41 - The Procedure for Charitable Gifts

Vasu said:

1. Henceforth, the benefit of the rites of taking bath etc. is being explained. O daughter of Brahma and the beloved of the king, listen attentively.

2. Šhivä (the auspicious river) redeems from the world a hundred thousand members of the families of those persons by whom the meritorious river Gañgä was at least once bathed into, with devotion.

3. O gentle lady, if the Sandhyä prayers are offered there, the merit thereof is a hundred thousand times more than the benefit when they are performed in ordinary places. The Gañgã who sanctifies the Brähmanas is competent to do so.

4. If water-libations are offered to the Pitris by the sons endowed with faith O Mohinï, they give rare and everlasting satisfaction to the manes.

5. The Pitris will stay in the heaven for as many thousand years as the number of gingelly seeds taken by their sons in the holy rite of the Pitris.

6. If the Pitris are propitiated with the auspicious waters of the Gañgã, all the Pitris staying in the worlds of the Pitris (including the ancestors of all other people) attain the greatest satisfaction.

7. O auspicious-faced lady, he who wishes his life to be fruitful and has a desire for progeny, must propitiate the Pitris and the Devas after approaching the Gañgã.

8. Those who are dead and have gone to miserable condition (in hell), and are propitiated by persons born in their fåmilies by means of Kušha grass, gingelly seeds and the waters of the Gañgã, go to Hari’s region.

9. It is the statement of god Brahma that “those Pitris who are meritorious and who arc stationed in the heaven attain salvation if they are propitiated with the waters of the Gañgà.”

10. If the Pitris are propitiated for a month by means of Tarpana¹ rites, and the offerings of balls of rice (Pindas) in the Gañgã, all of them are highly delighted and they attain splendour of the sun.

1. Tarpana means satiating one by offering water. Manu (2. 176) has prescribed daily Tarpava of gods, sages and Pitrus (ancestors). Tarpana is both a part of bath as well as of Brahma-Yajña. It is to be performed with both the hands according to one’s particular Shakha of the (for details Vida HD. 11. pp. 689-95.)

11-13a. (Defective) They get into excellent aerial chariots and go over to the world of Brahma, accompanied by the bevies of celestial ladies, bedecked in gold ornaments and jewels, embellished in clusters of pearls and beautified with garlands etc. and having the charming bodies of the Gandharvas. They will have divine pleasures and they will be honoured with the pleasing sounds of flutes, lutes, drums, conchs, Mrudañgas and other instruments.

13b-14a. The man who takes bath in the Gañgä every day and worships the Liñga of god Shiva certainly attains the greatest liberation, even in a single birth.

14b-15a. Agni-Hotras, Vedas and Yajñas with sumptuous monetary gifts are not equal to even a hundred millionth part of the worship of the Liñga in the Gañgâ.

15b-16a. If one sprinkles with the waters of the Gañgä (directing the act to the Pitris or the Devas, in view of his Pitris, they will be pleased and satisfied instantaneously even if they are in the hell.

16b-18a. The waters of the copper-pots are ten times better than the waters of the mud-pots for the holy ablution. The merit in silver vessels is hundred times better and that of gold vessels is remembered to be crore times better. Similarly, in the cases of Arghya, Naivedya, and oblations and worships the benefit goes on increasing due to the qualities of the vessels used.

18b-19a. Being affluent, if one does not extend the paraphernalia of worship due to delusion, he does not attain the benefit of those respective rites. He is shouted down as Devadrohi (inimical to God).

19b-20. The sight of the Devas is meritorious; touching them is better than seeing; worshipping is more excellent than touching. Beyond this is the ablution with ghee. Learned men say that ablution with the waters of the Gañgâ is equal to the ablution with ghee.

21-22b. By offering Arghya even once to the deities along with one’s own Pitris, a man shall attain heavenly pleasures in the company of his sons and grandsons. —the Arghya, however, shall consist of special articles of worship along with the Gañgã water, in a copper vessel of the capacity of a Prastha according to the reckoning in the Magadha land.

22c-23. The constituents of the Arghya to the sun are eight viz—water, milk, ends of Kušha grass, ghee, curds, honey, red Karavira flowers and red sandal paste.

24-25. An excellent man must install the idols of Vishnu, Shiva, Sun, Durgä and Brahmâ on the banks of the Gañgä. According to his ability he must construct shrines too for them. The benefit of constructing these here is crores and crores of times more than that of erecting them in other holy centres.

26-27. According to one’s ability one must make Liñgas having all special characteristics, out of the clay found on the banks of the Gañgã. Every day he must instal them, worship them with Mantras, leaves, flowers etc. according to his ability and finally cast them into the Gañgä. The benefit of these activities is endless.

28. If an excellent man devoutly performs the Japa of eight-syllabled Mantra i.e. Om Namo Näräyanâya (Om, obeisance unto Nârâyana) in the Gañgâ that bestows bliss on everyone, liberation is within his reach.

29. All the Siddhis wait upon the person who observes rules and restraints and performs Japa of the Mantra ‘‘Om namo Närayanäya”, for six months.

30. He who performs Japa of the Mantra ‘‘Namah Šhiväya” (Obeisance to Shiva) along with the Omkâra, in accordance with the injunction, for two million and four hundred thousand times, shall become Šhañkara himself.

31. There is no doubt that the five-syllabled Mantra— Namah Šhivâya—is highly efficacious and is Shiva himself. By performing its Japa whether one is unholy or holy, one becomes free from sins.

32. If the Gañgã is worshipped, the deities too are worshipped. Hence, one shall assiduously worship the celestial river.

33-35. One shall meditate on the Gañgâ as follows: - She has four arms and three eyes. She is splendid in all limbs; she holds the jewelled pot, white lotus and the gestures of granting booms and fearlessness with her four arms. She is clad in white garments; she is bedecked in pearls and jewels; she is pleased; her face is splendid and her lotus-like heart melts with pity; she has flooded the entire surface of the Earth with nectarine juice and is ever bowed to by three worlds.¹ One who meditates on the Gañgâ thus and worships her shall be meritorious.

1. This description is instructive to have a mental picture of the Gañgä while meditating as well as making her idol.

36. He who worships her continuously even for half a month shall be equal to a Deva. The benefit will be more if the duration of worship is more.

37. It was on the seventh day in the bright half of the month of Vaišhâkha that the Gañgà was formerly drunk up by Jahnu out of anger, and cast off later on through the right ear.

38. O splendid-faced lady, one should worship the divine Gañgã, the girdle of the firmament, on that day or on the Akshayatrutiyâ day or in the month of Vaišhâkha or Kârttika.

39. After keeping awake at night, the devotee shall worship Vishnu, Gañgã and Shiva with feelings of great devotion, by means of cooked barley grains and gingelly seeds.

40-42a. Similarly, the following articles too shall be used in worship viz.—fragrant flowers, saffron, Agallochum, sandal paste, the leaves of Tulasï, Bilva etc., the fruits of Mätuluñga (chitron-like fruit,) etc., incense, lights, Naivedya (food) offerings etc. Their quantity and variety must be befitting one’s affluence and status. He will be going to the world of Vishnu, riding on a divine aerial chariot. He will be honoured there for hundreds, thousands and crores of Kalpas.

42b-43. Thereafter, he will return to the Earth and become a virtuous king. He will be endowed with comely features and good conduct. He will enjoy different kinds of pleasures. On death he will have perfect knowledge and shall attain Absorption in Shiva.

44. Whether it is Yajña, or charitable gift, penance or Japa, Šhräddha or the worship of the gods, everything performed in (i.e. on the bank of) the Gañgä yields benefits crores and crores of times.

45. Listen to the merit of that person who makes a charitable gift of a cow of ghee (?) on the day of Akshaya Trutïyä on the banks of the Gañgä in accordance with the injunctions.

46-48, For thousands and crores of Kalpas, for hundreds and crores of Kalpas, he will be honoured in the world of Brahmä along with his ancestors. He will be going there in an aerial chariot, variously bedecked in gold and jewels and embellished with figures of swans. He will be as refulgent as a thousand suns. He will be blessed with all cherished desires. Thereafter he is born as a Brähmana endowed with much wealth on the banks of Gañgâ. Undoubtedly he will become a knower of the Brahman after death and attain salvation.

49. Similarly, he who makes a charitable gift of a cow duly, is honoured in the heavenly world for as many years as there are hairs on the body of the cow.

50. Afterwards, he is born in a family richly endowed with wealth and foodgrains, full of jewels, gold and plots of lands and possessing good conduct, learning and fame.

51. No doubt need be entertained in this regard that he will enjoy extensive pleasures, that he will be blessed with sons and grandsons and that he will be attaining final emancipation from Samsära.

52. If a Kapilã (tawny-coloured) cow is duly given to a person who has mastered the Vedas, he leads all his ancestors stationed in the hell on to the heaven.

53. He who gives a plot of land on the Gañgä, extending to a Nivartana (i.e. about two hundred and ten hands) excels Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva for as many years as there are particles of dust on that plot of land.

54-57. He is reborn on the Earth. He shall become the lord of seven continents. He will be awakened after sleep by means of musical sounds, drums, conchs, etc., songs and instrumental music as well as eulogies of the Mâgadhas (bards). He will attain all sorts of pleasures. He will be engrossed in all holy religious acts. He will take all those ancestors detained in the hell, on to the heaven, and will liberate those who are in heaven. O Mohini, he will derive perfect spiritual knowledge himself. In the end, with the sword of perfect knowledge, he will cut off Avidyâ (Ignorance) consisting of five knots. Attaining the greatest detachment, he will realise the greatest Brahman.

58. Each rod is seven hands long. Thirty such rods make a Nivartana. Two thirds of this constitute Gocharma measure. Vidhi (Brahma) himself has mentioned this measurement.

59. If anyone gives a village on the bank of the Gañgä to Brähmanas, it is conducive to the delight of Brahmä, Vishnu, Shiva, Durgã and the sun-god.

60-62a. The giver of the village attains thousand times the benefit mentioned in the case of all charitable gifts, all Yajñas, all penances, holy rites and merits. He will be joyously eulogised by the Devas and others. He will be sporting about in an aerial chariot as refulgent as crores of suns in the city pertaining to (Vaikuntha) or to Shañkara (Kailäsa). He stays there for as many years as there are dust particles in the plot of land. He is then reborn in the family of Yogins, endowed with Anima (ability to be atomic in size) and other supernormal powers.

62b-66a. O gentle lady, he who gives sixteen Mashas of gold to a leading Brähmana on the Akshaya-Trutiyä day is worshipped in all the worlds. Thanks to the charitable gift of cooked food, one attains Vishnu’s world; thanks to the gift of gingelly seeds, one attains Shiva’s world; by giving jewels, one attains Brahmà’s world; Indra’s world by giving cow and gold; the world of the Gandharvas by giving gold and garments ; renown by giving away a virgin in marriage. He shall attain salvation-yielding knowledge through learning, and realise the pure unsullied Being.

66b-72. I shall succinctly mention the merit attained by a person who plants a big park on the banks of the Gañgâ with the following trees viz. plantain trees, coconut trees, wood apple trees, Ašhoka, Champaka jack trees, Bilva trees, Kadamba trees, holy fig trees, Pâtala trees, mango trees, palmyras, oranges, and other trees. After making an image also therein bedecked in flowers such as Jãti, Vijaya (?) and Pätala he shall dedicate it to Shiva or Vishnu or Durgä or the sun god. With great devotion he must provide it with all necessary objects. They will stay in those worlds for as many thousands of Kalpas as there are flowers, roots, fruits and seeds of various kinds.