युधिष्ठिर उवाच दानेन वर्ततेत्याह तपसा चैव भारत। तदेतन्मे मनोदुःखं व्यपोह त्वं पितामह। किंस्वित् पृथिव्यां ह्येतन्मे भवाञ्छंसितुमर्हति॥
Yudhishthira said O Bharata, O grandfather, you opine that a man attains to heaven by virtue of generousity and austerity, but my mind is doubtful on affirming the same. Kindly let me have an adequate solution. kindly tell me which of the two is better, viz., charity or devotion?
भीष्म उवाच शृणु यैर्धर्मनिरतैस्तपसा भावितात्मभिः। लोका ह्यसंशयं प्राप्ता दानपुण्यरत्तैर्नृपः। :॥
Bhishma said Listen to me as I recite the names of the princes who having been devoted to virtue, and having purified their hearts by penances and practiced gifts and other acts of virtue, undoubtedly acquire the different celestial regions.
सत्कृतश्च तथाऽऽत्रेयः शिष्येभ्यो ब्रह्म निर्गुणम्। उपदिश्य तदा राजन् गतो लोकाननुत्तमान्॥
The Rishi Atreya respected of all, attained, O king, to the excellent celestial regions by importing the knowledge of the limitless Supreme Being to his pupils.
शिबिरौशीनरः प्राणान् प्रियस्य तनयस्य च। ब्राह्मणार्थमुपाकृत्य नाकपृष्ठमितो गतः॥
By offering the life of his dear son, for the behoof of a Brahmana king Shibi the son of Ushinara was taken from this world to the celestial regions
प्रतर्दनः काशिपतिः प्रदाय तनयं स्वकम्। ब्राह्मणायातुलां कीर्तिमिह चामुत्र चाश्नुते॥
Pratardana the king of Kashi, secured to himself unique and eternal fame in this as well as in the other world by giving his son to a Brahmana.
रन्तिदेवश्च सांकृत्यो वसिष्ठाय महात्मने। अy प्रदाय विधिवल्लेभे लोकाननुत्तमान्॥
Rantideva, the son of Sangakriti, attained to the highest heaven by duly making gifts to the great Vasishtha.
दिव्यं शतशलाकं च यज्ञार्थं काञ्चनं शुभम्। छत्रं देवावृधो दत्त्वा ब्राह्मणायास्थितो दिवम्॥
Devavriddha, too went to the celestial region by giving a hundred ribbed and excellent golden umbrella to a Brahmana for a sacrifice.
भगवानम्बरीषश्च ब्राह्मणायामितौजसे। प्रदाय सकलं राष्ट्र सुरलोकमवाप्तवान्॥
The worshipful Ambarisha too, has acquired the celestial region by making a gift of all his kingdom to a highly powerful Brahmana.
सावित्रः कुण्डलं दिव्यं यानं च जनमेजयः। ब्राह्मणाय च गा दत्त्वा गतो लोकाननुत्तमान्॥
King Janamejaya of the solar race, went to the highest heaven by making a gift of earrings, fine vehicles and cows to Brahmanas,
वृषादर्भिश्च राजर्षी रत्नानि विविधानि च। रम्यांश्चावसथान् दत्त्वा द्विजेभ्यो दिवमागतः॥
The Royal Sage Vrishadarvi went to the celestial region by making gifts of various jewels and beautiful houses to Brahmanas,
निमी राष्ट्रं च वैदर्भिः कन्यां दत्त्वा महात्मने। अगस्त्याय गतः स्वर्गे सपुत्रपशुबान्धवः॥
King Nimi of Vidarbha, acquired the celestial region with his sons, friends and cattle by giving his daughter and kingdom to the great Agastya.
जामदग्न्यश्च विप्राय भूमिं दत्त्वा महायशाः। रामोऽक्षयांस्तथा लोकान् जगाम मनसोऽधिकान्॥१२
The illustrious Rama, the son of Jamadagni, acquired the eternal regions, far beyond his expectation by giving lands to Brahmanas.
अवर्षति च पर्जन्ये सर्वभूतानि देवराट्। वसिष्ठो जीवयामास येन यातोऽक्षयां गतिम्॥
Vasishtha, the greatest of Brahmanas, saved all the creatures at a time of great drought when the Rain God did not bestow his grateful showers upon the Earth, and for this deed he has secured eternal bliss himself.
रामो दाशरथिश्चैव हुत्वा यज्ञेषु वै वसु। स गतो ह्यक्षयाल्लोकान् यस्य लोके महद् यशः॥१४
The highlyillustrious Rama the son Dasharatha, acquired the eternal regions by making gifts of riches at sacrifices,
कक्षसेनश्च राजर्षिर्वसिष्ठाय महात्मने। न्यासं यथावत् संन्यस्य जगाम सुमहायशाः॥
The illustrious Royal Sage Kakshasena went to the celestial region by duly making over to the great Vasishtha the wealth which he had deposited with him.
करन्धमस्य पौत्रस्तु मरुत्तोऽविक्षितः सुतः। कन्यामाङ्गिरसे दत्त्वा दिवमाशु जगाम सः॥
Forthwith Maruta the son of Avikshita and the grandson of Karandhama, by giving his daughter in marriage to Angirasa, went to the celestial regions.
ब्रह्मदत्तश्च पाञ्चाल्यो राजा धर्मभृतां वरः। निधि शङ्खमनुज्ञाप्य जगाम परमां गतिम्॥
The highly devout king of Panchala, Brahmadatta, attained the blessed way by giving away a valuable conchshell.
राजा मित्रसहश्चैव वसिष्ठाय महात्मने। मदयन्तीं प्रियां भार्यां दत्त्वा च त्रिदिवं गतः॥
King Mitrasaha ascended to Heaven by giving his favourite wife Madayanti to the great Vasishtha.
मनोः पुत्रश्च सुद्युम्नो लिखिताय महात्मने। दण्डमुद्धृत्य धर्मेण गतो लोकाननुत्तमान्॥
Sudyumna the son of Manu, attained to the most blessed regions by duly punishing the high souled Likhita.
सहस्रचित्यो राजर्षिः प्राणानिष्टान् महायशाः। ब्राह्मणार्थे परित्यज्य गतो लोकाननुत्तमान्॥
The celebrated Royal sage Sahasrachitta went to the blessed regions by sacrificing his dear life for a Brahmana.
सर्वकामैश्च सम्पूर्णे दत्त्वा वेश्म हिरण्मयम्। मौन्द्रल्याय गतः स्वर्गे शतद्युम्नो महीपतिः॥
The king Satadyumna went to heaven by giving to Mudgala a golden palace filled with all the objects of desire.
भक्ष्यभोज्यस्य च कृतान् राशयः पर्वतोपमान्। शाण्डिल्याय पुरा दत्त्वा सुमन्युर्दिवमास्थितः॥
Formerly, King Sumanyu by giving to Shandilya heaps of food resembling a hill, went to the celestial region.
नाम्ना च द्युतिमान् नाम शाल्वराजो महाद्युतिः। दत्त्वा राज्यमृचीकाय गतो लोकाननुत्तमान्॥
The Shalva prince Dyutimat of great effulgence attained to the highest regions by giving his kingdom to Richika.
मदिराश्वश्च राजर्षिर्दत्त्वा कन्यां सुमध्यमाम्। हिरण्यहस्ताय गतो लोकान् देवैरधिष्ठितान्॥
The Royal Sage Madirashva went to the region of the celestials by giving his slender waisted daughter to Hiranyahasta.
लोमपादश्च राजर्षिः शान्तां दत्त्वा सुतां प्रभुः। ऋष्यशृङ्गाय विपुलैः सर्वैः कामैरयुज्यत॥
The lordly Lomapada attained all the objects of his desire by giving his daughter Shanta in marriage to Rishyashringa.
कौत्साय दत्त्वा कन्यां तु हंसी नाम यशस्विनीम्। गतोऽक्षयानतो लोकान् राजर्षिश्च भगीरथः॥
The Royal Bhagiratha went to the eternal regions by giving his famous daughter Hansi in marriage to Kautsa.
दत्त्वा शतसहस्रं तु गवां राजा भगीरथः। सवत्सानां कोहलाय गतो लोकाननुत्तमान्॥
King Bhagiratha acquired the most blessed regions by giving hundreds and thousands of kine with their young one to Kohala.
एते चान्ये च बहवो दानेन तपसा च ह। युधिष्ठिर गताः स्वर्गे निवर्तन्ते पुनः पुनः॥
These and many other men, O Yudhishthira, have attained to the celestial region, by the merit of their charities and penances and they have also returned from there again and again.
तेषां प्रतिष्ठिता कीर्तिर्यावत् स्थास्यति मेदिनी। गृहस्थैर्दानतपसा यैर्लोका वै विनिर्जिताः॥
Their fame will last as long as the world will last. I have related to you, O Yudhishthira, this story of those good householders, who have attained to eternal regions by virtue of their charities and penances.
शिष्टानां चरितं ह्येतत् कीर्तितं मे युधिष्ठिर। दानयज्ञप्रजासगैरेते हि दिवमास्थिताः॥
These people have acquired the celestial region by their charities and by performing sacrifices and by procreating children.
दत्त्वा तु सततं तेऽस्तु कौरवाणां धुरन्धर। दानयज्ञक्रियायुक्ता बुद्धिर्धर्मोपचायिनी॥
O foremost scion of Kuru's race, these men devoted their virtuous intellects to the celebration of sacrifices and charities by always performing acts of charity.
यत्र ते नृपशार्दूल संदेहो वै भविष्यति। श्वः प्रभाते हि वक्ष्यामि संध्या हि समुपस्थिता॥
O powerful prince, as night has set in I shall explain to you in the morning whatever doubts may spring up in your mind.