9 - The story of Pruthvi 

Narada said — “О lord, I would like to know the merit, one earns by giving away land in charity and the sin one earns by forcibly taking it back. Besides the sin one earns, by performing shraddha over the land of others, digging of wells over the land of others, dropping of semen over the earth and the burning of flames. 

О best of those well-versed in Vedas, you tell me something else about the sins relating to the earth and the ways and means to get rid of them.” 

Narayana said — “In the land of Bharata whosoever gives away a small piece of land in charity to a Brahmana, he indeed goes to the abode of lord Vishnu, the one who gives away in charity to Brahmanas, land filled with vegetation and crops he enjoys to reside in the Vishnuloka for a long time. 

One who gives away in charity the land and cereals, is relieved of all his sins and goes to Vaikuntha. Such of the people who support the giving away in charity of the land also proceed to the Vaikuntha together with their friends and relatives. 

The one who usurps the land given away in charity to a Brahmana is thrown into the kalasutra hell till the sun and moon last. 

All his sons and grandsons and other members of the family are deprived of the land, riches and the pleasures and they become paupers. Thereafter they are thrown in the terrific hell. The one who ploughs the field which is meant for the grazing of the cows, is thrown into the terrific hell for a hundred years. 

The one who breaks the cowshed and the tanks to construct a road or irrigate the land, he is thrown into the hell named Asipatra for the duration of the time of fourteen Indras. 

One who takes bath in well or tank without taking out five fists filled with earth, is deprived of the merit of taking bath and falls in the hell for the number of years equivalent to the particles of the dust of the land. 

The one who excavates the land at the sojourn of ambuvichi yoga is thrown into the Krimidamsha hell as long as the period of four уugas. 

The one who rebuilds others well or step-well or renovates them in his own name, he falls into the terrific hell for a period of the live of fourteen Indras and the entire merit of his reconstruction goes to others. The one who takes away the mud from the tank owned by others cleansing the same and then forgets about it, he earns great merit enjoying a comfortable living in Brahmaloka for a large number of years. 

The one who performs shraddha over the land of others without providing any compensation to the land owner, he surely goes to well. 

The One who places the lamp over the earth, he becomes blind for seven births and the one who places the conch on the earth he attracts the disease of leprosy in next birth. 

The one who places the gems, rubies, precious stones, gold and crystal over the earth becomes pauper in coming seven births. The one who places the Shivalinga and Salagrama over the earth, is thrown in the Krimibhaksha hell for a hundred of manvantaras. The one who places the Vedic suktas, the mantras, Salagrama, sacred water, the flower and Tulasi leaves over the ground, he is lodged in the hell for four yugas. 

The one who places the rosary, the garland of flowers, camphor and Gorochana on earth, earn and dwelling of a hell. 

О sage, the one who places the sandal-wood, Rudraksha, the roots of Kusha grass over the earth, he is thrown into the hell for a manvantara. 

 The one who places a book and the yajnopavita over the earth, the person can never be born in the race of Brahmana for many times to come. 

And the earns the sin of Brahmahatya. The yajnasutra which is tied to a Brahmana has to be adored in all conditions. 

The one who does not pour the milk over the ground after performing of the yajna, he always suffers in many coming birth and is thrown into the hell. The one who digs the earth at the time of earthquake and at the time of eclipse, such a great sinner is born deformed for many births. 

Since the houses of all the people are constructed over the earth that is why it is called Bhumi. Since she bears the riches in her womb she is called Vasundhara. 

Since she was born out of the high of the lord she has been given the name of Urvi. Since she bears the load of everyone she is known as Dhara and Dharani. 

Since the yagas are performed over her, she is called ijya, Because, she is reduced in rise during the dissolution, she is known as Kshoni. Since she is destroyed completely as the time of dissolution she is called Kshiti. 

Since she is the daughter of Kashyapa, she is also known as Kasyapi. Since she remains stable, she is known as immovable. Since she feeds the entire universe, she is known as Vishvambhara. Since she has the endless form she is called Ananta. 

O' sage, since she is the dauther of Pruthu, she is known as Pruthvi and having its immeasurable expanse, she is known as Mahi.