Ninth Skandha · Chapter 10
Sourceनारद उवाच भूमिदानकृतं पुण्यं पापं तद्धरणेन च । परभूहरणात्पापं परकूपे खनने तथा ॥ १ ॥ अम्बुवाच्यां भूखनने वीर्यस्य त्याग एव च । दीपादिस्थापनात्पापं श्रोतुमिच्छामि यत्नतः ॥ २ ॥ अन्यद्वा पृथिवीजन्यं पापं यत्पृच्छते परम् । यदस्ति तत्प्रतीकारं वद वेदविदांवर ॥ ३ ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच वितस्तिमात्रभूमिं च यो ददाति च भारते । सन्ध्यापूताय विप्राय स याति शिवमन्दिरम् ॥ ४ ॥ भूमिं च सर्वसस्याढ्यां ब्राह्मणाय ददाति च । भूमिरेणुप्रमाणाब्दमन्ते विष्णुपदे स्थितिः ॥ ५ ॥ ग्रामं भूमिं च धान्यं च ब्राह्मणाय ददाति यः । सर्वपापाद्विनिर्मुक्तौ चोभौ देवीपुरःस्थितौ ॥ ६ ॥ भूमिदानं च तत्काले यः साधुश्चानुमोदते । स च प्रयाति वैकुण्ठे मित्रगोत्रसमन्वितः ॥ ७ ॥ स्वदत्तां परदत्तां वा ब्रह्मवृत्तिं हरेत्तु यः । स तिष्ठति कालसूत्रे यावच्चन्द्रदिवाकरौ ॥ ८ ॥ तत्युत्रपौत्रप्रभृतिर्भूमिहीनः श्रिया हतः । पुत्रहीनो दरिद्रश्च घोरं याति च रौरवम् ॥ ९ ॥ गवां मार्गं विनिष्कृष्य यश्च सस्यं ददाति च । दिव्यं वर्षशतं चैव कुम्भीपाके च तिष्ठति ॥ १० ॥ गोष्ठं तडागं निष्कृष्य मार्गे सस्यं ददाति यः । स तिष्ठत्यसिपत्रे च यावदिन्द्राश्चतुर्दश ॥ ११ ॥ पञ्चपिण्डाननुद्धृत्य परकूपे च स्नाति यः । प्राप्नोति नरकं चैव स्नानं निष्फलमेव च ॥ १२ ॥ कामी भूमौ च रहसि वीर्यत्यागं करोति यः । भूमिरेणुप्रमाणं च वर्षं तिष्ठति रौरवे ॥ १३ ॥ अम्बुवाच्यां भूकरणं यः करोति च मानवः । स याति कृमिदंशं च स्थितिस्तत्र चतुर्युगम् ॥ १४ ॥ परकीये लुप्तकूपे कूपं मूढः करोति यः । पुष्करिण्यां च लुप्तायां पुष्करिणीं ददाति यः ॥ १५ ॥ सर्वं फलं परस्यैव तप्तकुण्डं व्रजेच्च सः । तत्र तिष्ठति सन्तप्तो यावदिन्द्राश्चतुर्दश ॥ १६ ॥ परकीये तडागे च पङ्कमुद्धृत्य चोन्मृजेत् । रेणुप्रमाणवर्षं च ब्रह्मलोके वसेन्नरः ॥ १७ ॥ पिण्डं पित्रे भूमिभर्तुर्न प्रदाय च मानवः । श्राद्धं करोति यो मूढो नरकं याति निश्चितम् ॥ १८ ॥ भूमौ दीपं योऽर्पयति स चान्धः सप्तजन्मसु । भूमौ शङ्खं च संस्थाप्य कुष्ठं जन्मान्तरे लभेत् ॥ १९ ॥ मुक्तां माणिक्यहीरौ च सुवर्णं च मणिं तथा । पञ्च संस्थापयेद्भूमौ स चान्धः सप्तजन्मसु ॥ २० ॥ शिवलिङ्गं शिवामर्चां यश्चार्पयति भूतले । शतमन्वन्तरं यावत्कृमिभक्षः स तिष्ठति ॥ २१ ॥ शङ्खं यन्त्रं शिलातोयं पुष्पं च तुलसीदलम् । यश्चार्पयति भूमौ च स तिष्ठेन्नरके ध्रुवम् ॥ २२ ॥ जपमालां पुष्पमालां कर्पूरं रोचनं तथा । यो मूढश्चार्पयेद्भूमौ स याति नरकं ध्रुवम् ॥ २३ ॥ भूमौ चन्दनकाष्ठं च रुद्राक्षं कुशमूलकम् । संस्थाप्य भूमौ नरके वसेन्मन्वन्तरावधि ॥ २४ ॥ पुस्तकं यज्ञसूत्रं च भूमौ संस्थापयेन्नरः । न भवेद्विप्रयोनौ च तस्य जन्मान्तरे जनिः ॥ २५ ॥ ब्रह्महत्यासमं पापमिह वै लभते ध्रुवम् । ग्रन्धियुक्तं यज्ञसूत्रं पूज्यं च सर्ववर्णकैः ॥ २६ ॥ यज्ञं कृत्वा तु यो भूमिं क्षीरेण न हि सिञ्चति । स याति तप्तभूमिं च सन्तप्तः सप्तजन्मसु ॥ २७ ॥ भूकम्पे ग्रहणे यो हि करोति खननं भुवः । जन्मान्तरे महापापो ह्यङ्गहीनो भवेद् ध्रुवम् ॥ २८ ॥ भवनं यत्र सर्वेषां भूमिस्तेन प्रकीर्तिता । काश्यपी कश्यपस्येयमचला स्थिररूपतः ॥ २९ ॥ विश्वम्भरा धारणाच्चानन्तानन्तस्वरूपतः । पृथिवी पृथुकन्यात्वाद्विस्तृतत्वान्महामुने ॥ ३० ॥
nārada uvāca bhūmidānakṛtaṃ puṇyaṃ pāpaṃ taddharaṇena ca | parabhūharaṇātpāpaṃ parakūpe khanane tathā || 1 || ambuvācyāṃ bhūkhanane vīryasya tyāga eva ca | dīpādisthāpanātpāpaṃ śrotumicchāmi yatnataḥ || 2 || anyadvā pṛthivījanyaṃ pāpaṃ yatpṛcchate param | yadasti tatpratīkāraṃ vada vedavidāṃvara || 3 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca vitastimātrabhūmiṃ ca yo dadāti ca bhārate | sandhyāpūtāya viprāya sa yāti śivamandiram || 4 || bhūmiṃ ca sarvasasyāḍhyāṃ brāhmaṇāya dadāti ca | bhūmireṇupramāṇābdamante viṣṇupade sthitiḥ || 5 || grāmaṃ bhūmiṃ ca dhānyaṃ ca brāhmaṇāya dadāti yaḥ | sarvapāpādvinirmuktau cobhau devīpuraḥsthitau || 6 || bhūmidānaṃ ca tatkāle yaḥ sādhuścānumodate | sa ca prayāti vaikuṇṭhe mitragotrasamanvitaḥ || 7 || svadattāṃ paradattāṃ vā brahmavṛttiṃ harettu yaḥ | sa tiṣṭhati kālasūtre yāvaccandradivākarau || 8 || tatyutrapautraprabhṛtirbhūmihīnaḥ śriyā hataḥ | putrahīno daridraśca ghoraṃ yāti ca rauravam || 9 || gavāṃ mārgaṃ viniṣkṛṣya yaśca sasyaṃ dadāti ca | divyaṃ varṣaśataṃ caiva kumbhīpāke ca tiṣṭhati || 10 || goṣṭhaṃ taḍāgaṃ niṣkṛṣya mārge sasyaṃ dadāti yaḥ | sa tiṣṭhatyasipatre ca yāvadindrāścaturdaśa || 11 || pañcapiṇḍānanuddhṛtya parakūpe ca snāti yaḥ | prāpnoti narakaṃ caiva snānaṃ niṣphalameva ca || 12 || kāmī bhūmau ca rahasi vīryatyāgaṃ karoti yaḥ | bhūmireṇupramāṇaṃ ca varṣaṃ tiṣṭhati raurave || 13 || ambuvācyāṃ bhūkaraṇaṃ yaḥ karoti ca mānavaḥ | sa yāti kṛmidaṃśaṃ ca sthitistatra caturyugam || 14 || parakīye luptakūpe kūpaṃ mūḍhaḥ karoti yaḥ | puṣkariṇyāṃ ca luptāyāṃ puṣkariṇīṃ dadāti yaḥ || 15 || sarvaṃ phalaṃ parasyaiva taptakuṇḍaṃ vrajecca saḥ | tatra tiṣṭhati santapto yāvadindrāścaturdaśa || 16 || parakīye taḍāge ca paṅkamuddhṛtya conmṛjet | reṇupramāṇavarṣaṃ ca brahmaloke vasennaraḥ || 17 || piṇḍaṃ pitre bhūmibharturna pradāya ca mānavaḥ | śrāddhaṃ karoti yo mūḍho narakaṃ yāti niścitam || 18 || bhūmau dīpaṃ yo'rpayati sa cāndhaḥ saptajanmasu | bhūmau śaṅkhaṃ ca saṃsthāpya kuṣṭhaṃ janmāntare labhet || 19 || muktāṃ māṇikyahīrau ca suvarṇaṃ ca maṇiṃ tathā | pañca saṃsthāpayedbhūmau sa cāndhaḥ saptajanmasu || 20 || śivaliṅgaṃ śivāmarcāṃ yaścārpayati bhūtale | śatamanvantaraṃ yāvatkṛmibhakṣaḥ sa tiṣṭhati || 21 || śaṅkhaṃ yantraṃ śilātoyaṃ puṣpaṃ ca tulasīdalam | yaścārpayati bhūmau ca sa tiṣṭhennarake dhruvam || 22 || japamālāṃ puṣpamālāṃ karpūraṃ rocanaṃ tathā | yo mūḍhaścārpayedbhūmau sa yāti narakaṃ dhruvam || 23 || bhūmau candanakāṣṭhaṃ ca rudrākṣaṃ kuśamūlakam | saṃsthāpya bhūmau narake vasenmanvantarāvadhi || 24 || pustakaṃ yajñasūtraṃ ca bhūmau saṃsthāpayennaraḥ | na bhavedviprayonau ca tasya janmāntare janiḥ || 25 || brahmahatyāsamaṃ pāpamiha vai labhate dhruvam | grandhiyuktaṃ yajñasūtraṃ pūjyaṃ ca sarvavarṇakaiḥ || 26 || yajñaṃ kṛtvā tu yo bhūmiṃ kṣīreṇa na hi siñcati | sa yāti taptabhūmiṃ ca santaptaḥ saptajanmasu || 27 || bhūkampe grahaṇe yo hi karoti khananaṃ bhuvaḥ | janmāntare mahāpāpo hyaṅgahīno bhaved dhruvam || 28 || bhavanaṃ yatra sarveṣāṃ bhūmistena prakīrtitā | kāśyapī kaśyapasyeyamacalā sthirarūpataḥ || 29 || viśvambharā dhāraṇāccānantānantasvarūpataḥ | pṛthivī pṛthukanyātvādvistṛtatvānmahāmune || 30 ||
English translation
1-3. Narada said I am now desirous to hear about the merits acquired by making gifts of land, the demerits in stealing away lands, digging wells in other's wells, in digging earth on the day of Ambuvachi, in casting semen on earth, and in placing lamps and lights on the surface of the earth as well the sins when one acts wrongly in various other ways on the surface of the earth and the remedies thereof.
4-30. S’ri Narayana said If one makes a gift of land in this Bharata of the measure of a Vitasti (a long span measured by the extended thumb and little finger) to a Brahmana who performs Sandhya three times a day and is thus purified, one goes and remains in S’iva Loka (the abode of S’iva). If one gives away in charity a land full of corn to a Brahmin, the giver goes and lives in Visnu Loka in the end for a period measured by the number of dust particles in the land. If one presents a village, a plot of land, or grains to a Brahmin, both the giver and the receiver, become freed of their sins and go to the Devi Loka (the abode of the Devi). Even if one be present when a proposal for a gift of land is being made and says “This act is good,” one goes to Vaikuntha with one's friends and relatives. He remains in the Kalasutra hell as long as the Sun and Moon exist, who takes back or steals away the gift to a Brahmin, offered by himself or by any other body. Even his sons, grandsons, etc., become destitute of lands, prosperity, sons, and wealth and remain in a dreadful hell named Raurava. If one cultivates the grazing land for the cows and reaps therefrom a harvest of grains, one remains for one hundred divine years in the Kumbhipaka hell. If one cultivates any enclosure for cows or tanks and grows grains on them, one remains in the Asipatra hell for a period equivalent to fourteen Indra's falls. One who bathes in another's tank without taking off five handfuls of earth
from it, goes to hell and one's bath is quite ineffectual. If anybody, out of his amorous passion casts his semen privately on the suface of the ground, he will have to suffer the torments of hell for as many years as are the numbers of dust particles on that area. If anyone digs ground on the day of Ambuvachi, one remains in hell for four Yugas. If, without the permission of the owner of a well or tank, a stupid man clears the old well or tank and digs the slushy earth from the bottom, his labour goes in vain. The merit goes to the real owner. And the man who laboured so much goes to Tapta Kunda Naraka for fourteen Indra's life-periods. If any one takes out five handfuls of earth from another's tank, when he goes to bathe in it, he dwells in Brahma Loka for a period of years amounting to the number of particles in those handfuls of earth. During one's father's or grandfather's S'radha ceremony, if one offers pinda without offering any food (pinda) to the owner of the soil, the S'radha performer goes certainly to hell. If one places a light (Pradipa) directly on the earth without any holding piece at the bottom, one becomes blind for seven births; and so if one places a conch-shell on the ground (S'ankha), one becomes attacked with leprosy in one's next birth. If any body places pearls, gems, diamonds, gold and jewels, the five precious things on the ground he becomes blind, if one places the phallic emblem of S’iva, the image of S'ivani, the S'alagrama stone on the ground, he remains for one hundred Manvantaras to be eaten by worms. Conchshells, Yantras (diagrams for S'akti worshippers), the water after washing S'ilas (stones) i. e., Charanamrita, flowers, Tulasi leaves, if placed on the ground, lead him who places these, verily to hells. The beads, garlands of flowers, Gorochana (a bright yellow pigment prepared from the urine or bile of a cow), and camphor, when placed on the ground, lead him who places so to suffer the torments of hell. The sandal wood, Rudraksa mala, and the roots of Kus'a grass also, if placed on the ground, lead the doer to stay for one manvantara in the hell. Books, the sacred Upanayana threads, when placed on the ground make the doers unfit for Brahmin birth; rather he is involved in a sin equivalent to the murder of a Brahmin. The sacred Upanayana thread when knotted and rendered fit for holding, is worth being worshipped by all the castes.
One ought to sprinkle the earth with curd, nnilk, etc., after one has completed one's sacrifices. If one fails to do this, one will have to remain for seven births in a hot ground with great torment. If one digs the earth when there is an earth quake or when there is an eclipse, that sinner becomes also devoid of some of his limbs in his next birth. O Muni! This earth is named Bhumi since She is the abode of all; she is named Kas'yapi since she is the daughter of Kas'yapa; is named Vis'vambhara, since she supports the Universe; She is named Ananta, since she is endlessly wide; and She is named PrithivT since she is the daughter of the King Prithu, or she is extensively wide.
Here ends the Tenth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the offences caused towards the surface of the earth and punishments thereof in hells - in the Mahapuranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24495, revision 75065 (2016-07-24T06:03:29Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk09ch10.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.