Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa · Chapter 57
Sourceद्विजा ऊचुः- कीर्तिर्धर्मोथ लोकेषु सर्वाणि प्रवराणि च। वद नो मुनिशार्दूल यदि नोऽस्ति त्वनुग्रहः१। व्यास उवाच- यस्य खाते वने गावस्तृप्यंति मासमेव च। यद्वा सप्तदिनात्पूतः सर्वदेवैः स पूजितः२। पुष्करिण्या विशेषेण पूता या यज्ञकर्मणा। यत्फलं जलदानेन सर्वमत्रास्यि(?) तच्छृणु३। हायने हायने चैव कल्पं कल्पं विधीयते। दानात्स्वर्गमवाप्नोति तोयदः सर्वदो भुवि४। मेघे वर्षति खाते च जायंते ये तु शीकराः। तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि दिवमश्नाति मानवः५। तोयैरन्नादिपाकैश्च प्रसन्नो मानवो भवेत्। प्राणानां च विनान्नैश्च धारणन्नैव जायते६। पितॄणां तर्पणं शौचं रूपं वै गंध्यनाशनम्। बीजं त्विहार्जितं सर्वं सर्वं तोये प्रतिष्ठितम्७। वस्त्रस्य धावनं रुच्यं भाजनानां तथैव च। तेनैव सर्वकार्यं च पानीयं मेध्यमेव च८। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन वापीकूपतटाककम्। कारयेच्च बलैः सर्वैस्तथा सर्वधनेन च९। ततो विनिर्जले देशो(देशे?) यो ददाति जलाशयम्। वासरे वासरे तस्य कल्पं स्वर्गं विनिर्दिशेत्१०। त्रिविष्टपाच्च्युतो विप्रो वेदशास्त्रार्थपारगः। लोकबंधुः स धर्मात्मा तपस्तप्त्वा दिवं व्रजेत्११। एवं जन्माष्टकं प्राप्य एकस्याक्षयमिष्यते। क्षत्त्रियाणां कुले जातः सार्वभौमो भवेन्नृपः१२। विशोऽक्षयं धनं विद्याज्जन्मजन्मसु यत्प्रियम्। शूद्रादयोन्त्यजाश्चान्ये लभंते स्वर्गतिं मुहुः१३। चतुर्हस्तप्रमाणं तु कूपं खनति यः पुमान्। परोपकारकं नित्यं कल्पं स्वर्गं तु हायने१४। द्विगुणे द्विगुणं विद्याच्छतं चैव चतुर्गुणे। विंशत्किष्कुप्रमाणां तु दद्यात्पुष्करिणीं तु यः१५। विष्णोर्धाम लभेत्सोपि दिव्यभोगं तथैव च। अनंतरं नृपो जातो धनी वागीश्वरो भवेत्१६। एवं द्विस्त्रिश्चतुर्वापि गुणतो भोग्यमिष्यते। विस्तीर्णे प्रचुरं विद्धि सहस्रेणाच्युतो दिवः१७। सहस्राद्द्विगुणेनैव सुरपूज्यो भवेन्नरः। जंतवस्तत्र ये संति यावंतो जीवनं ययुः१८। तत्संख्याका जनास्तस्य किंकराः पृष्टलग्नकाः। भवंति सततं गेहे पुरे जनपदेषु च१९। विहाय पितरं भोग्या धने क्षीणे यथा वनम्। पक्षिणस्सूकरश्चैव महिषी करिणी तथा२०। उपदेष्टा च कर्त्ता च षडेते स्वर्गगामिनः। दिव्यं च पक्षिणां चैव शतं स्वर्गं विनिर्दिशेत्२१। क्रोडो वर्षसहस्रं तु महिष्ययुतहायनम्। देवरूपं समास्थाय करिण्या लक्षमुच्यते२२। कोट्येकमुपदेष्टुश्च कर्तुरक्षयमेव च। पुरा धनिसुतेनैव कृतः ख्यातो जलाशयः२३। अयुतधनव्ययेनैव प्राणेनैव बलेन च। सर्वसत्वोपकाराय शिवश्रद्धायुतेन च२४। कालेन कियता चापि क्षीणवित्तोऽभवत्किल। कश्चिदर्थी धनी तस्य मूल्यदानाय चोद्यतः२५। विमृश्य धनिना चोक्तं व्याहारं शृणुताधुना। दीनारस्यायुतं वा ते दास्याम्यस्याश्च कारणात्२६। लब्धं ते पुष्करिण्याश्च पुण्यं लाभात्प्रमन्यसे। शक्त्या दत्वाथ मूल्यं तां स्वीयां कर्तुं व्यवस्थितः२७। एवमुक्ते स तं प्राह वासरेप्ययुतं पुनः। फलं भवति वै नित्यं पुण्यं पुण्यविदो विदुः२८। एतस्मिन्निर्जले देशे शिवं खातं कृतं च मे। स्नानपानादिकं कर्म सर्वे कुर्वंत्यभीष्टतः२९। तस्मान्मेप्ययुतार्थस्य नैत्यकं फलमिष्यते। ततस्तस्याभवद्धास्यं तथैव च सभासदाम्३०। ह्रिया च पीडितः सोपि वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह। सत्यमेतद्वचोस्माकं परीक्षां कुरु धर्मतः३१। मत्सरात्स तु तं प्राह शृणु मे वचनं पितः। दीनारायुत मे तत्ते दत्वा चानीय प्रस्तरम्३२। पातयिष्यामि ते खाते यथायोगं प्रमज्जतु। उन्मज्जति च यत्काले प्रस्तरः संतरत्यपि३३। क्षयं यास्यति नो वित्तं नोचेन्मे धर्मतो हि सा। बाढमुक्त्वायुतं तस्य गृहीत्वा स्वगृहं गतः३४। साक्षिणामग्रतस्तेन प्रस्तरः पातितस्तथा। पुष्करिण्यां महत्यां च दृष्टं नरसुरासुरैः३५। ततो धर्मतुलायां तु तुलितं धर्मसाक्षिणा। दीनारायुतदानस्य पुष्करिण्या जलस्य तु३६। न समं तु दिनैकं तु जलस्य धर्मतो भृशम्। धनिनो मानसं दुःखं मोघार्थं च परेऽहनि३७। शिलोच्चयोऽभवत्तीर्णो द्वीपवच्च जलोपरि। ततः कोलाहलः शब्दो जनानां समुपस्थितः३८। तच्छ्रुत्वाद्भुतवाक्यं च मुदा तौ चागतौ ततः। दृष्ट्वा शैलं तथाभूतं कृतं तेनायुतं तथा३९। ततः खाताधिपेनैव शैलं दूरे निपातितम्। पुण्यं खातस्य चोत्खाते प्रलुप्तस्य सुतेन हि४०। सोपि नाकं समारुह्य जन्मजन्मसु निर्वृतः। गोत्रमातृगणानां च नृपाणां सुहृदां तथा४१। सखीनां चोपकर्तॄणां खातं खात्वाऽक्षयं फलम्। तपस्विनामनाथानां ब्राह्मणानां विशेषतः४२। खातं तु जनयित्वा तु स्वर्गं चाक्षयमश्नुते। तस्मात्खातादिकं विप्राः शक्तितो यः करिष्यति४३। सर्वपापक्षयात्पुण्यं मोक्षं यायान्न संशयः। य इदं श्रावयेल्लोके धर्माख्यानं महोत्कटम्४४। सर्वखातप्रदानस्य फलमश्नाति धार्मिकः। ग्रहणे भास्करस्यैव भागीरथ्यां तटे वरे४५। गवां कोटिप्रदानस्य फलं श्रुत्वा लभेन्नरः। न च दारिद्रतामेति न शोकं व्याधिसंचयम्४६। असंमानं महद्दुःखमुभयोर्नाधिगच्छति। इति श्रीपाद्मपुराणे प्रथमे सृष्टिखंडे खातादिकीर्तनंनाम सप्तपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः ५७।
dvijā ūcuḥ- kīrtirdharmotha lokeṣu sarvāṇi pravarāṇi ca| vada no muniśārdūla yadi no'sti tvanugrahaḥ1| vyāsa uvāca- yasya khāte vane gāvastṛpyaṃti māsameva ca| yadvā saptadinātpūtaḥ sarvadevaiḥ sa pūjitaḥ2| puṣkariṇyā viśeṣeṇa pūtā yā yajñakarmaṇā| yatphalaṃ jaladānena sarvamatrāsyi(?) tacchṛṇu3| hāyane hāyane caiva kalpaṃ kalpaṃ vidhīyate| dānātsvargamavāpnoti toyadaḥ sarvado bhuvi4| meghe varṣati khāte ca jāyaṃte ye tu śīkarāḥ| tāvadvarṣasahasrāṇi divamaśnāti mānavaḥ5| toyairannādipākaiśca prasanno mānavo bhavet| prāṇānāṃ ca vinānnaiśca dhāraṇannaiva jāyate6| pitṝṇāṃ tarpaṇaṃ śaucaṃ rūpaṃ vai gaṃdhyanāśanam| bījaṃ tvihārjitaṃ sarvaṃ sarvaṃ toye pratiṣṭhitam7| vastrasya dhāvanaṃ rucyaṃ bhājanānāṃ tathaiva ca| tenaiva sarvakāryaṃ ca pānīyaṃ medhyameva ca8| tasmātsarvaprayatnena vāpīkūpataṭākakam| kārayecca balaiḥ sarvaistathā sarvadhanena ca9| tato vinirjale deśo(deśe?) yo dadāti jalāśayam| vāsare vāsare tasya kalpaṃ svargaṃ vinirdiśet10| triviṣṭapāccyuto vipro vedaśāstrārthapāragaḥ| lokabaṃdhuḥ sa dharmātmā tapastaptvā divaṃ vrajet11| evaṃ janmāṣṭakaṃ prāpya ekasyākṣayamiṣyate| kṣattriyāṇāṃ kule jātaḥ sārvabhaumo bhavennṛpaḥ12| viśo'kṣayaṃ dhanaṃ vidyājjanmajanmasu yatpriyam| śūdrādayontyajāścānye labhaṃte svargatiṃ muhuḥ13| caturhastapramāṇaṃ tu kūpaṃ khanati yaḥ pumān| paropakārakaṃ nityaṃ kalpaṃ svargaṃ tu hāyane14| dviguṇe dviguṇaṃ vidyācchataṃ caiva caturguṇe| viṃśatkiṣkupramāṇāṃ tu dadyātpuṣkariṇīṃ tu yaḥ15| viṣṇordhāma labhetsopi divyabhogaṃ tathaiva ca| anaṃtaraṃ nṛpo jāto dhanī vāgīśvaro bhavet16| evaṃ dvistriścaturvāpi guṇato bhogyamiṣyate| vistīrṇe pracuraṃ viddhi sahasreṇācyuto divaḥ17| sahasrāddviguṇenaiva surapūjyo bhavennaraḥ| jaṃtavastatra ye saṃti yāvaṃto jīvanaṃ yayuḥ18| tatsaṃkhyākā janāstasya kiṃkarāḥ pṛṣṭalagnakāḥ| bhavaṃti satataṃ gehe pure janapadeṣu ca19| vihāya pitaraṃ bhogyā dhane kṣīṇe yathā vanam| pakṣiṇassūkaraścaiva mahiṣī kariṇī tathā20| upadeṣṭā ca karttā ca ṣaḍete svargagāminaḥ| divyaṃ ca pakṣiṇāṃ caiva śataṃ svargaṃ vinirdiśet21| kroḍo varṣasahasraṃ tu mahiṣyayutahāyanam| devarūpaṃ samāsthāya kariṇyā lakṣamucyate22| koṭyekamupadeṣṭuśca karturakṣayameva ca| purā dhanisutenaiva kṛtaḥ khyāto jalāśayaḥ23| ayutadhanavyayenaiva prāṇenaiva balena ca| sarvasatvopakārāya śivaśraddhāyutena ca24| kālena kiyatā cāpi kṣīṇavitto'bhavatkila| kaścidarthī dhanī tasya mūlyadānāya codyataḥ25| vimṛśya dhaninā coktaṃ vyāhāraṃ śṛṇutādhunā| dīnārasyāyutaṃ vā te dāsyāmyasyāśca kāraṇāt26| labdhaṃ te puṣkariṇyāśca puṇyaṃ lābhātpramanyase| śaktyā datvātha mūlyaṃ tāṃ svīyāṃ kartuṃ vyavasthitaḥ27| evamukte sa taṃ prāha vāsarepyayutaṃ punaḥ| phalaṃ bhavati vai nityaṃ puṇyaṃ puṇyavido viduḥ28| etasminnirjale deśe śivaṃ khātaṃ kṛtaṃ ca me| snānapānādikaṃ karma sarve kurvaṃtyabhīṣṭataḥ29| tasmānmepyayutārthasya naityakaṃ phalamiṣyate| tatastasyābhavaddhāsyaṃ tathaiva ca sabhāsadām30| hriyā ca pīḍitaḥ sopi vākyametaduvāca ha| satyametadvacosmākaṃ parīkṣāṃ kuru dharmataḥ31| matsarātsa tu taṃ prāha śṛṇu me vacanaṃ pitaḥ| dīnārāyuta me tatte datvā cānīya prastaram32| pātayiṣyāmi te khāte yathāyogaṃ pramajjatu| unmajjati ca yatkāle prastaraḥ saṃtaratyapi33| kṣayaṃ yāsyati no vittaṃ nocenme dharmato hi sā| bāḍhamuktvāyutaṃ tasya gṛhītvā svagṛhaṃ gataḥ34| sākṣiṇāmagratastena prastaraḥ pātitastathā| puṣkariṇyāṃ mahatyāṃ ca dṛṣṭaṃ narasurāsuraiḥ35| tato dharmatulāyāṃ tu tulitaṃ dharmasākṣiṇā| dīnārāyutadānasya puṣkariṇyā jalasya tu36| na samaṃ tu dinaikaṃ tu jalasya dharmato bhṛśam| dhanino mānasaṃ duḥkhaṃ moghārthaṃ ca pare'hani37| śiloccayo'bhavattīrṇo dvīpavacca jalopari| tataḥ kolāhalaḥ śabdo janānāṃ samupasthitaḥ38| tacchrutvādbhutavākyaṃ ca mudā tau cāgatau tataḥ| dṛṣṭvā śailaṃ tathābhūtaṃ kṛtaṃ tenāyutaṃ tathā39| tataḥ khātādhipenaiva śailaṃ dūre nipātitam| puṇyaṃ khātasya cotkhāte praluptasya sutena hi40| sopi nākaṃ samāruhya janmajanmasu nirvṛtaḥ| gotramātṛgaṇānāṃ ca nṛpāṇāṃ suhṛdāṃ tathā41| sakhīnāṃ copakartṝṇāṃ khātaṃ khātvā'kṣayaṃ phalam| tapasvināmanāthānāṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ viśeṣataḥ42| khātaṃ tu janayitvā tu svargaṃ cākṣayamaśnute| tasmātkhātādikaṃ viprāḥ śaktito yaḥ kariṣyati43| sarvapāpakṣayātpuṇyaṃ mokṣaṃ yāyānna saṃśayaḥ| ya idaṃ śrāvayelloke dharmākhyānaṃ mahotkaṭam44| sarvakhātapradānasya phalamaśnāti dhārmikaḥ| grahaṇe bhāskarasyaiva bhāgīrathyāṃ taṭe vare45| gavāṃ koṭipradānasya phalaṃ śrutvā labhennaraḥ| na ca dāridratāmeti na śokaṃ vyādhisaṃcayam46| asaṃmānaṃ mahadduḥkhamubhayornādhigacchati| iti śrīpādmapurāṇe prathame sṛṣṭikhaṃḍe khātādikīrtanaṃnāma saptapaṃcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ 57|
English translation
The brāhmaṇas said :
1. O best sage, tell us, if you favour us, (how) fame and dharma (can be accomplished) in the worlds, and (tell us about) all the excellent things (in the three worlds).
Vyāsa said :
2. He, in whose dug up (portion of) forest, cows are satisfied (by grazing) for a month, or seven days, is purified and is honoured by all gods.
3. Listen to all the fruit that is here (i.e. in this world obtained) by offering water, especially at a pool purified by (the performance of) a sacrificial rite.
4. It is brought about year after year and kalpa after kalpa. By giving (gifts) a man obtains heaven; and one who offers water becomes the giver of everything on the earth.
5. A man enjoys heaven for as many years as (n umber of) drops that are produced on the tank (etc.) dug up (by him), when the cloud is showering (drops of rain).
6. A man becomes pleased by (drinking) water and (enjoying) cooked food etc. Life cannot be sustained without food.
7. Gratification of the manes, purity, form, removing bad smell—all this, the seed that is obtained (and that will lead one to heaven), is settled in (the gift of) water.
8. Washing the clothes, making the utensils shine—all this is to be done with that (i.e. water) only. Therefore water is pure only.
9. Therefore with all one’s capacity and all one’s wealth a man should get fashioned, making all efforts, a well, a tank or a pool.
10. Therefore, upon him, who gives (i.e. constructs) a water-tank in a place, where there is no water, (the charitable act) would day by day bestow heaven (where he would stay) for a kalpa.
11. That brāhmaṇa , fallen from heaven, becomes a master of the Vedas ; and the religious-minded brāhmaṇa, the kinsman of the world, would go to heaven after having practised penance.
12. Thus he gets eight births, and (the fruit) of one of them is said to be inexhaustible. Such a man, (if) born in a kṣatriya -family, would become a sovereign emp eror.
13. (If born as) a vaiśya (he) would obtain inexhaustible wealth very much liked by him in birth after birth. Others like śūdras and low born men again and again go to heaven.
14. Whoever digs a tank of the measure of four cubits, the tank always helps him to stay in heaven for a kalpa after a year.
15-16. If (the measure) is double, (one) should know that the merit is double, and if it is fourfold, (the merit) would be hundredfold. He, who gives (i.e. constructs) a tank of the measure of twenty cubits, would obtain (i.e. go to) Viṣṇu ’s abode, and also divine enjoyments. Afterwards, he is born as a king or would be a wealthy man or an orator.
17. It is laid down that (by doing) like this twofold, threefold or fourfold enjoyment (is obtained). If the tank is extensive, know that the enjoyment would be profuse; ifits measure is a thousand cubits he does not fall from heaven.
18-19. If it is two thousand, a man becomes honoured by gods. And as many men as there are beings in his house or in the region, forever become his servants going after him for as many (years) as the beings would live.
20-21. Pleasures enjoyed without a parent are like a forest (resorted to after one’s) wealth is exhausted. Birds, a pig, a female buffalo, a female elephant, an adviser and a doer—these six lead (one) to heaven. The divine hundred of birds would bestow heaven.
22. A hog would bestow it for a thousand years, and a female buffalo for a myriad years. A lakh is said to be the fruit of a female elephant after one has resorted to a divine form.
23a. For the adviser it is a crore years and eternal for a doer.
23b-24. Formerly, a wealthy man, having faith in Śiva constructed a tank for obliging (i.e. helping) all beings by (spending) a myriad (i.e. very large) amount and at the cost of his life and capacity.
25. It is said that after some time he became poor. Some wealthy man desiring (to buy the tank) was ready to pay him its price.
26-2 7. Having reflected, the wealthy man said: “Listen now to (my) words. For this (tank) I shall pay you a myriad dīnāras . You have already obtained the religious merit by (the construction of) the tank. If you think to get (money by selling it), I am ready to own it (i.e. to buy it) by offering the price according to my capacity.”
28-31. When he said this, he (i.e. the owner of the tank) said to him: “Again everyday the fruit is ten thousand (times more). The meritorious (alone) know (what) merit (is). In this waterless region I constructed an auspicious tank. All do acts like bathing and drinking of its water as they like. From it I, who have a myriad (dīnāras), desire an eternal fruit. These words of (i.e. uttered by) me are true. Test me justly.”
32-34a. But through jealousy he said to him: “O father, listen to my words. Instead of giving these ten thousand dīnāras to you, I shall bring (i.e. buy) stones (with that amount). I shall throw them into your tank; let them, according to the circumstances, sink into it. If the stones come up and float (on the surface), then my wealth will perish; otherwise the tank will be legally mine.”
34b. He (i.e. the owner) said: “All right.” He took the myriad (of dīnāras) and went home.
35-38a. In the presence of witness, he dropped stones into the great tank; this was seen by men, gods and demons. Then with Dharma as the witness, it was weighed in the balance of dharma. Even for a day, the offer of a myriad of dīnāras and the water of the tank were not equal. The mind of the wealthy man was sad due to his mission having failed. The next day the heap of stones came up and remained like an island on (the surface of) the water.
38b-39. Then there arose a loud cry of the people. Hearing that wonderful cry (of the people), both of them gladly came there. Seeing that hill (i.e. that heap of stones) he gave a myriad (dīnāras).
40. Then the owner of the tank threw away the heap. He (obtained) the merit from the tank that had disappeared (due to stones being thrown into it) by the son (i.e. the purchaser).
41-42. He too went to heaven, and was happy in every birth. Digging a tank has an inexhaustible fruit for the family, hosts of mothers, kings, friends, those who oblige, orphans, ascetics and especially for brāhmaṇas .
43-44a. Having constructed a tank, a man gets heaven eternally. Therefore, O brāhmaṇas, there is no doubt that he who constructs a tank etc. according to his capacity has all his sins destroyed and would go to (i.e. obtain) the auspicious salvation.
44b-47. That religious man who would cause people to hear (i.e. recite to them) this very excellent meritorious account gets the fruit of the entire gift of a tank. A man having heard (i.e. who listens to this account) on a solar eclipse day at the excellent bank of the Ganges , would get the fruit of the gift of a crore of cows. He is not reduced to poverty nor does he have grief or a group of diseases. He does not experience disrespect or great grief.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 36890, revision 361238 (2022-11-26T17:00:15Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc364180.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.