27 - Dialogue between Savitri and Dharmaraja 

Savitri said— You kindly tell me the means by which the meritorius person proceeds to heaven? 

Yama said—In the land of Bharata, the one who offers food to a Brahmana, enjoys his stay in the Indraloka for the number of years equivalent to the number of particles of the food given in charity. 

But there is no greater merit than the giving away of food in charity nor shall it be there in future. In such a case, one does not have to test about the suitability of the receiver nor could the time for giving away in charity be prescribed. 

The one who offers a seat to the gods or the Brahmanas, enjoys the pleasure of staying in Agniloka for ten thousand years. 

The one who gives away in charity to a Brahmana, a wet cow, enjoys the pleasure of staying in Vaikuntha for the number of years equivalent to the hair on the body of the cow and earns great respects there. 

In case a cow is given in charity on some auspicious occasion, the accruing merit is multiplied to four times. In case the same charity is offered at a sacred place the merit is multiplied to a hundred times. But if the same charity is offered in the region of Narayana, the charity gets multiplied to a crore of times. 

In the land of Bharata the one who gives away a cow in charity to a Brahmana, enjoys a blissful life in the region of moon for ten thousand years. The one who gives away to Brahmana a milch cow, remains in Vaikuntha for the number of years equivalent to the hair on the body of the cow. 

One, who gives in charity an image of Salagrama together with the clothes to a Brahmana, enjoys his stay in Vaikuntha for as long as the sun and the moon last.

The one who offers a beautiful umbrella to a Brahmana, enjoys his stay in the Varunaloka for ten thousand years. 

In the land of Bharata if one offers sandals to a Brahmana, enjoys a stay in Vayuloka for ten thousand years. 

Anyone who gives away in charity to Brahmana a beautiful and divine bed remains in heaven for as long as the sun and the moon last. 

О beautiful one, the one who gives away to a Brahmana a lamp in charity, stays in heaven for a manvantara and is adored there. 

By the merit of that charity his eye-sight always remains intact and he never goes to the abode of Yama. 

The one who gives away in charity an elephant to a Brahmana in the land of Bharata, lives in Indraloka for a period as long as Indra lasts. Indra shares his throne with such a person. 

In the land of Bharata if anyone offers a horse in charity to a Brahmana, he remains in the Varunaloka for the period of the duration of fourteen Indras. He enjoys his life there. 

The one who gives away in charity a beautiful, palanquin, resides in Vishnuloka for a manvantara and is respected there. 

The one who gives away in charity a white fly-whisk to a Brahmana, enjoys pleasure in the Vayuloka, for ten thousands years. 

The one who gives away land in Bharata, with heaps of paddy equivalent to the size of a mountain, enjoys comfortable life in Vishnuloka for the number of years equivalent to the number of the paddy given away. 

Thereafter he is reborn in the human race and enjoys a comfortable long life. Thus the one who gives away in charity and the one who receives it, both of them stay in Vaikuntha. 

In the land of Bharata due to the perpetual recitation of the name of lord Vishnu, they enjoy a long life and death runs away at their very sight. 

The one who gives away in charity a beautiful queen to lord Krishna on the full moon night, is freed from all bondages. After enjoying all the pleasures in his present life he proceeds to Vishnuloka and there also he lives for a hundred manvantaras. 

In the uttara-phalguni constellation, the one who celebrates the Dolotsava, earns double the merit. Such a person remains alive up to the end of kalpa. This has been ordained by Brahma. The one who offers in charity the sesamum seeds to a Brahmana in the land of Bharata, remains in Vishnuloka for as many years as the number of the seeds of the sesamum. 

Thereafter he is reborn in the human race and enjoys comfortable life for long. The one who gives away in charity these same seeds in a copper vase, earns double the merit. 

The one who gives away in charity to a Brahmana a beautiful chaste girl adorned with all ornaments and clad in beautiful costumes, is respected in the Chandraloka, for a period of fourteen Indras, where he will spend his time always in the company of Apsaras quite delightfully. 

Thereafter he will spend ten thousand years in the Gandharvaloka enjoying the company of Urvasi. Thereafter for a thousand births he will get a beautiful beloved who will be quite chaste, fortunate, tender-limbed and one who would speak in a sweet voice. 

The one who gives away in charity to a Brahmana a tree laden with fruits, is adored in Indraloka for the number of years equivalent to the number the fruits in the trees. 

Thereafter he is reborn in human race and because of the glory of the tree laden with the fruits given by him in charity, he gets a virtuous son. The glory of giving away in charity the trees laden with fruits has been described to have a thousand times more merit. 

The one who gives away to a Brahmana in charity only the fruits, resides in heaven for a long time and thereafter he is reborn in the land of Bharata. If a person residing in Bharata gives away a house with many valuables and filled with cereals to a Brahmana, (as a result of the same) he remains in the abode of Kubera for a long time. Thereafter he is reborn in the human race and enjoys all the riches. 

Such of the persons who gives away in charity at a sacred place to a Brahmana a plot of green land with devotion, he remains in Vaikuntha for a hundred manvantara and is established there. He is reborn in the human race and owns a lot of land and riches. 

During hundreds of births the land never disowns him and he always remains rich, glorious and has sons. He becomes a king also. 

The one who gives away in charity to a Brahmana the best of the villages with its population, stays in Vaikuntha for a lakh of manvantaras. 

He is reborn in the human race and becomes the honour of a lakh of villages. The land never deserts him for a lakh of his births. 

The one who gives away to the Brahmana, in the land of Bharata, rich crops, several step-wells and trees laden with flowers and fruits, he remains in the abode of Indra for the period equivalent to the age of ten lakhs of Indra and is respected there. 

He is reborn in the human race and becomes a great king over a lakh of cities. There is no doubt about it. 

The earth never parts company with such a person for ten thousand births. He always remains filled with riches on the earth. 

The one who gives away in charity with devotion a hundred cities to a Brahmana, which are inhabited by high ranking people and having step-wells, tanks and trees of various kinds, he remains in Vaikuntha for crores of manvantaras is respected there. Thereafter he is reborn in the human race and becomes the lord of JambudvIpa and he enjoys all the royal pleasures and rules on earth like Indra. 

The earth never deserts him for a crore of births. He enjoys long life and becomes a great monarch. The one who bestows all his riches on a Brahmana earns four times the merit. There is no doubt about it. 

О chaste lady, one who offers to a Brahmana in charity the entire Jambudvipa, earns a hundred times more merit, there is no doubt about it. 

The one who gives away in charity the seven continents of the world or the one who serves all the holy places or the one who always engages himself in tapas or the one who is always engaged in performing the vratas without consuming anything or the one who gives away everything in charity, achieves all the success in life; he also has to be reborn on earth. But surprisingly enough the devotees of the lord never return to the earth.

The devotees of Vishnu remain in the Goloka or the abode of Vishnu. From there, they witness the fall of innumerable Brahmas. 

Such of the Vaisnava people as recite the mantra of Vishnu, after meeting the end of their lives, are relieved of their birth, death and old age, They take to the divine form and go to the abode of Vishnu. From there, after having an audience with lord Vishnu they proceed on to Goloka, the abode of lord Krishna, where they serve him. They witness to innumerable natural scenes. 

The gods, the siddhas and the entire universe can be destroyed but the one who is devoted to lord Krishna never meets with his end. Death, birth and old age can never approach him. 

The one who offers the TulasI leaf to the lord in the month of Kartika remains in the abode of the lord delightfully for the number of years equivalent to the number of Tulasi leaves offered by him.  

Thereafter, he is reborn in the human race and continues to be a devotee of the lord. He therefore lives a comfortable life in the land of Bharata for long. 

The one who offers a lamp of ghee in the month of Kartika, enjoys living in the abode of the lord for the number of the years equivalent to the number of the seconds for which the lamp is burnt. 

Ultimately he is reborn in the human race and achieves the devotion of lord Vishnu. He becomes an immensely rich person on earth, with a clear vision and glory. 

The one who takes a bath in the Ganga in the month of Magha at sunrise, enjoys life in the abode of Vishnu for sixty thousand yugas delightfully. Thereafter he is reborn in the human race and undoubtedly becomes a devotee of lord Vishnu. He becomes the best among the self disciplined people. 

The one who takes a bath in the month of Magha in the Prayaga region in the waters of Ganga at sunrise, enjoys the comforts of Vaikuntha for a lakh of manvantaras. 

Thereafter he is reborn in the human race and recites the mantra of Vishnu. Ultimately he meets with the end of the human body and proceeds on to the abode of Vishnu. The people of Vaikuntha never send him back to the earth. By achieving salvation, he becomes a courtier of lord Vishnu. 

The one who take a bath in the Ganga daily, is purified on earth like the sun in the sky and he earns the merit of Ashvamedha sacrifice at every step. The earth gets purified with the dust of his feet. He lives with pleasure in the Vaikuntha for as long as the sun and the moon last. 

Thereafter he is reborn in the human race the as best of the ascetics remaining devoted to his dharma possessing spotless intelligence and exercising self-control. 

The one who gives away in charity in the land of Bharata the fragrant water during the time of extreme heat, enjoys his stay in the Vaikuntha for a period of fourteen Indras. He is then reborn in the human race and is free from cheating, remaining comfortable. 

The one who offers sandal-paste to the lord in the month of Vaishakha, enjoys a blissful life in the abode of the lord for sixty thousand yugas. Thereafter he is reborn on earth as a beautiful human and lives a comfortable life. By offering a yajnopavita in charity, one undoubtedly achieves the same merit and enjoys the same comfort in the Vaikuntha. Ultimately he achieves the devotion of lord Krishna. 

In the month of Vaisakha whosoever offers in charity to the Brahmanas the ground barley, enjoys a comfortable life in the Vishnuloka up to the number of years equivalent to the particles of the barley. 

The one who performs the vrata of Krishna Janamashtami, is relieved of the sins of crores of births. There is no doubt about it. He also enjoys life in Vaikuntha up to the period of fourteen Indras; thereafter he is reborn in the human race and surely achieves the devotion of lord Krishna. 

In the land of Bharata the one who performs the vrata of Shivaratri, remains in Shivaloka for seven manvantaras. The one who offers the leaves of wood-apples to lord Shiva on the day of Shivaratri, enjoys the life of Shivaloka for the number of years equivalent to the number of leaves offered by him. 

Thereafter he is reborn in the human race and achieves the devotion of lord Shiva, besides being virtuous obtains high education, sons, riches, the people and land. 

In the month of Chaitra or Magha whosoever adores lord Shiva and also dances before him for a week during the day and night, achieves the Shivaloka and remains there for the number of years equivalent to the moments for which he performed the dance. Whether he dances for a day, half a month, ten days, a week or only for two days or even a day, he achieves the similar type of merit. 

In the land of Bharata whosoever celebrates Ramanavami, enjoys a comfortable life for seven manvantaras in Vishnuloka. He is reborn in the human race and achieves the devotion of Rama. He becomes the best of the self-disciplined people and appears as a great religious leader. 

In the Navaratra of the winter season whosoever performs the puja of goddess Durga and offers sacrifice in a buffalo, a goat, a sheep, sugar-cane, a melon and naivedyas beside other presents like essence, a lamp etc., performing dance at the same time accompanied by music and celebrates the festival, he also proceeds to Shivaloka and remains there for seven manvantaras. Thereafter he is reborn in the human race and gets spotless wisdom. He has a sons and grandsons and the glory which does not vanish. Becoming influential he becomes a king possessing several elephants and horses. There is no doubt about it. In the sacred land of Bharata on the bright eighth day of the moon in the month of Bhadrapada, whosoever adores Mahalaksmi for a week regularly with devotion offering her puja with sixteen types of offering, he remains in the Vaikuntha till the sun and the moon last and enjoys the earth there with delight. He is reborn in the human race and becomes a king. 

In the month of Kartika, in the land of Bharata, whosoever organises Rasamandala (the divine dance) and taking to the form of a hundred cowherds and cowherdesses worship the stone image of lord Krishna with sixteen type of offerings remains in Goloka up to the age of Brahma. Thereafter he is reborn in the land of Bharata and becomes a devotee of lord Hari. 

Thus by achieving the deep devotion of Vishnu with the recitation of mantras he achieves Goloka after his death. 

Reaching there he achieves salvation and becomes a courtier of lord Krishna; he never has to face old age nor has he to fall from the Goloka.

The one who performs the Ekadasi-vrata during the bright or dark fortnight remains in Vaikuntha up to the age of Brahma. 

Thereafter he is reborn in the land of Bharata and undoubtedly achieves the devotion of lord Vishnu. With the influence of the same he goes back to Vaikuntha from where he never falls back. On the bright Dvadashi of the month of Bhadrapada whosoever adores Indra enjoys life in Indraloka for sixty thousand years. 

Such of the people who in the land of Bharata adore the sun on Sunday, on the first day of the month and the seventh day of the bright fortnight offering food and other eatables remain in the Suryaloka till the sun and the moon last. Thereafter they are reborn on the land of Bharata and remain healthy and possess numerous riches. 

On the fourteenth the bright fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha whosoever adores Savitri, remains in Brahmaloka for seven manvantaras and resides there gracefully. Thereafter he is reborn on earth as an immensely valorous person enjoying a long life possessing great intelligence and riches. 

The one who adores goddess Sarasvatl with sixteen types of offerings getting self-disciplined on the bright fifth day of the month of Magha, offering sixteen types of presents, he resides in the Vaikuntha up to the age of Brahma and is held in high esteem. Ultimately he is reborn again on earth and he becomes a poet and an intellectual. 

The one who, during his life time offers with devotion, cows or gold to a Brahmana resides in the Goloka for double the number of years more than the number of cows given by him in charity. He enjoys the company of the lord there spending time playfully with the lord. 

Thereafter, he is reborn on earth and achieves the devotion of lord Vishnu. After he returns to the earth, he becomes a great monarch having innumerable cows, sons, great intelligence, knowledge and all types of pleasures. 

The one who serves sweet food to the Brahmana in the land of Bharata, enjoys life in the Vishnuloka for the number of years equivalent to the hair-pits on the body of the Brahmana. After his return to Vaikuntha, he is reborn in the human race and enjoys a long life and all pleasures, possessing intelligence, riches, wealth and great prowess. 

The one who recites the name of Vishnu in the land of Bharata is adored in the Vishnuloka for the number of years equivalent to the number of names of the lord recited by him. 

When he is reborn on earth, he surely achieves the devotion of the lord. If he has performed good deeds in the Narayana region, he gets merit many times more. 

The one who recites the name of the lord a crore of times in the Narayana region, is relieved of all sins and achieves salvation. This is certain. He is never reborn and is respected in the Vaikuntha. He then earns the place of Vishnu and he never falls from that place. 

The one who adores lord Shiva daily preparing a linga and follows the practice throughout his life, proceeds to the land of Shiva and stays there for the number of years equivalent to the particles of dust with which he had prepared the linga while adoring them. Thereafter he is reborn in the land of Bharata as a grea monarch. 

The one who adores the Salagrama stone daily and sips the water with which the stone is washed, remains in the Vaikuntha up to the age of a hundred Brahmas. Thereafter he is reborn in the land of Bharata and achieves the devotion of the lord. He again proceeds to Vishnuloka from where he never falls back. 

By performing all the vratas and other religious ceremonies, he spends time in the Vaikuntha up to the age of Bharata and becomes a monarch. Thereafter he achieves salvation ultimately and he is never reborn. 

The one who takes a bath in the holy places going round the earth, achieves salvation and he is never reborn on earth. 

The one who performs the Ashvamedha sacrifice on the sacred land of Bharata, remains in the land of Indra for the number of years equivalent to the hair on the body of the horse. Indra then shares half of his throne with him but by performing the Rajasuya yajna, one gets four times the merit and by performing Naramedha yajna, one gets half the merit and by performing Gomedha yajna, one achieves similar knowledge. 

By performing putreshti yajna, one gets half the merit and a very good son. By performing langaleshti yajna, one achieves merit comparable to the Gomedha yajna. Similarly, with the performing of the vipreshti and vruddhi yajna, one achieves similar merits. By performing padma yajna, one achieves half the merit. 

By performing the visoka yajna, one is relieved of all the sins and by performing padma yajna, one achieves heaven. The one who performs the vijaya yajna, the king after becoming victorious earns the merit equivalent to the padma yajna and enjoys heavenly bliss. 

After performing prajapatya yajna there is an increase in the population as well as the land. A king after performing this yajna enjoys all the riches and pleasures and ultimately with the influence of half the merit of the padma yajna, he achieves heaven. By performing the ruddhi yajna, he achieves heaven. By performing padma yajna, one gets heaven. 

О beautiful one, of all the sacrifice of Vishnu is considered to be the best which was celebrated earlier by Brahma with great pomp and show. 

At that point of time there has been a fight between Daksha and lord Shiva where the Brahmanas getting enraged had pronounced a curse on Nandi and in turn Nandi had cursed the Brahmana as a result of which lord Chandrashekhar Shiva had destroyed the yajna of Daksha. Thus in the earlier times Daksha Prajapati had performed the Vishnu yajna. 

Similarly, Dharma, Kas’hyapa, Sesa, Kardama, Svayambhuva, Manu, his son Priyavrata, Shiva, Sanatkumara, Kapila and Dhruva also performed the Vishnu yajna. Thousands of Rajasuya yajnas can be performed with the availability of the riches but by performing Vishnu yajna one gets the knowledge equivalent to a thousand Rajasuya - yajnas. Therefore, there is no other yajna more rewarding than the Vishnu yajna. This has been ordained in the Vedas. 

By performing that yajna a person is freed from birth and enjoys life in heaven for many kalpas; such a person is equated with lord Vishnu in intelligence and prowess. 

As lord Vishnu happens to be the best of the gods, Shiva among the Vaishnavas, the Vedas among the scriptures, Brahmana among the Ashramas, Ganga among the sacred rivers, Vaishnava among the pious people Ekadasi among the vratas, the Tulasi among the trees, the moon among the constellations, Garuda among the birds, Prakruti among the ladies, the earth among the bases, the mind among the fast moving unstable organs of the senses, Brahma among the Prajajpatis, the Prajapati among the people, Vrundavana among the forests, Shri with the rich people, Sarasvati among the intellectuals. Durga among the chaste ladies, Radhika among the virtuous ladies, similarly, О daughter, Vishnu yajna is the best of all the yajnas. 

Thus after performing a hundred Ashvamedha sacrifices, one gets the place of Indra. The king Pruthu achieved the Vishnupadas after performing a thousand Ashvamedha sacrifices. 

Therefore, by taking a bath in all the sacred places, by performing all the yajnas, by performing all the vratas and by performing tapas, by reciting all the four Vedas, by going round the entire universe, one earns the adoration of the supreme lord Krishna who bestows salvation. 

This is the gist derived from the Vedas, the Puranas and the historical treatises. All the scriptures go on to justify that one should serve the lotus-like feet of lord Krishna somehow or the other. 

Thus he has always to be adored, meditated upon, reciting his glory and mantra besides the stotras, offering prayer, performing japam and sipping the water of his feet. One should then take naivedya for him. This is the method by which all the desires are fulfilled. 

Therefore, one should recite the name of Krishna only who is Parabrahman, invisible and beyond Prakruti. Therefore, О daughter, you take over your husband and get back comfortably to your abode. 

I have narrated to you the rewards one gets after performing the various deeds which are desired by all and is quite educative for the people.