13 - A Discourse on Dharma

Dharmarāja said:

1. Listen to the meritorious benefit to a person who himself builds or pursuades others to build a temple of either Shiva or Hari.1 

1. devayatanam yas tu, etc. 

After discussing the purta-dharma regarding the construction of a water tank, god Dharma-raja takes up in between the topic of foundation of temples (devayatana) in verses 1-13a. According to Atri-smruti even a Shüdra is entitled to pūrta-dharma 

adhikari bhavech chūdrah pürte dharme na vaidike 

-Atri Smț. 46

The same right has been claimed for women to claim property (or cash) to spend on purta acts, by Vijñäneśhvara:

Yajna-shabdasya dharmopalakshana-paratve striņam api purta-dharmadhikärad dhanagrahanam yuktam 

-Mitaksara on Yajñavalkya Smr. II.114.

The topic on dana has been again discussed in NP. infra-I.31 and I1.41-42. 

In the NP, the discussion on building and conservation of temples is very brief. For details vide AP.38-106.

2. There is no doubt that he (such a builder) will stay in lord Vişhņu’s region for three kalpas in the company of a hundred thousand and ten million members of his family on his mother’s side as well as on his father’s side. 

3. Listen to the extent of merit, if a man builds the shrine with mud and clay. I shall now recount it. 

4. Taking up a brilliant divine body and travelling by an excellent aerial car, he will stay in Vișhnu’s region for three kalpas. Entertain no doubt about this. 

5. Listen to me even as I recount, the extent of merit if a person constructs the shrine (of Śhiva or Vişhņu) with earthen materials. 

6. He will assume a lustrous, divine body and ride in an excellent heavenly car. After staying in Vișhnu’s region for three Kalpas, he will then proceed to the capital of god Brahma. 

7-8. After staying there for two kalpas, he will reside in the celestial world for the period of one kalpa. He will afterwards be born in the family of Yogins and be merciful (to all). Adopting the Yoga pertaining to Vișhnu, he will attain eternal emancipation from samsära. If a man builds the temple with wood, meritorious benefit twice this, will accrue to him. 

9. If he builds the temple in brick, the meritorious benefit is three times that of building the temple with earthen material. If it is built with stones, the benefit is four times and if the shrine is constructed with crystal slabs, the benefit should be known to be ten time. 

10-13. If the temple is built of copper (sheets and ingots), the meritorious benefit is hundred-fold and if it is built of gold, the merit that accrues to him is ten million times (that of constructing the shrine of clay). 

(10b.) If a person looks after the temple, a lake or a village, O king, his meritorious benefit is hundred times that of the builder. If a person looks after the temple by scrubbing or sweeping with a broom, smearing it and sprinkling water or embellishing it with devotion, he derives infinite merit. Those who perform meritorious deeds in return for salary or without any remuneration go to Vișhnu’s eternal region perpetually. O king, the merit in digging a small artificial lake is stated to be half the merit of digging a big lake containing lotuses.2 

2. Though tanks and water-reservoirs are known since the Rugvedic times, the merits of dedicating such tanks is given in Dharma Shūtras (vide Vișhnu Dhs. 91.1-2). The procedure of dedicating water-reservoirs to the public has been variously described in Ashvalůyana Gruhya porišhişhta IV.9, MP.ch.58 and AP. ch.64. These purta dharmas came to be looked upon as efficacious to confer worldly pleasures and emancipation from samsära, while sacrifices bestowed only worldly pleasures.

bhukti-mukti-pradam purtam, ishtam bhogartha-sadhanam|

-Kalikå purana (quoted in-Krutyaratnakara)

NP. mentions here different types of reservoirs: tadåga, käsära, kupa, väpi. The relative dimensions of these reservoirs may be presumed from the amount of merit accruing from them, though NP. (in verse 17 here) proclaims equality in merit for digging a tadaga by a rich person and a Krupa by an indigent person. A Kupa is a well 5 to 50 cubits in length or diameter. MP. 153.512 gives the following relative dimensions of other reservoirs as under:

A Vapi= 10 Kūpas

a hrada (a deep lake or reservoir) = 10 Vapis (dasha-kupa-samå väpi, daśha-vapi-samo hradah)

According to Vasishtha Samhită, a Pushkariņi is upto 400 cubits in length and 5 Puşhkariņis=1 Tadaga (quoted in Raghunandana’s Dåna-Kriya-Kaumudi). 

There being no corresponding terms in English, Sk. terms (with explanations) are retained in the translation. 

Kulya-a canal.

14. The merit accruing from digging a well is one-fourth and that of a tank should be known as equal to that of a lotus pond. O king, the meritorious benefit in digging a canal is said to be hundred times greater than that of constructing a tank. 

15. A rich person should build up a tank with stones (stone embankment) and a poor man should build it with an earthen bank. But the lotus-born god Brahmă says that the merit derived by them both is equal. 

16. People who know the Vedas say that if a prosperous, affluent person gifts away a whole city and an indigent fellow donates a plot of land extending to a hand (18 inches), both of them have equal meritorious benefit.3 

3. Although NP, limits itself to the capacity of the donor in these verses, as a matter of fact, it is the fundamental principle of dana-vada that merit accruing from dånas depends upon the mental attitude, the capacity of the donor and morality observed in acquiring the thing donated. Aparårka quotes Devala: ‘Even if the whole earth acquired by dishonest means be gifted without proper faith or to an unworthy person, one does not socure that much merit as is secured by gifting a handful of vegetables to a worthy person with devout faith. 

anyâyadhigatam datva sakalam pruthivim api|

Shraddha-varjam apäträya na kamchid bhūtim ápnuyat|| Pradáya shåka-muşhtim và Shraddha bhakti-samudyatam|

mahato patra-bhätaya sarvabhyudaram ápnuyat||

17. If a rich man constructs a big tank which may cause much benefit and an impoverished person digs a well, the merit in both the cases is declared to be equal. 

18. A person causes a hermitage to be built-a hermitage that is of great use to many creatures, he goes to god Brahma’s world along with three generations of family. 

19. O king, if a cow or a Brāhmaṇa or any one stands in the shed even for half a moment, the builder thereof is taken to heaven. 

20. O king, those who lay out parks and gardens, those who construct temples and those who dig lakes and build up villages (human settlements) are worshipped along with Hari. 

21. Listen, O king, to the rewards of merit accruing to those who lay out flower gardens for the benefit of all people or for the worship of deities.4 

4. cf. Hemādri-Dana-Khenda (pp. 1029-55). 

On planting trees, dedication of gardens, also vide AP. 70, MP. 59 for the procedure of dedicating trees and gardens.

22. With ten million members of his family, he stays in the celestial region and enjoys himself as many years as there are flowers and fruits there (in the flower garden). 

23. Those who construct a compound-wall round them and those who make thorny hedges around them, proceed to god Brahmå’s abode and stay there for seventy-one yugas or one kalpa. 

24. O Lord of men, listen to me as I relate to you the blessings that await those who plant Tulasi5 (the basil plant), O king. 

5. Tulai or the basil plant has special sacrosanctity in Vişhnu worship. In the Tulasi Mahatmya, we are told that planting, maintaining, seeing or touching this plant absolves one of all sins:

ropanam palanam sevam darśhanam sparshanam tu yaḥ| Kuryat tasya pranashatam syät sarva-påpam dvijottama

-Pd.P. IV.22.4.

The same Purana (VI. uttara-khanda chapters 3-16), gives the story of demon Jalandhara whose queen Vrundå became the Tulasi plant. Devi bhägavata IX Skandha chs 15-24 gives a similar story but there Tulasi is the consort of Sankhachūda (Krişhna’s friend Sudāman cursed by Rådhå) and MahāVişhņu violated her chastity which led to Sankhachūda’s death. Tulasi gave up her body which became the river Gandak and her hair the Tulasi plant. (Ibid IX.24.30-31). 

It may be noted that these are later legends. Since Vedic times we have been regarding varieties of Indian fig trees like Nyagrodha (Banyan- Ficus Indica—a Kshīravruksha), Udumbara (the Indian fig tree, Ficus Glomerata), Ashvattha (the Pippal tree) and Plakṣha (Ficus Infectoria) as sacred trees. vide (Tait. Sam.III.4.84). Early Purāņās also are silent about the glory of Tulasi. NP. directs here that after taking one’s bath, one should make a verticle mark of a line or lines on the forehead with the earth at the root of the Tulasi plant. The materials for marking Pundra on the forehead as given in verse 25 here are repeated in Br.P. as quoted in Smtuti Chandrikå I.p.115. 

Gopika Chandana or Gopi-chandana in v.26 is the soft white earth from Dvåraka. It is specially recommended at the time of performing Shrāddha:

Dväravatyudbhavan gopi-chandanam Venkatodbhavam| säntarălam prakurvita pundraṁ Haripadākrutim||

Shrāddha-kāle višheşhena karta bhoktä сha dhårayet

-Vruddha-Harita VIII.67-8.

25. O king, for a period of a hundred kalpas and more, he will stay at the feet i.e. in the region of Narayana, accompanied by seventy million members of his family from his mother’s side as well as from his father’s side. 

26. Listen to the reward of merit got by one who wears the urdhva-pundra (a vertical mark on the forehead) with the mud taken from the root from the Tulasi plant or the paste of Gopichandana (a species of white clay said to be brought from Dväraka and used by Vișhnu’s worshippers for marking the forehead), or the sandal-paste or mud taken from Chitrakūta or that from the bed of the Ganga. 

27. Such a person rides in an excellent aerial car and goes to Vișhnu’s abode. He enjoys himself there while his praise is being sung about, by hosts of Gandharvas and Apsaras. 

28. As many of the sins grevious like that of Brahmaņa- slaughter are dispelled, as the leaves that fall at the root of the Tulasi plant. 

29. A man who sprinkles at least a handful of water on the Tulasi plant, shall stay along with god Vişhņu, the dweller in the milky ocean, as long as the moon and the stars shine. 

30. He who gives a tender leaf of the Tulasi plant to Brahmaņas, goes to god Brahma’s abode (Satyaloka) accompanied by three generations of his family 

31. He who offers in worship the leaves of the Tulasi plant on the Shalagráma6 (stone) will stay in Vișhnu’s abode (Vaikuntha), till the time of the dissolution of all living beings. 

6. Salagrama- 

This black piece of stone containing fossil ammonite is found in the Gandak near about its source. It is that portion of the Gandak within half a mile of Mukti Matha which abounds in such stones (De, p. 174 and Muktinatha, p. 133). Vruddha-Harita Smr. 8.183-189 states the importance of this worship which, due to its reference in the Sharira bhåshya I.2.7, I.2,14, must be pretty old. The varieties of Shalagramas are given in AP. Ch. 46 and its procedure of worship in the next (AP.ch.47) chapter. 

32. He who makes a thorny hedge all around or builds a wall encompassing (a garden of flowers), rejoices in Vișhnu’s abode in the company of twentyone generations of his family (usually ten predecessors plus himself plus ten successors). 

33. O lord of men, he who worships the lotus feet of lord Hari by means of the tender leaves of the Tulasi plant, does not ever return from the region of Vișhnu.7 

7. These verses describe the procedure of worshipping gods Vișhnu and Shiva. Vishnudharmasūtra ch. 65 shows the earliest method of Vișhnu-worship. But image-worship (both at home and in public temples) became very popular in the mediaeval times. There is a vast literature on this topic. The major sixteen upacharas outlined in these verses are elaborately dealt with (and with variations depending on the deity worshipped), in that literature. The main stages are aváhana (invoking the deity), asana (offering a seat to the deity), padya, arghya (offering water to wash feet and hands), achamaniya (water for sipping), snäna (bath), vastra (offering garments and) yajñopavita (the sacred thread), gandha (besmearing with fragrant sandalpaste, etc.), pushpa (offering of flowers-especially those specially liked by the deity as mentioned in the verses of NP.), dhüpa (incense-burning), dipa (waving lights in front of the deity), naivedya (offering of edibles, food, sweet dishes, fruits, etc.), namashkara (laying one’s self prostrate before the deity), Pradakşhină (circumambulating the deity with one’s right side towards the deity) and visarjana (taking leave of the deity). Works like the Pūjāprakāśha (pp.97 ff) give many details and varieties in these, vide Bh.P. XI.27 for the procedure of worship called Kriyayoga.

34. He who performs the ablution of Hari with milk on the full moon day or on the Dvadasi (twelfth) day (both of the dark and bright half of the month) enjoys himself in the region of Vişhņu, accompanied by ten thousand members of his family.

35. He who bathes lord Keśhava (Vişhņu) with a prastha measure of milk, lives in god Vișhnu’s city (Vaikuntha), accompanied by ten crores of the members of his family. 

36. The man who bathes Vişhņu with a prastha of ghee on the Dvadashi (twelfth) day, O king, attains the type of liberation called Sayujyată (identity with the deity) along with ten million members of his family. 

37. He who performs the ablution of Vişhņu on the Ekadashi (eleventh day in each half of the month) with Panchāmruta (sweet mixture of milk, sugar, curds, ghee and honey) attains Sayujyată (identity) with Vişhņu, accompanied by millions of the members of his family. 

38. Listen to the fruit attained by the excellent person which performs the ablution of god Vişhņu with the water taken from the tender coconut fruit on the Ekadashi (eleventh), Dvadashi (twelfth) day or the full moon day, O excellent king. 

39. Such a person shall be liberated from the sins accumulated during the course of ten (previous) births. He rejoices along with Vişhņu and two hundred members of his family, O excellent king. 

40. O king, he who bathes the lord of gods (i.e. Vişhņu) with sugar-cane juice shall attain to Vaikuntha (Vișhnu’s region) along with a hundred thousand ancestors. 

41. By bathing lord Govinda with water mixed with flowers as well as with scented water and worshipping lord Hari with devotion, a person will attain the region of Vişhņu. 

42. He who bathes Madhava (the consort of Lakşhmi) with water filtered and purified with a piece of cloth, becomes liberated from all sins and rejoices with Vişhņu. 

43. He who bathes Hari with milk, etc., when the sun is in transit (from one sign of zodiac to another), stays in Vișhnu’s region along with twenty-one generations. 

44-49. Listen to the reward for the merit accruing from bathing lord Vişhņu with milk, ghee, curd, or honey on the ollowing occasions:

On the Ashtami (eighth day) or the fourteenth day in the bright half of a month, on the full moon day, on the Ekadashi day, on a Sunday, on che Dvadashi (twelfth) day, and on the Pañchami (fifth day of the two halves of the month), during the period of the lunar or the solar eclipse, on the anniversary of Manvantaras and the beginnings of Yugas, etc., when the Moon has partially risen (Ardhodaya), when the Sun accompanies the constellation Pushya, when the planet Budha (Mercury) is with the constellation Rohiņi, when the planet Saturn is in the constellation Rohiņi, when the planet Mars is in the company of the constellation Aśhvini, on Saturdays, when the planet Venus is in conjunction with Mrugaśhiras (the Orion) or the Revati constellation, when the planet Mercury is with Anuradha, when the Sun accompanies Shravaņa, when the Moon is in Śhravaņa, when Bruhaspati (the planet Jupiter) is in conjunction with constellation Hasta, when there is Budhășhtami day or the Mercury is in conjunction with the constellation Aşhadhā or on other auspicious days. Such a person must be quiescent, pure and restrained in speech. 

50. He accomplishes the merit of performing all sacrifices O King. Being absolved of all sins, he will stay in Lord Vișhnu’s city (Vaikuntha) with twenty-one generations of his family. 

51. While staying there, he attains perfect spiritual wisdom which is rarely accessible even to Yogins. O king, he attains liberation from Samsára from which it is difficult to return (to the cycle of births and deaths). 

52. By bathing god Shiva with milk on the fourteenth day of the dark half of the month or on a Monday, a person shall attain liberation called Sayujyatā (identification) with Śhiva, O King. 

53. By bathing Shiva devotedly with the juice of a tender coconut fruit on the Ashtami (eighth day) of the half of the month or on a Monday, one attains absorption in Lord Shiva. 

54. By bathing god Shiva with ghee or honey on the eighth or the fourteenth day in the bright half of the month a person attains equality with him, O Lord of the Earth. 

55. By bathing god Vişhņu or god Shiva with Sesamum oil one attains the Sārūpya (similarity of form) with the respective deity, along with seven of his ancestors. 

56. He who bathes Śhiva devotedly with sugarcane juice will stay in the region of god Shiva for the period of a Kalpa, along with seven generations. 

57. O blessed one, listen 10 the meritorious benefit attained by one who bathes the Linga idol of god Shiva with ghee on the Dvadashi day in the bright half of month of Kårttika when god Vişhņu arises from his slumber of four months, as I describe it to you. 

58. He will be liberated, O king, from the sins committed în ten thousand previous births. The man shall uplift the members of his family numbering to ten million and he will attain Shivahood. 

59. O king, after worshipping Vişhņu with fragrant flowers on the day sacred to Vișhnu (i.e. eleventh or the twelfth day in the dark and bright half of the month), he will be liberated from the sins accumulated in the course of ten thousand births and proceed to his region (Vaikuntha). 

60. The person who worships god Vişhņu or god Shiva with lotus flowers, goes to Vișhnu’s abode accompanied by ten million members of his family. 

61. By worshipping god Hari with the Ketaki flowers and god Shiva with the Dhattūra flowers at night, one will be absolved from sins and will abide in god Vișhnu’s city (Vaikuņțha) for a Yuga. 

62. O great king, by offering Champaka flowers to lord Hari in worship and Arka (the Sun-plant) flowers to god Shankara, one will attain the Salokatā type of mukti, i.e. residence with the respective deity. 

63. By offering Guggula (a fragrant gum resin) along with ghee to god Shankara or Vişhņu, with great devotion, the man is liberated from all sins. 

64. By offering a lamp filled with sesamum to god Vişhņu or Shankara, a man attains all cherished desires, O best of kings. 

65. He who offers a lamp filled with ghee to god Šhankara or Vişhņu will be liberated from all sins. He will attain the merit of performing ablution in the Ganga. 

66. O king, listen to the benefit of offering a lamp with oil crushed from the oil seeds at the village or elsewhere to Lord Maha-Vişhņu or Shiva. 

67. He becomes free from all sins. He is blessed with all prosperity and glory. He attains residence in the region with the respective deity, along with twentyone generations of his family. 

68. By offering edible and sweet dishes liked most by one, to god Shiva or to Vişhņu, one attains to the respective region of the deity (propitiated with food), along with forty members of his family 

69. A person who offers things that he likes most, to a Brahmana, goes to Vaikuntha (god Vișhnu’s abode) from which it is impossible to return to the world of mortals. 

70. O king, a person who kills a child in the embryo becomes pure through a charitable gift of gold. But there has never been a charitable gift like that of cooked food nor will it ever be like it. 

71. A person who bestows (as a charitable gift) cooked food is said to be a bestower of life; a bestower of life is the bestower of everything. Therefore, O excellent king, a bestower of cooked food attains the merit of charitable gift of everything. 8 

8. The dharma-shästra is liberal about the free gift of food, clothes and other bare necessities of life. They waived the rules of eligibility or gift-worthiness of the donee in these cases:

annacchädana-daneshu påtram naiva vichărayet|

-Vișhnudharmottara quoted in Dänamayükha, p. 5,

The merit accruing from the gift of food, water, carc of ailing persons and such other humanitarian acts is extolled in most of the puränas, Smrutis and the Mahabharata.

72. It has been decisively stated in the scriptures that a bestower of cooked food goes to the abode of god Brahmä along with ten thousand members of his family, and that he never returns therefrom to this world. 

73. It has been declared by expounders of the Vedas that as the gift of water gives immediate satisfaction, it should be regarded as superior to the gift of cooked food, O best of kings. 

74. The lotus-born deity (Brahma) states that whether a person is defiled by great sins or by subsidiary ones, a bestower of water is absolved from them all. 

75. They say that the physical body is born of food. The wise people know that the vital breath is also created from food. Hence, O lord of the earth, the bestower of food should be known as the bestower of vital breath. 

76. Whatever charitable gift produces satisfaction, yields the benefit of accomplishing all cherished desires. Hence, O king, there is no other gift in the world equal to that of the cooked food. 

77. O jewel among kings, all the persons born in the family of a bestower of food, up to the thousandth scion or descendant do not see the hell. Hence, a bestower of food is the most excellent one. 

78. The man who devotedly massages the feet of an uninvited and unexpected guest is one who takes bath in all sacred rivers with the ablution in the Gangå at the outset (which is the best of them). 

79. O great king, he who offers to Brahmaņas oil for oil bath, has to his credit the merit of taking holy ablutions in the Gangā for one hundred and eighth times and more. 

80. A person who lovingly protects ailing Bråhmaņas, shall stay in the city of god Brahmå for one Yuga, accompanied by ten million members of his family. 

81. O protector of the earth, if any one protects an indigent fellow or an ailing person, lord Vişhņu becomes pleased with him and grants him his cherished desires. 

82. He who looks after and saves an ailing person either by thought, word or deed, attains to all desires aspired after by him and he becomes devoid of all sins. 

83. O protector of the earth, he who gives residential accommodation to a Brāhmaṇa, is blessed by the Lord of gods who becomes pleased with him and grants him heavenly world. 

84. He who gives a milch cow to a Brāhmaṇa who knows (the Vedas goes to the abode of Brahma which is extremely difficult for others to attain.9 

9. Gifts of cows have been mentioned (and eulogised) since the days of the Rugveda e.g. RV.1.126.3 (KakShivat receiving 60,000 cows), RV.VIII.5.37 (Kaśhu Chaidyas gift of 10,000 cows). Smrutis regard cows as one of the best gifts (uttama dana)—Devala quoted by Aparărka, pp. 289-90, Vasişhtha (29.19) calls it an atidăna-a gist superior to the gifts of all other things. Puranas wax eloquent (as in the case of NP. here) and consequently a number of verses are found common in many Puranas, on go-däna.

85. O scholar, I am not competent to describe adequately the meritorious benefit derived by a person who gifts away a milch cow even after accepting it as a charitable gift from others 

86. He who gives as a charitable gift, a tawny-coloured milch cow to a Vedic scholar is Rudra himself. He is devoid of all sins, O king. 

87. It is impossible to enumerate, even in hundreds of years, the merit of a person who gives ‘an Ubhayato-mukhi cow (i.e. when she is on the point of giving birth to a call and thus has two mouths-hers in front and that of the calf which is being born) to a Brahmana who is a Vedic scholar. 

88-90a. O king, listen to the meritorious benefit (of offering protection), I shall tell you factually. On one side of the balance are all the sacrifices with sumptuous fees and on the other side is the act of protecting a living being who is frightened. O protector of the earth, he who protects a terrified Brahmana is like one who has taken bath in all sacred rivers and has initiated himself in all sacrifices. 

90b-93a. A person who gives clothes goes to Rudra’s abode. A person who gives a virgin girl in marriage10 attains to the region of Brahmā; the person who gifts gold goes to Vișhnu’s heaven (Vaikuntha) accompanied by all the members of his family. He who bedecks a virgin girl in rich ornaments and gives her in marriage to a knower of spiritual lore, goes to the region of god Brahma, accompanied by a hundred members of his family. 

10. Giving of girls in marriage to Brahmanas as a gift, was in vogue since Vedic times: vide RV. 1.126.3, VII.18.22, VIII.68.17, etc. This custom was current in the Smruti and Purăņa periods.

93b-94a. Listen to the merit achieved by a person who lets loose a bull for the propitiation of Shiva on the full moon day either in the month of Kärttika or Aşhadha O king. He becomes absolved of sins accumulated in the course of seven births and assumes the form of Rudra. With seventy generations of his family, he rejoices along with Rudra. 

94b-96a. He who lets loose a buffalo after marking it with the Linga of Shiva, never happens to go to the world of tortures (the hell), O best of kings. He who makes the gift of a Tāmbūla (the leaf of piper-betel together with powder of areca nut, catechu, etc. for chewing) according to his ability gets longevity, fame and prosperity from Vişhņu who becomes pleased with him. 

96b-98. The bestower (as charitable gift) of milk, ghee, honey or curds is honoured in the heavenly world for ten thousand divine years, O excellent king. The giver of sugar-cane goes to the abode of Brahma. The bestower of fragrant scent yields meritorious benefit as the bestower goes to Brahma’s region. One who gives jaggery and sugar-cane juice (as charitable gift) goes to the milky ocean. 

99. He who gives water to soldiers, goes to the excellent world of Sun god. By giving away instructions in learning (free of any fees in return), a man attains to the Shãyujya type of liberation with Lord Vişhņu. 

100. The gift of learning, 11 the gift of a plot of a land and the gift of a cow are the most excellent of charitable gifts. They lift the donor from the hell through Japa (repeating the name of God), vehicles and milk. 

11. The gift of education or learning has been regarded as the gift par excellence in the Smrutis. Cf. 

trinyāhur ati-dānāni güvaḥ pruthvi Sarasvati|

 ati-danam hi danânám vidyādanam tato’dhikam || 

-Vasistha XIX.19.

101. Among all gifts the gift of Vidya (lore) is of specially distinct merit. By the gift of Vidya one attains identity with Vişhņu, O excellent king. 

102. A person giving the charitable gift of fuel is liberated from the subsidiary type of sins. The gift of Shalagrăma stone is glorified as a great gift. 

103-104. By giving it (Shalagrama), one attains salvation. The gift of Linga is also such as by giving which one attains that meritorious benefit which a man obtains by gifting away ten million cosmic eggs. By the gift of Śhālagrāma stone, the meritorious benefit is twice this. 

105a. It is wellknown that god Vişhņu assumes the form of Śhālagrāma stone. 

105b-106a. O Lord of men, the man who makes charitable gifts of mansions, certainly attains the benefit of taking bath in the Gangå. 

106b-107. O excellent king, by the gift of gold to the accompaniment of precious stones and jewels one attains worldly pleasures and salvation, since it is mentioned as a Mahadāna. By the gift of rubies a man attains the highest Mokşha.12 

12. The lists of free gifts is very extensive in other Puränas also. Thus M.P. ch. 83 and 92 speaks of 10 kinds of ‘Meru-gifts’ i.e, of heaps of corn, salt, jaggery, gold, sesame, cotton, ghee, precious stones, etc. Smrutis and puranas also speak of gifts of animals such as buffaloes, horses, elephants, useful articles like umbrellas, shoes, etc.- many times the same verses occur in different works.

108. A person attains to the Dhruva loka (the region of the Pole star) by the gift of diamonds; one goes to a celestial world and Rudra’s region by the gift of coral (Vidruma). 

109. One goes to the region of the Moon god by the gift of a vehicle or through the gift of pearls. A giver of Vaidūrya (Lapis lazuli) or Pushpa-råga (Topaz) goes to the region of Rudra. 

110. By gifting away topaz, one enjoys happiness everywhere. O ruler of the earth, a person who bestows horses attains nearness to horses (?) for a long time. 

111. By means of the great gift of an elephant, one will obtain his cherished desires. Through the gift of a vehicle, one attains heaven seated in a heavenly aerial car. 

112. A person who gifts a she-buffalo undoubtedly overcomes pre-mature death. By giving grass and fodder freely to cows, one attains to the region of Rudra. 

113-114a. O lord of the earth, one who gives salt as charitable gift, attains to the region of god Varuņa. Persons who are engaged in the conduct of life according to the rules of discipline of their own stage of life, those interested in the welfare of all living beings, those who are devoid of hypocrisy, and free from jealousy, go to the region of Brahmä. 

114b-115a. Persons who are interested in impacting instructions to others, are devoid of passionate attachment, free from the sense of rivalry and those who are engaged in the worship of Hari’s feet, go to the abode of Lord Hari. 

115b-116a. Those who are engaged and take delight in associating themselves with saintly people, who always perform good and holy acts, are averse to slandering others, go to the region of Hari (Vaikuntha). 

116b-117a. Those who are always benevolent to Brahmaņas and cows, those who desist from physical contact with other men’s wives, do not go to the abode of Yama. 

117b-118a. Those who have conquered their sense-organs, have perfectly controlled their diet, have forbearance towards cows and those whose character is good and bear patience towards Brāhmaṇas, go to the region of Hari. 

118b-119a. Those who maintain sacrificial fires, render services to their preceptors and those women who are interested in serving their husbands, do not undergo worldly sufferings. 

119b-120a. Those who are always engaged in worshipping the deities, who are ever engrossed in repeating the names of Hari, and those who refrain from accepting charitable gifts, attain the highest region. 

120b-121a. O best of kings, those who cremate dead bodies of Brāhmaṇas who have no claimants or heirs, always obtain the meritorious benefit of performing thousands of horse sacrifices. 

121b-123a O lord of men, listen to the benefit of worshipping a neglected Linga which lies unworshipped, with Bilva Ieaves, flowers, fruits or water without elaborate adoration. Such a worshipper, seated in an aerial car and eulogised by bevies of heavenly damsels and groups of celestial singers, goes to the presence of Shiva. 

123b-124a. By bathing the Linga with only a handful of water, O lord of earth, one undoubtedly attains to the merit of a hundred thousand horse sacrifices. 

124b-125a. O lord of the people, the intelligent and learned person who worships the Linga of Shiva devoid of adoration for a long time, by means of flowers, will attain the benefit of ten thousand horse-sacrifices. 

125b-126a. By worshipping a deserted unworshipped Linga, by offering foodstuffs, edibles, and fruits, one attains the Säyujya type of liberation (identity with god Shiva) from which there is no return to this world. 

126b-127a. O jewel among men, a scion of the Solar race, a person who worships the idol of Vişhņu which lies unadored for a long time, even with water, attains residence in the region of Vișhnu. 

127b-128a. The intelligent person who sweeps a temple clean attains residence in Vișhnu’s mansion for as many yugas as the particles of dust he has swept. 

128b-129a. The man who joins together a shattered crystal Linga13 is freed from sins accumulated in the course of a hundred births, O jewel among the kings. 

13. Re-establishment of broken lingas and the procedure for the same, is described in the AP chs 67 and 103 and it has been elaborated later in the Dharma Sindhu III Pūrvärdha. The Kiradu Inscription (Epi. Ind.XX App.56 No. 381) mentions the re-instalment of an image (broken by Turuşhkas), in Samvat 1235 by the wife of Tejapäl, an officer of the Chahamānas, feudatories to king Bhimadeva of Anahillapätaka. Reconsecration of images and reconstruction of temples (damaged or polluted) has shastric sanction and historical precedents. The reconsecration of Lord Somanåtha temple after Indian Independence, needs emulation in the cases of other ancient shrines.

129b-130a. O king, the person who sprinkles with water, a plot of land in the temple extending at least Go-carma*14 one hundred and fifty hastas in length and breadth attains heaven. 

14. Go-charma-mätraka:

Land measuring go-charma. Go-charma is variously defined. (1) According to Bruhaspati, it is equal to 10 nivartanas and one vartana or nivartana is 30 (square) rods (a rod=10 cubits). 

daśha-hastena dandena trimshad dandau ni-vartanam | daśha tänyeva vistaro go-charmaitan mahåphalam||

-Br. Smr.8 also Shatatapa I.15.

The only v.l. in Shätätapa is svarga-loke mahiyate instead of go-charmaitan mahaphalam in Bruhaspati Smruti. 

(2) In the next verse, it is defined as a piece of land in which a thousand cows with their calves and bulls will comfortably accommodate themselves. 

savruşham -go-sahasram cha yatra tişhthatyatandritam|

bala-vatsa-pras ūtānāṁ tad go-charma iti smrutam||

-Ibid 9.

For other definitions of go-charma vide-Hemädri Vratakhanda chaturvarga chintamanni I.pp.52-53.

*One of the definitions of Go-charman:

daśha-hastena vaṁśhena, dasha-vamshän samantataḥ| pancha chabhyadhikan dadyâd etad go-charma uchyate ||

-Vasişhtha Samhita. 

130b-131a. He who sprinkles the ground in the temple with scented water, stays in the vicinity of the lord for as many kalpas as there are drops of water in sprinkling. 

131b-132a. He who besmears the abode of the deity (the sanctum sanctorum) with mud or red chalk (metallic substances), uplifts ten million members of his family and attains equality with Lord Vishņu, the slayer of demon Madhu. 

132b-133a. A man who over-spreads the abode of the Lord with powdered rock or draws the symbols of Svastika, etc. with coloured powder gains merit which is infinite. 

133b-134a. O king, I am not enthusiastic in enumerating, even in the course of hundreds of years, the merit of a person who makes arrangement for lighting in the temple. 

134b-135a. For a person who makes lighting arrangement (in the sanctum sanctorum) of god Vişhņu or Shankara, the merit of the performance of horse-sacrifices per every movement is not difficult to get. 

135b-136a. He who bows down on seeing Shankara or Vişhņu worshipped, attains the abode of Vişhņu (Vaikuntha) and enjoys himself for ten thousand yugas. 

136b-137. O king, after making one circumambulation of the goddess, seven circumambulations to the Sun-god, with three of god Vinayaka and four round the temple of Vişhņu, one attains the region of the respective deity and rejoices there for one hundred thousand yugas. 

138. He who, with feelings of devotion, circumambulates god Vișhnu, a cow, a Brahmaņa, reaps the benefit of a horse sacrifice at each step. 

139. He who worships and bows down to the Linga of god Maheśhvara at Kāśhī,15 has no further duty (left for performance) and he has no further existence in this world. 

15. It is noteworthy though the NP. belongs to the Vaişhnava group, the author pays equal regard to Shiva. In fact, all the Puränas irrespective of their supposed groups, regard Brahma, Vișhnu, Shiva or Shakti as the designation of Brahman.

140. By circumambulating god Shiva in the reverse order, in accordance with injunction, a man does not fall off from heaven, thanks to the Grace of Shankara. 

141. By eulogising the lord of the Universe, Närāyaṇa who is free from all ailments, one obtains the cherished desires even whatever he wishes to mentally. 

142. O lord of the earth, he who dances or sings in the temple with great devotion, attains to liberation and stays in the region of Rudra. 

143. Persons who play on musical instruments in the precincts of the temple, go to god Brahma’s region scated in the swan-shaped aerial car. 

144. Those who clap their hands or beat the cymbals in the shrine of gods, become absolved of all sins, and for a period of ten thousand yugas, occupy a heavenly car (and move in the skies). 

145. Even god Shiva himself is incompetent to describe adequately the merits of those who sound bells in the temple. 

146. Listen to the meritorious benefit accrued to those who propitiate the Lord of gods by beating and playing upon different kinds of drums like bheris (kettle-drums), Mrudangas, (tabors), Patahas (war drums), Murajas (a kind of tabor) and Pindimas (small drums). 

147. In association with the bevies of celestial damsels, they are honoured with the fulfilment of all their cherished desires; having attained the heavenly world, they rejoice there for five Kalpas. 

148. The man who blows a conch in the temple of a deity becomes purged of all sins and rejoices with Vișhnu, O king. 

149. A man beating the cymbals to time or sounding the bell-metal-gong in Vișhnu’s temple is given absolution from all sins and will attain the region of Vişhņu. 

150. God Vişhņu who is the Lord, witness to all, is the embodiment of knowledge and is absolutely pure, when delighted, confers fully the entire benefit of all religious rites. 

151. O lord of the earth, all the righteous duties and holy rites do become fruitful merely by remembering the discus-bearing Lord of Devas (i.e. Vişhņu). 

152. He is the Supreme Soul, Lord of the Universe, the bestower of the fruits of all holy actions. He is remembered always by the performers of holy rites. He is the destroyer of all distress and gloom. Whatever is done with him in view, is capable of being infinitely multiplied in its efficacy. 

153. All righteous acts are Vişhņu; all fruits thereof are Vişhņu; all holy rites are Vişhņu ; Lord Vişhņu alone is the enjoyer of fruits and rites; that which is to be done is Vișhnu; the instruments of doing such acts are Vişhņu. There is nothing different and separate from him.16 

16. This is the highest stage in Bhakti and Vedānta. This is the realization of the Upanişhadic truth (everything is Brahman) expressed in sarvam khalvidam Brahma.