Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 27
Sourceमहादेव उवाच- पानीयदानं परमं दानानामुत्तमं सदा । तस्माद्वापीश्च कूपांश्च तडागानि च कारयेत् १। अर्द्धं पापं संहरंति पुरुषस्य विकर्मणः । कूपाः प्रवृत्तपानीयाः सुप्रवृत्तस्य नित्यशः २। स च तारयते वंशं यस्य खात जलाशये । गावः पिबंति विप्राश्च साधवश्च नराः सदा ३। निदाघकाले पानीयं यस्य तिष्ठति नारद । दुर्गे विषमकृच्छ्रे च न कदाचिदवाप्यते ४। तडागानां च वक्ष्यामि कृतानां ये गुणाः स्मृताः । त्रिषु लोकेषु सर्वत्र पूजितो यस्तडागवान् ५। अथवा मित्रसदनं मित्रमैत्रीविवर्द्धनम् । कीर्तिसंजननं श्रेष्ठं तडागस्योपलक्षयेत् ६। धर्म्यस्यार्थस्य कामस्य फलमाहुर्मनीषिणः । तडागं सुकृतं देशे क्षेत्रमध्ये महाश्रयम् ७। चतुर्विधानां भूतानां तडागस्योपलक्षयेत् । तडागानि च सर्वाणि दिशंति श्रेयमुत्तमम् ८। देवामनुष्यागंधर्वाः पितरो नाग राक्षसाः । स्थावराणि च भूतानि संश्रयंति जलाशयम् ९। वर्षाऋतौ तडागे तु सलिलं यत्र तिष्ठति । अग्निहोत्रफलं तस्य जायते नात्र संशयः १०। हेमंते शिशिरे चैव सलिलं यस्य तिष्ठति । गोसहस्रफलं तस्य लभते नात्र संशयः ११। वसंतेऽपि तथा ग्रीष्मे सलिलं तिष्ठते यदि । अतिरात्राश्वमेधाभ्यां फलमाहुर्मनीषिणः १२। अथैतेषां तु वृक्षाणां रोपणे च गुणाञ्छृणु । अतीतानागतौ चोभौ पितृवंशौ महाऋषे १३। तारयेद्वृक्षरोपी च तस्माद्वृक्षांस्तु रोपयेत् । पुत्रपौत्रा भवंत्येते पादपा नात्र संशयः १४। परलोकं गतः सोऽपि लोकानाप्नोति चाक्षयान् । पुष्पैः सुरगणान्सर्वान्पत्रैश्चापि तथा पितॄन् १५। छायया चातिथीन्सर्वान्पूजयंति महीरुहाः । किन्नरोरगरक्षांसि देवगंधर्वमानवाः १६। तथा ऋषिगणाश्चैव संश्रयंति महीरुहान् । पुष्पिताः फलवंतश्च तर्पयंतीह मानवान् १७। इहलोके परे चैव पुत्रास्ते धर्मतः स्मृताः । तडागवृक्षरोपाश्च इष्टयज्ञाश्च ये द्विजाः १८। एते स्वर्गान्नहीयंते ये चान्ये सत्यवादिनः । सत्यमेव परं ब्रह्म सत्यमेव परं तपः १९। सत्यमेव परो यज्ञः सत्यमेव परं श्रुतम् । सत्यं देवेषु जागर्ति सत्यं च परमं पदम् २०। तपो यज्ञाश्च पुण्यं च तथा देवर्षिपूजनम् । आद्यो विधिश्च विद्या च सर्वं सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितम् २१। सत्यं यज्ञस्तथा दानं मंत्रा देवी सरस्वती । व्रतचर्या तथा सत्यमोङ्कारः सत्यमेव च २२। सत्येन वायुरभ्येति सत्येन तपते रविः । सत्येन चाग्निर्दहति स्वर्गः सत्येन तिष्ठति २३। पूजनं सर्वदेवानां सर्वतीर्थावगाहनम् । सत्यं च वदते लोके सर्वमाप्नोत्यसंशयः २४। अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम् । सर्वेषां सर्वयज्ञानां सत्यमेव विशिष्यते २५। सत्येन देवाः प्रीयंते पितरो ऋषयस्तथा । सत्यमाहुः परं धर्मं सत्यमाहुः परं पदम् २६। सत्यमाहुः परं ब्रह्म तस्मात्सत्यं वदामि ते । मुनयः सत्यनिरताः तपस्तप्त्वा सुदुष्करम् २७। सत्यधर्मरताः सिद्धास्ततः स्वर्गमितो गताः । अप्सरोगणसंघुष्टैर्विमानैः परितो वृताः २८। वक्तव्यं च सदा सत्यं न सत्याद्विद्यते परम् । अगाधे विपुले सिद्धे सत्तीर्थे च शुचौ हृदि २९। स्नातव्यं मनसा युक्तैः स्नानं तत्परमं स्मृतम् । आत्मार्थे वा परार्थे वा पुत्रार्थे वापि मानवाः । अनृतं ये न भाषंते ते नराः स्वर्गगामिनः ३०। वेदा यज्ञास्तथा मंत्राः संति विप्रेषु नित्यशः । न भांत्युज्झित सत्येषु तस्मात्सत्यं समाचरेत् ३१। नारद उवाच-। तपसां मे फलं ब्रूहि पुनरेव विशेषतः । सर्वेषां चैव वर्णानां ब्राह्मणानां तपोबलम् ३२। प्रवक्ष्यामि तपोध्यानं सर्वकामार्थसाधकम् । सुदुश्चरं द्विजातीनां तन्मे निगदतः शृणु ३३। तपो हि परमं प्रोक्तं तपसा विंदते फलम् । तपोरतो हि यो नित्यं मोदते सह दैवतैः ३४। तपसा प्राप्यते स्वर्गस्तपसा प्राप्यते यशः । तपसा मोक्षमाप्नोति तपसा विंदते महत् ३५। ज्ञानविज्ञानसंपत्तिः सौभाग्यं रूपमेव च । तपसा लभते सर्वं मनसा यद्यदिच्छति ३६। नातप्ततपसो यांति ब्रह्मलोकं कदाचन । यत्कार्यं किंचिदास्थाय पुरुषस्तप्यते तपः ३७। तत्सर्वं समवाप्नोति परत्रेह च मानवः । सुरापः परदारी च ब्रह्महा गुरुतल्पगः । तपसा तरते सर्वं सर्वतश्च विमुच्यते ३८। अपि सर्वेश्वरः स्थाणुर्विष्णुश्चैव सनातनः । ब्रह्मा हुताशनः शक्रो ये चान्ये तपसान्विताः ३९। षडशीतिसहस्राणि मुनीनामूर्द्ध्वरेतसाम् । तपसा दिवि मोदंते समेता दैवतैः सह ४०। तपसा प्राप्यते राज्यं शक्रः सर्वे पुरा सुराः । तपसा पालयन्सर्वानहन्यहनि वृत्तिदाः ४१। सूर्याचंद्रमसौ देवौ सर्वलोकहिते रतौ । तपसैव प्रकाशंते नक्षत्राणि ग्रहास्तथा ४२। सर्वं च तपसाभ्येति सर्वं च सुखमश्नुते । तपस्तपति योऽरण्ये वनमूलफलाशनः ४३। योऽधीते श्रुतिमेवादौ समं स्यात्तपसा मुने । श्रुतेरध्यापनात्पुण्यं यदाप्नोति द्विजोत्तमः ४४। तदध्यायस्य जप्याच्च द्विगुणं फलमश्नुते । जगद्यथा निरालोकं जायते शशिभास्करौ ४५। विना तथा पुराणं हि ध्येयमस्मान्महामुने । तप्यमानस्तपो ज्ञानं यो धारयति शास्त्रतः ४६। संबोधयति लोकं च तस्मात्पूज्यतमो गुरुः । सर्वेषां चैव पात्राणां श्रेष्ठपात्रं पुराणवित् ४७। पतनात्त्रायते यस्मात्तस्मात्पात्रमुदाहृतम् । धनं धान्यं हिरण्यं वा वासांसि विविधानि च ४८। ये यच्छंति सुपात्राय ते यांति च परां गतिम् । गाश्चैव महिषीर्वापि गजानश्वांश्च शोभनान् ४९। यः प्रयच्छति मुख्याय तत्पुण्यस्य फलं शृणु । अक्षयं सर्वलोकानां सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत् 6.27.५०। महीं ददाति यस्तस्मै कृष्टां फलवतीं शुभाम् । स तारयति वै वंशान्दशपूर्वान्दशापरान् ५१। विमानेन च दिव्येन विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति । न यज्ञैस्तुष्टिमायांति देवाः प्रोक्षणकैरपि ५२। बलिभिः पुष्पपूजाभिर्यथा पुस्तकवाचनैः । विष्णोरायतने यस्तु कारयेद्धर्मपुस्तकम् ५३। देव्याः शंभोर्गणेशस्य अर्कस्य च तथा पुनः । राजसूयाश्वमेधाभ्यां फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः ५४। इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां पुण्यं पुस्तकवाचनम् । सर्वान्कामानवाप्नोति सूर्यलोकं भिनत्ति सः ५५। सूर्यलोकं च भित्त्वासौ ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति । स्थित्वा कल्पशतान्यत्र राजा भवति भूतले ५६। अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य यत्फलं समुदाहृतम् । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति देवाग्रे यो जयं पठेत् ५७। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन कार्यं पुस्तकवाचनम् । इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां विष्णोरायतने शुभम् । नान्यत्प्रीतिकरं विष्णोस्तथान्येषां दिवौकसाम् ५८। इति श्रीपाद्मेमहापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायां उत्तरखण्डे उमापतिनारदसंवादे वृक्षप्रपासरोवरतपोऽध्ययन धर्मव्याख्यान माहात्म्यंनाम सप्तविंशोऽध्यायः २७।
mahādeva uvāca- pānīyadānaṃ paramaṃ dānānāmuttamaṃ sadā | tasmādvāpīśca kūpāṃśca taḍāgāni ca kārayet 1| arddhaṃ pāpaṃ saṃharaṃti puruṣasya vikarmaṇaḥ | kūpāḥ pravṛttapānīyāḥ supravṛttasya nityaśaḥ 2| sa ca tārayate vaṃśaṃ yasya khāta jalāśaye | gāvaḥ pibaṃti viprāśca sādhavaśca narāḥ sadā 3| nidāghakāle pānīyaṃ yasya tiṣṭhati nārada | durge viṣamakṛcchre ca na kadācidavāpyate 4| taḍāgānāṃ ca vakṣyāmi kṛtānāṃ ye guṇāḥ smṛtāḥ | triṣu lokeṣu sarvatra pūjito yastaḍāgavān 5| athavā mitrasadanaṃ mitramaitrīvivarddhanam | kīrtisaṃjananaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ taḍāgasyopalakṣayet 6| dharmyasyārthasya kāmasya phalamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ | taḍāgaṃ sukṛtaṃ deśe kṣetramadhye mahāśrayam 7| caturvidhānāṃ bhūtānāṃ taḍāgasyopalakṣayet | taḍāgāni ca sarvāṇi diśaṃti śreyamuttamam 8| devāmanuṣyāgaṃdharvāḥ pitaro nāga rākṣasāḥ | sthāvarāṇi ca bhūtāni saṃśrayaṃti jalāśayam 9| varṣāṛtau taḍāge tu salilaṃ yatra tiṣṭhati | agnihotraphalaṃ tasya jāyate nātra saṃśayaḥ 10| hemaṃte śiśire caiva salilaṃ yasya tiṣṭhati | gosahasraphalaṃ tasya labhate nātra saṃśayaḥ 11| vasaṃte'pi tathā grīṣme salilaṃ tiṣṭhate yadi | atirātrāśvamedhābhyāṃ phalamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ 12| athaiteṣāṃ tu vṛkṣāṇāṃ ropaṇe ca guṇāñchṛṇu | atītānāgatau cobhau pitṛvaṃśau mahāṛṣe 13| tārayedvṛkṣaropī ca tasmādvṛkṣāṃstu ropayet | putrapautrā bhavaṃtyete pādapā nātra saṃśayaḥ 14| paralokaṃ gataḥ so'pi lokānāpnoti cākṣayān | puṣpaiḥ suragaṇānsarvānpatraiścāpi tathā pitṝn 15| chāyayā cātithīnsarvānpūjayaṃti mahīruhāḥ | kinnaroragarakṣāṃsi devagaṃdharvamānavāḥ 16| tathā ṛṣigaṇāścaiva saṃśrayaṃti mahīruhān | puṣpitāḥ phalavaṃtaśca tarpayaṃtīha mānavān 17| ihaloke pare caiva putrāste dharmataḥ smṛtāḥ | taḍāgavṛkṣaropāśca iṣṭayajñāśca ye dvijāḥ 18| ete svargānnahīyaṃte ye cānye satyavādinaḥ | satyameva paraṃ brahma satyameva paraṃ tapaḥ 19| satyameva paro yajñaḥ satyameva paraṃ śrutam | satyaṃ deveṣu jāgarti satyaṃ ca paramaṃ padam 20| tapo yajñāśca puṇyaṃ ca tathā devarṣipūjanam | ādyo vidhiśca vidyā ca sarvaṃ satye pratiṣṭhitam 21| satyaṃ yajñastathā dānaṃ maṃtrā devī sarasvatī | vratacaryā tathā satyamoṅkāraḥ satyameva ca 22| satyena vāyurabhyeti satyena tapate raviḥ | satyena cāgnirdahati svargaḥ satyena tiṣṭhati 23| pūjanaṃ sarvadevānāṃ sarvatīrthāvagāhanam | satyaṃ ca vadate loke sarvamāpnotyasaṃśayaḥ 24| aśvamedhasahasraṃ ca satyaṃ ca tulayā dhṛtam | sarveṣāṃ sarvayajñānāṃ satyameva viśiṣyate 25| satyena devāḥ prīyaṃte pitaro ṛṣayastathā | satyamāhuḥ paraṃ dharmaṃ satyamāhuḥ paraṃ padam 26| satyamāhuḥ paraṃ brahma tasmātsatyaṃ vadāmi te | munayaḥ satyaniratāḥ tapastaptvā suduṣkaram 27| satyadharmaratāḥ siddhāstataḥ svargamito gatāḥ | apsarogaṇasaṃghuṣṭairvimānaiḥ parito vṛtāḥ 28| vaktavyaṃ ca sadā satyaṃ na satyādvidyate param | agādhe vipule siddhe sattīrthe ca śucau hṛdi 29| snātavyaṃ manasā yuktaiḥ snānaṃ tatparamaṃ smṛtam | ātmārthe vā parārthe vā putrārthe vāpi mānavāḥ | anṛtaṃ ye na bhāṣaṃte te narāḥ svargagāminaḥ 30| vedā yajñāstathā maṃtrāḥ saṃti vipreṣu nityaśaḥ | na bhāṃtyujjhita satyeṣu tasmātsatyaṃ samācaret 31| nārada uvāca-| tapasāṃ me phalaṃ brūhi punareva viśeṣataḥ | sarveṣāṃ caiva varṇānāṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ tapobalam 32| pravakṣyāmi tapodhyānaṃ sarvakāmārthasādhakam | suduścaraṃ dvijātīnāṃ tanme nigadataḥ śṛṇu 33| tapo hi paramaṃ proktaṃ tapasā viṃdate phalam | taporato hi yo nityaṃ modate saha daivataiḥ 34| tapasā prāpyate svargastapasā prāpyate yaśaḥ | tapasā mokṣamāpnoti tapasā viṃdate mahat 35| jñānavijñānasaṃpattiḥ saubhāgyaṃ rūpameva ca | tapasā labhate sarvaṃ manasā yadyadicchati 36| nātaptatapaso yāṃti brahmalokaṃ kadācana | yatkāryaṃ kiṃcidāsthāya puruṣastapyate tapaḥ 37| tatsarvaṃ samavāpnoti paratreha ca mānavaḥ | surāpaḥ paradārī ca brahmahā gurutalpagaḥ | tapasā tarate sarvaṃ sarvataśca vimucyate 38| api sarveśvaraḥ sthāṇurviṣṇuścaiva sanātanaḥ | brahmā hutāśanaḥ śakro ye cānye tapasānvitāḥ 39| ṣaḍaśītisahasrāṇi munīnāmūrddhvaretasām | tapasā divi modaṃte sametā daivataiḥ saha 40| tapasā prāpyate rājyaṃ śakraḥ sarve purā surāḥ | tapasā pālayansarvānahanyahani vṛttidāḥ 41| sūryācaṃdramasau devau sarvalokahite ratau | tapasaiva prakāśaṃte nakṣatrāṇi grahāstathā 42| sarvaṃ ca tapasābhyeti sarvaṃ ca sukhamaśnute | tapastapati yo'raṇye vanamūlaphalāśanaḥ 43| yo'dhīte śrutimevādau samaṃ syāttapasā mune | śruteradhyāpanātpuṇyaṃ yadāpnoti dvijottamaḥ 44| tadadhyāyasya japyācca dviguṇaṃ phalamaśnute | jagadyathā nirālokaṃ jāyate śaśibhāskarau 45| vinā tathā purāṇaṃ hi dhyeyamasmānmahāmune | tapyamānastapo jñānaṃ yo dhārayati śāstrataḥ 46| saṃbodhayati lokaṃ ca tasmātpūjyatamo guruḥ | sarveṣāṃ caiva pātrāṇāṃ śreṣṭhapātraṃ purāṇavit 47| patanāttrāyate yasmāttasmātpātramudāhṛtam | dhanaṃ dhānyaṃ hiraṇyaṃ vā vāsāṃsi vividhāni ca 48| ye yacchaṃti supātrāya te yāṃti ca parāṃ gatim | gāścaiva mahiṣīrvāpi gajānaśvāṃśca śobhanān 49| yaḥ prayacchati mukhyāya tatpuṇyasya phalaṃ śṛṇu | akṣayaṃ sarvalokānāṃ so'śvamedhaphalaṃ labhet 6.27.50| mahīṃ dadāti yastasmai kṛṣṭāṃ phalavatīṃ śubhām | sa tārayati vai vaṃśāndaśapūrvāndaśāparān 51| vimānena ca divyena viṣṇulokaṃ sa gacchati | na yajñaistuṣṭimāyāṃti devāḥ prokṣaṇakairapi 52| balibhiḥ puṣpapūjābhiryathā pustakavācanaiḥ | viṣṇorāyatane yastu kārayeddharmapustakam 53| devyāḥ śaṃbhorgaṇeśasya arkasya ca tathā punaḥ | rājasūyāśvamedhābhyāṃ phalaṃ prāpnoti mānavaḥ 54| itihāsapurāṇābhyāṃ puṇyaṃ pustakavācanam | sarvānkāmānavāpnoti sūryalokaṃ bhinatti saḥ 55| sūryalokaṃ ca bhittvāsau brahmalokaṃ sa gacchati | sthitvā kalpaśatānyatra rājā bhavati bhūtale 56| aśvamedhasahasrasya yatphalaṃ samudāhṛtam | tatphalaṃ samavāpnoti devāgre yo jayaṃ paṭhet 57| tasmātsarvaprayatnena kāryaṃ pustakavācanam | itihāsapurāṇābhyāṃ viṣṇorāyatane śubham | nānyatprītikaraṃ viṣṇostathānyeṣāṃ divaukasām 58| iti śrīpādmemahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsahasrasaṃhitāyāṃ uttarakhaṇḍe umāpatināradasaṃvāde vṛkṣaprapāsarovaratapo'dhyayana dharmavyākhyāna māhātmyaṃnāma saptaviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ 27|
English translation
Mahādeva said :
1-8a. Giving water is the best (gift); it is always the best of the gifts. Therefore, a man should get constructed oblong reservoirs of water, wells and tanks . Wells dug for giving water destroy half the sin of a person of bad deeds, who is (later) always engrossed in good deeds. He from the reservoir of water dug by whom cows, brāhmaṇas , and good men always drink water, emancipates his family. (He too emancipates his family) in whose reservoir remains water in summer, which is never obtained in an inaccessible place and a place risky and difficult (to reach). I shall (now) tell you which are said to be the merits of the tanks that are constructed. He who has (constructed) a tank is honoured everywhere in the three worlds. The establishment of tanks is like a friendly house, increasing friends and friendship, producing fame and the best. A tank, which is well-constructed in a country, in a sacred place, and which is a great resort, is, the wise say, the fruit of dharma (righteousness), artha (worldly prosperity) and kāma (sensual enjoyment). (While constructing) a tank, one should have in view the four kinds of beings.
8b-18a. All the tanks lead to excellent virtue. Gods, men, gandharvas , manes, snakes, demons and immobilebeings resortto a tank. He in whose tank there is water in the rainy season, gets the fruit of maintaining the sacred fire. There is no doubt about it. He in whose (tank) there is water in the winter season, obtains the fruit of (the gift of) a thousand cows. There is no doubt. If there is water in his tank in the spring and summer seasons, the wise say, (he gets) the fruit of the Atirātra and horse-sacrifice. Now listen to the merits of planting trees. He who plants them would emancipate both the families (of his father and of his mother), O great sage. Therefore, a man should plant trees. There is no doubt that these trees become (his) sons and grandsons. He too, when he dies, obtains inexhaustible worlds. The trees worship all the hosts of gods with flowers, the manes with leaves, and all guests with their shadow. Kinnaras , serpents, demons, gods, gandharvas, men, so also hosts of sages resort to trees. They, having flowers and fruits, gratify human beings -in this world. Here and in the other world, they are the legal sons.
18b-26. Those brāhmaṇas who (construct) tanks, who plant trees and who have performed sacrifices, do not go away from heaven, so also others who tell the truth. Truth alone is the highest Brahman . Truth alone is the highest penance. Truth alone is the greatest sacrifice. Truth alone is the greatest knowledge. Truth is awake among gods; and truth is the highest position. Penance, sacrifices, religious merit, so also worship of deities and guests, the first precept, knowledge—all this is settled in truth. Truth is sacrifice; so also it is charity. It is the hymns. It is goddess Sarasvatī . Truth is practising a vow. Omkāra also is truth. Wind moves due to truth. The sun shines due to truth. Fire burns because of truth. Heaven exists on account of truth. Worship of all gods, bathing at all holy places, are said to be truth. (A truthful man) undoubtedly obtains everything in the world. Ifa thousand horse sacrifices and truth are compared, truth certainly is superior to all (kinds of) sacrifices. Gods, manes and sages are pleased by means of truth. They say, truth is the highest duty. They say, truth is the highest position.
27-31. They say, truth is the supreme Brahman; therefore I am explaining truth to you. The sages who were devoted to truth, who were engrossed in practising truth, practised very severe penance, secured divine faculties, and from this world went to heaven in aeroplanes accompanied by beautiful celestial damsels. Always truth should be spoken. There is nothing superior to truth. Men with devoted minds should bathe in a deep, large, divine, holy place or a pure lake. That bath is said to be great. Those men who do not tell lies for their own sake, or for the sake of others, or for the sake of their sons, go to heaven. Vedas , sacrifices, also hymns always abide in brāhmaṇas. They do not become manifest in those who have abandoned truth. Therefore, a man should practise truth.
Nārada said :
32. Tell me specifically the fruit of austerities again.
Mahādeva said :
Of all the castes brāhmaṇas have the power of penance.
33-38. I shall explain to you the meditation with penance, which brings about (i.e. fulfils) all desires, and which is very difficult to practise for brāhmaṇas. Listen to me when I am telling it. Penance is said to be the highest. (A man) gets (his desired) fruit by means of penance. He who is always engrossed in penance, rejoices along with deities. (A man) obtains heaven by means of penance. Glory is obtained by means of penance. (A man) obtains salvation by means of penance. He gets a great (thing) by means of penance. Knowledge, proficiency, wealth, good fortune, (good) form—all this which a man desires mentally, he obtains. Those who have not practised penance never go to Brahmā ’s world. A man obtains (i.e. succeeds in) all that undertaking here and in the next world taking up which he practises penance. A man who is a drunkard, a man who cohabits with another’s wife, a man who kills a brāhmaṇa , a man who molests his preceptor’s wife, crosses over all this (i.e. destroys sins due to these) by means of penance and is totally free.
39-46. Even the lord of gods Śiva , ancient Viṣṇu , Brahma , Agni , Indra , and others who are endowed with penance, also eighty-six thousand sages, abstaining from sexual intercourse, rejoice along with deities in heaven on account of penance By means of penance a kingdom is secured. Formerly Indra, the lord of all, protected all by means of penance and granted their request. The gods—the Sun and Moon—engaged in the welfare of the entire world, shine because of penance only; so also the stars and the planets. He, eating (i.e. subsisting on) wild roots and fruits in the forest, obtains everything and gets every pleasure through penance. O sage, he who first studies Vedas—that (study of the Vedas) is equal to penance. By reciting the chapter the best brāhmaṇa gets double the fruit of the religious merit which he gets by teaching it. O great sage, as the world is without light without the Moon and the Sun, so also (it is lightless) without Purāṇa . Therefore, it should be reflected upon. He who practised penance, has knowledge from sacred texts, enlightens the people.
47-59. Therefore, a preceptor is most venerable of all the worthy recipients (of gifts); the knower of Purāṇas is the best recipient. Since he saves (a man) from falling, he is called a pātra (i.e. a worthy recipient). Those who give wealth, grains, gold, and various garments to a worthy recipient go to (i.e. obtain) the best position. Listen to the fruit of him (i.e. which he gets) who gives cows, buffaloes, splendid elephants and horses to the chief (brāhmaṇa). He would obtain the fruit of the horse-sacrifice inexhaustible in all worlds. He who gives him (i.e. the brāhmaṇa reading the Purāṇa), a splendid (piece of) land that is tilled and fertile, emancipates ten preceding and ten succeeding members of his family; and in a divine aeroplane he goes to Viṣṇu’s world. Gods are not so much pleased with sacrifices, with sprinklings (of water), with offerings, worships with flowers as they are with the books (of Purāṇas) being read. One who would arrange (the reading of) a religious book in the temple of Viṣṇu, or of the goddess, or of Śambhu , or of Gaṇeśa , so also of the Sun, obtains the fruit of a Rājasūya sacrifice or a horse-sacrifice. The reading of a book (containing stories from) Mahābhārata or Purāṇa is excellent. He obtains all desired objects and breaks through the world of the Sun. Having broken through the Sun’s world, he goes to the world of Brahmā; having lived there for hundreds of kalpas he becomes a king on the earth. He who would read Jaya (i.e. Mahābhārata) before a deity obtains the fruit which is declared to be the fruit of a thousand horse-sacrifices. Therefore, with all efforts, the auspicious reading of a book (containing stories) from Mahābhārata and Purāṇas should be done in Viṣṇu’s temple. There is nothing else (except this) that delights Viṣṇu or other residents of heaven.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 41937, revision 336295 (2022-04-21T04:54:06Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365458.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.