁ janmārjitaṁ khaga

"death in its presence brings a being's liberation for certain. Through planting, tending, watering, meditating on, touching, or praising it, O bird, tulasi burns away the sins men have accumulated through their births."

Verse 12 (garuda.2.38.12)

ज्ञानहृदे सत्यजले रागद्वेषमलापहे । यः स्नातो मानसे तीर्थे न स लिप्येत पातकैः

jñānahṛde satyajale rāgadveṣamalāpahe yaḥ snāto mānase tīrthe na sa lipyeta pātakaiḥ

"Whoever bathes in the lake of knowledge, filled with the true water that carries away the taint of attachment and aversion, is not stained by sin."

Verse 13 (garuda.2.38.13)

न काष्ठे विद्यते देवो न शिलायां कदाचन । भावे हि विद्यते देवस्तस्माद्भावं समाचरेत्

na kāṣṭhe vidyate devo na śilāyāṁ kadācana bhāve hi vidyate devastasmādbhāvaṁ samācaret

"God dwells neither in wood nor ever in stone; God dwells only in devotion — therefore one should cultivate devotion."

Verse 14 (garuda.2.38.14)

प्रातः प्रातः प्रपश्यन्ति नर्मदां मत्स्यघातिनः । न ते शिवपुरीं यान्ति चित्तवृत्तिर्गरीयसी

prātaḥ prātaḥ prapaśyanti narmadāṁ matsyaghātinaḥ na te śivapurīṁ yānti cittavṛttirgarīyasī

"Fishermen behold the Narmada every morning, yet they do not go to Shiva's city — the disposition of the mind is what matters most."

Verse 15 (garuda.2.38.15)

यादृक्चित्तप्रतीतिः स्यात्तादृक्कर्मफलं नृणाम् । परलोकगतिस्तादृक सूचीसूत्रविचारवत्

yādṛkcittapratītiḥ syāttādṛkkarmaphalaṁ nṛṇām paralokagatistādṛka sūcīsūtravicāravat

"As is a man's conviction of mind, so is the fruit of his deeds; his destiny in the world beyond is likewise as fine and exacting as threading a needle."

Verse 16 (garuda.2.38.16)

ब्राह्मणार्थे गवार्थे च स्त्रीणां बलवधेषु च । प्राणत्यागपरो यस्तु स वै मोक्षमवाप्नुयात्

brāhmaṇārthe gavārthe ca strīṇāṁ balavadheṣu ca prāṇatyāgaparo yastu sa vai mokṣamavāpnuyāt

"Whoever is ready to give up his life for the sake of a brahmin, a cow, the protection of women, or against violent slaughter, certainly attains liberation."

Verse 17 (garuda.2.38.17)

अनाशके मृतौ यस्तु स वै मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् । अनाशके मृतो यस्तु स मुक्तः सर्वबन्धनैः

anāśake mṛtau yastu sa vai mokṣamavāpnuyāt anāśake mṛto yastu sa muktaḥ sarvabandhanaiḥ

"Whoever dies through fasting certainly attains liberation; whoever dies through fasting is freed from every bondage."

Verse 18 (garuda.2.38.18)

दत्त्वा दानानि विप्रेभ्यस्ततो मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् । एते वै मोक्षमार्गाश्च स्वर्गमार्गास्तथैव च

dattvā dānāni viprebhyastato mokṣamavāpnuyāt ete vai mokṣamārgāśca svargamārgāstathaiva ca

"Having given gifts to brahmins, he thereafter attains liberation. These are all paths to liberation, and likewise paths to heaven."

Verse 19 (garuda.2.38.19)

गोग्रहे देशविध्वंसे मरणं रणतीर्थयोः । उत्तमाधममध्यस्य बाध्यमानस्य देहिनः । आत्मानं तत्र सन्त्यज्य स्वर्गवासं लभेच्चिरम्

gograhe deśavidhvaṁse maraṇaṁ raṇatīrthayoḥ uttamādhamamadhyasya bādhyamānasya dehinaḥ ātmānaṁ tatra santyajya svargavāsaṁ labhecciram

"In protecting cows, in the destruction of defending one's land, in death upon a battlefield or at a holy ford — whether the being is of the highest, lowest, or middling rank, being oppressed — having given up himself there, he obtains a long dwelling in heaven."

Verse 20 (garuda.2.38.20)

जीवितं मरणञ्चैव द्वयं शिक्षेत पण्डितः । जीवितं दानभोगाभ्यां मरणं रणतीर्थयोः

jīvitaṁ maraṇañcaiva dvayaṁ śikṣeta paṇḍitaḥ jīvitaṁ dānabhogābhyāṁ maraṇaṁ raṇatīrthayoḥ

"The wise man should learn of both life and death: life through giving and enjoyment, and death on the battlefield or at a holy ford."

Verse 21 (garuda.2.38.21)

हरिक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे भृगुक्षेत्रे तथैव च । प्रभासे श्रीस्थले चैव अर्बुदे च त्रिपुष्करे

harikṣetre kurukṣetre bhṛgukṣetre tathaiva ca prabhāse śrīsthale caiva arbude ca tripuṣkare

"At Harikshetra, Kurukshetra, and Bhrigukshetra, at Prabhasa, Shristhala, Arbuda, and Tripushkara,"

Verse 22 (garuda.2.38.22)

भूतेश्वरे मृतो यस्तु स्वर्गे वसति मानवः । ब्रह्मणो दिवसं यावत्ततः पतति भूतले

bhūteśvare mṛto yastu svarge vasati mānavaḥ brahmaṇo divasaṁ yāvattataḥ patati bhūtale

"and at Bhuteshvara — whoever dies there dwells in heaven for a single day of Brahma, and thereafter falls back to the earth."

Verse 23 (garuda.2.38.23)

वर्षवृत्तिन्तु यो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणे दोषवर्जिते । सर्वं कलं स मुद्धृत्य स्वर्गलोके महीयते

varṣavṛttintu yo dadyādbrāhmaṇe doṣavarjite sarvaṁ kalaṁ sa muddhṛtya svargaloke mahīyate

"Whoever gives a year's provision to a faultless brahmin, having delivered his entire lineage, is honored in the world of heaven."

Verse 24 (garuda.2.38.24)

कन्यां विवाहयेद्यस्तु ब्राह्मणं वेदपारगम् । इन्द्रलोके वसेत्सोऽपि स्वकुलैः परिवेष्टितः

kanyāṁ vivāhayedyastu brāhmaṇaṁ vedapāragam indraloke vasetso'pi svakulaiḥ pariveṣṭitaḥ

"Whoever gives a daughter in marriage to a brahmin versed in the Vedas also dwells in Indra's world, surrounded by his own kin."

Verse 25 (garuda.2.38.25)

महादानानि दत्वा च नरस्तत्फलमामुयात्

mahādānāni datvā ca narastatphalamāmuyāt

"Having given the great gifts, a man obtains their fruit."

Verse 26 (garuda.2.38.26)

वापी कूपतडागानामारामसुरसद्मनाम् । जीर्णोद्धारं प्रकुर्वाणः पूर्वकर्तुः फलं लभेत् । जीर्णोद्धारेण वा तेषां तत्पुण्यं द्विगुणं भवेत्

vāpī kūpataḍāgānāmārāmasurasadmanām jīrṇoddhāraṁ prakurvāṇaḥ pūrvakartuḥ phalaṁ labhet jīrṇoddhāreṇa vā teṣāṁ tatpuṇyaṁ dviguṇaṁ bhavet

"Whoever restores a decayed step-well, well, tank, garden, or temple obtains the fruit of the original builder; or, through such restoration, the merit becomes doubled for them both."

Verse 27 (garuda.2.38.27)

शीतवा तातपहरमपि पर्णकुटीरकम् । कृत्वा विप्राय विदुषे प्रददाति कुटुम्बिने

śītavā tātapaharamapi parṇakuṭīrakam kṛtvā viprāya viduṣe pradadāti kuṭumbine

"Whoever has a hut of leaves built, sheltering from cold and heat, and gives it to a learned, householder brahmin,"

Verse 28 (garuda.2.38.28)

तिस्रः कोट्योर्धकोटी च नरः स्वर्गे महीयते

tisraḥ koṭyordhakoṭī ca naraḥ svarge mahīyate

"that man is honored in heaven for three and a half crores of years."

Verse 29 (garuda.2.38.29)

या स्त्री सवर्णा संशुबा मृतं पतिमनुव्रजेत् । सा मृता स्वर्गमाप्नोति वर्षाणां रोमसंख्यता

yā strī savarṇā saṁśubā mṛtaṁ patimanuvrajet sā mṛtā svargamāpnoti varṣāṇāṁ romasaṁkhyatā

"A pure woman of the same caste who follows her dead husband, upon dying, attains heaven for as many years as there are hairs upon the body."

Verse 30 (garuda.2.38.30)

पुत्रपौत्रादिकं त्यक्त्वा स्वपतिं यानुगच्छति । स्वर्गं लभेतां तौ चोभौ दिव्यस्त्रीभिरलङ्कृतौ

putrapautrādikaṁ tyaktvā svapatiṁ yānugacchati svargaṁ labhetāṁ tau cobhau divyastrībhiralaṅkṛtau

"Whoever, giving up sons, grandsons, and all, follows her husband — both of them attain heaven, adorned by celestial beings."

Verse 31 (garuda.2.38.31)

कृत्वा पापान्यनेकानि भर्तृद्रोहमतिः सदा । प्रक्षालयति सर्वाणि या स्वं पतिमनुव्रजेत्

kṛtvā pāpānyanekāni bhartṛdrohamatiḥ sadā prakṣālayati sarvāṇi yā svaṁ patimanuvrajet

"Even a woman who has committed many sins, ever inclined to betray her husband, washes away all of them if she follows her husband in death."

Verse 32 (garuda.2.38.32)

महापापसमाचारो भर्ता चेद्दुष्कृती भवेत् । तस्याप्यनुव्रता नारी नारायेत्सर्वकिल्बिषम्

mahāpāpasamācāro bhartā cedduṣkṛtī bhavet tasyāpyanuvratā nārī nārāyetsarvakilbiṣam

"Even if the husband is a great sinner and of wicked conduct, still the wife who follows him takes away all his sins."

Verse 33 (garuda.2.38.33)

ग्रासमात्रं नियमतो नित्यदानं करोति यः । चतुश्चामरसंयुक्तविमानेनाधिगच्छति

grāsamātraṁ niyamato nityadānaṁ karoti yaḥ catuścāmarasaṁyuktavimānenādhigacchati

"Whoever, according to rule, gives even a mere mouthful of food as a daily gift, is carried to heaven upon a chariot furnished with four fly-whisks."

Verse 34 (garuda.2.38.34)

यत्कृतं हि मनुष्येण पापमामरणान्तिकम् । तत्सर्वं नाशमायाति वर्षवृत्तिप्रदानतः

yatkṛtaṁ hi manuṣyeṇa pāpamāmaraṇāntikam tatsarvaṁ nāśamāyāti varṣavṛttipradānataḥ

"Whatever sin a man has committed right up to death, all of it is destroyed by the gift of a year's provision."

Verse 35 (garuda.2.38.35)

भूतं भव्यं बविष्यञ्च पापं जन्मत्रयार्जितम् । पक्षालयति तत्सर्वं विप्रकन्योपनायनात्

bhūtaṁ bhavyaṁ baviṣyañca pāpaṁ janmatrayārjitam pakṣālayati tatsarvaṁ viprakanyopanāyanāt

"Sin acquired across three lives — past, present, and future — all of it is washed away by giving a brahmin girl in marriage."

Verse 36 (garuda.2.38.36)

दशकूपसमा वापि दशवापीसमं सरः । सरो भिर्दशभिस्तुल्या या प्रपा निर्जले वने

daśakūpasamā vāpi daśavāpīsamaṁ saraḥ saro bhirdaśabhistulyā yā prapā nirjale vane

"A step-well equals ten wells, a lake equals ten step-wells, a water-station in a waterless forest equals ten lakes,"

Verse 37 (garuda.2.38.37)

या वापी निर्जले देशे यद्दानं निर्धने द्विजे । प्राणिनां यो दयां धत्ते स भवेन्नाकनायकः

yā vāpī nirjale deśe yaddānaṁ nirdhane dvije prāṇināṁ yo dayāṁ dhatte sa bhavennākanāyakaḥ

"a step-well built in a waterless region, and a gift given to a poor brahmin — whoever holds compassion for living beings becomes the lord of heaven."

Verse 38 (garuda.2.38.38)

एवमादिभिरन्यैश्च सुकृतैः स्वर्गभाग्भवेत् । स तत्सर्वं फलं प्राप्य प्रतिष्ठां परमां लभेत्

evamādibhiranyaiśca sukṛtaiḥ svargabhāgbhavet sa tatsarvaṁ phalaṁ prāpya pratiṣṭhāṁ paramāṁ labhet

"By these and other such good deeds a man becomes a sharer in heaven; having gained all this fruit, he attains the highest distinction."

Verse 39 (garuda.2.38.39)

फल्गु कार्यं परित्यज्य सततं धर्मवान् भवेत् । दानं दमो दया चेति सारमेतत्त्रयं भुवि

phalgu kāryaṁ parityajya satataṁ dharmavān bhavet dānaṁ damo dayā ceti sārametattrayaṁ bhuvi

"Abandoning worthless pursuits, one should be ever devoted to dharma. Giving, self-restraint, and compassion — these three alone are the essence in this world."

Verse 40 (garuda.2.38.40)

दानं साधोर्दरिद्रस्य शून्यलिङ्गस्य पूजनम् । अनाथप्रेतसंस्कारः कोटियज्ञफलप्रदः

dānaṁ sādhordaridrasya śūnyaliṅgasya pūjanam anāthapretasaṁskāraḥ koṭiyajñaphalapradaḥ

"Gifts to the holy and to the poor, worship at a shrine emptied of its deity, and the funeral rite of an unclaimed preta — these grant the fruit of a crore sacrifices."