The Fruits of Faithful Giving

Verse 1 (padma.2.68.1)

ययातिरुवाच । अधर्मस्य फलं सूत श्रुतं सर्वं मया विभो । धर्मस्यापि फलं ब्रूहि श्रोतुं कौतूहलं मम

yayātiruvāca adharmasya phalaṁ sūta śrutaṁ sarvaṁ mayā vibho dharmasyāpi phalaṁ brūhi śrotuṁ kautūhalaṁ mama

Yayati said: "O charioteer, O all-pervading one! I have heard everything about the fruit of unrighteousness. Tell me now the fruit of righteousness too — I am eager to hear it."

Verse 2 (padma.2.68.2)

मातलिरुवाच । अथ पापैरिमे यांति यमलोकं चतुर्विधाः । संत्रासजननं घोरं विवशाः सर्वदेहिनः

mātaliruvāca atha pāpairime yāṁti yamalokaṁ caturvidhāḥ saṁtrāsajananaṁ ghoraṁ vivaśāḥ sarvadehinaḥ

Matali said: "Now, on account of their sins, these embodied beings, of four kinds, go helplessly to the realm of Yama, which strikes great terror."

Verse 3 (padma.2.68.3)

गर्भस्थैर्जायमानैश्च बालैस्तरुणमध्यमैः । पुंस्त्रीनपुंसकैर्वृद्धैर्यातव्यं जंतुभिस्ततः

garbhasthairjāyamānaiśca bālaistaruṇamadhyamaiḥ puṁstrīnapuṁsakairvṛddhairyātavyaṁ jaṁtubhistataḥ

"by creatures still in the womb, by those in the act of being born, by children, youths, and those of middle age, by male, female, and eunuch, and by the aged — by all such creatures must that journey be made."

Verse 4 (padma.2.68.4)

शुभाशुभफलं तत्र देहिनां प्रविचार्यते । चित्रगुप्तादिभिः सर्वैर्मध्यस्थैः सर्वदर्शिभिः

śubhāśubhaphalaṁ tatra dehināṁ pravicāryate citraguptādibhiḥ sarvairmadhyasthaiḥ sarvadarśibhiḥ

"There, the good and evil fruits of embodied beings are examined by Chitragupta and all the others, who are impartial and all-seeing."

Verse 5 (padma.2.68.5)

न तेत्र प्राणिनः संति ये न यांति यमक्षयम् । अवश्यं हि कृतं कर्म भोक्तव्यं तद्विचारितम्

na tetra prāṇinaḥ saṁti ye na yāṁti yamakṣayam avaśyaṁ hi kṛtaṁ karma bhoktavyaṁ tadvicāritam

"There is no creature that does not go to Yama's abode; whatever deed has been done must certainly be experienced, once it has been examined."

Verse 6 (padma.2.68.6)

ये तत्र शुभकर्माणः सौम्यचित्तादयान्विताः । ते नरा यांति सौम्येन पथा यमनिकेतनम्

ye tatra śubhakarmāṇaḥ saumyacittādayānvitāḥ te narā yāṁti saumyena pathā yamaniketanam

"Those men there of good deeds, endowed with a gentle mind and compassion, go to Yama's abode by a gentle path."

Verse 7 (padma.2.68.7)

यः प्रदद्याच्च विप्राणामुपानत्काष्ठपादुके । स विमानेन महता सुखं याति यमालयम्

yaḥ pradadyācca viprāṇāmupānatkāṣṭhapāduke sa vimānena mahatā sukhaṁ yāti yamālayam

"Whoever gives brahmins sandals or wooden clogs travels happily to Yama's abode in a great celestial chariot."

Verse 8 (padma.2.68.8)

छत्रदानेन गच्छंति पथा साभ्रेण देहिनः । दिव्यवस्त्रपरीधाना यांति वस्त्रप्रदायिनः

chatradānena gacchaṁti pathā sābhreṇa dehinaḥ divyavastraparīdhānā yāṁti vastrapradāyinaḥ

"By the gift of an umbrella, embodied beings travel by a shaded path; those who give garments go clothed in divine raiment."

Verse 9 (padma.2.68.9)

शिबिकायाः प्रदानेन विमानेन सुखं व्रजेत् । सुखासनप्रदानेन सुखं यांति यमालयम्

śibikāyāḥ pradānena vimānena sukhaṁ vrajet sukhāsanapradānena sukhaṁ yāṁti yamālayam

"By the gift of a palanquin, one travels happily in a celestial chariot; by the gift of a comfortable seat, one goes happily to Yama's abode."

Verse 10 (padma.2.68.10)

आरामकर्ता छायासु शीतलासु सुखं व्रजेत् । यांति पुष्पकयानेन पुष्पारामप्रदायिनः

ārāmakartā chāyāsu śītalāsu sukhaṁ vrajet yāṁti puṣpakayānena puṣpārāmapradāyinaḥ

"The maker of gardens travels happily amid cool shade; those who give flower-gardens travel in the Pushpaka flower-chariot."

Verse 11 (padma.2.68.11)

देवायतनकर्ता च यतीनामाश्रमस्य च । अनाथमंडपानां च क्रीडन्याति गृहोत्तमैः

devāyatanakartā ca yatīnāmāśramasya ca anāthamaṁḍapānāṁ ca krīḍanyāti gṛhottamaiḥ

"And the builder of a temple, or of a hermitage for ascetics, or of shelters for the destitute, journeys joyfully, dwelling amid the finest of houses."

Verse 12 (padma.2.68.12)

देवाग्निगुरुविप्राणां मातापित्रोश्च पूजकः

devāgniguruviprāṇāṁ mātāpitrośca pūjakaḥ

And so too the worshipper of gods, the sacred fire, one's guru, brahmins, and one's mother and father.

Verse 13 (padma.2.68.13)

विप्रेषु दीनेषु गुणान्वितेषु यच्छ्रद्धया स्वल्पमपि प्रदत्तम् । तत्सर्वकामान्समुपैति लोके श्राद्धे च दानं प्रवदंति संतः

vipreṣu dīneṣu guṇānviteṣu yacchraddhayā svalpamapi pradattam tatsarvakāmānsamupaiti loke śrāddhe ca dānaṁ pravadaṁti saṁtaḥ

"Whatever is given with faith to virtuous brahmins in distress, even if it be little, brings the fulfillment of every desire in this world — so the wise declare, regarding gifts given at the shraddha."

Verse 14 (padma.2.68.14)

श्रद्धादानेन विज्ञेयमपि वालाग्रमात्रकम् । यत्पात्रादि चतुष्टयं श्रद्धा तेषु सदा मम

śraddhādānena vijñeyamapi vālāgramātrakam yatpātrādi catuṣṭayaṁ śraddhā teṣu sadā mama

"Even a gift the size of a hair's tip, when given with faith, should be known as great. There may be four kinds of recipient, but faith toward them is what always matters to me."

Verse 15 (padma.2.68.15)

श्रद्धीयते सदा तस्माच्छ्रद्धायास्तत्फलं भवेत् । गुणान्वितेषु दीनेषु यच्छत्यावसथान्यपि

śraddhīyate sadā tasmācchraddhāyāstatphalaṁ bhavet guṇānviteṣu dīneṣu yacchatyāvasathānyapi

"Therefore a gift should always be given with faith; its fruit arises from that faith alone. Whoever gives even a dwelling-place to the virtuous in distress,"

Verse 16 (padma.2.68.16)

स प्रयाति सर्वकामं स्थानं पैतामहं नृप । श्रद्धयायेन विप्राय दत्तं काकिणिमात्रकम्

sa prayāti sarvakāmaṁ sthānaṁ paitāmahaṁ nṛpa śraddhayāyena viprāya dattaṁ kākiṇimātrakam

"he attains, O king, the realm of the Grandsire, where every desire is fulfilled. Even a mere kakini-coin, given to a brahmin with faith,"

Verse 17 (padma.2.68.17)

सस्याद्दिव्यतिथिर्भूप देवानां कीर्तिवर्धनः । तस्माच्छ्रद्धान्वितैर्देयं तत्फलं भवति ध्रुवम्

sasyāddivyatithirbhūpa devānāṁ kīrtivardhanaḥ tasmācchraddhānvitairdeyaṁ tatphalaṁ bhavati dhruvam

"becomes, O king, equal to a divine occasion, one that increases the glory of the gods. Therefore, gifts should be given with faith; their fruit is certain to come."