भीष्म उवाच सर्वान् कामान् प्रयच्छन्ति ये प्रयच्छन्ति काञ्चनम्। इत्येवं भगवानत्रिः पितामहसुतोऽब्रवीत्॥
Bhishma said The illustrious Atri, the son of the Grandfather Brahman, said, They who make gifts of gold are said to make gifts of every thing in the world.
पवित्रमथ चायुष्यं पितॄणामक्षयं च तत्। सुवर्णं मनुजेन्द्रेण हरिश्चन्द्रेण कीर्तितम्॥
King Harishchandra said that the gift of gold washes off sins, leads to long life, and yields inexhaustible merit to the departed means.
पानीयं परमं दानं दानानां मुनरब्रवीत्। तस्मात् कूपांश्च वापीश्च तडागानि च खानयेत्॥
Manu has said that a gift of drink is the best of all gifts: therefore should a man cause wells and tanks and lakes to be excavated.
अर्धं पापस्य हरति पुरुषस्येह कर्मणः। कूपः प्रवृत्तपानीयः सुप्रवृत्तश्च नित्यशः॥
A well full of water and from which various creatures draw water, is said to take off half the sinful deeds of the person who has excavated it.
सर्वं तारयते वंशं यस्य खाते जलाशये। गावः पिवन्ति विप्राश्च साधवश्च नराः सदा॥
The entire family of a person is rescued from hell and sin in whose well or tank or lake kine and Brahmanas and pious people constantly satisfy their thirst.
निदाघकाले पानीयं यस्य तिष्ठत्यवारितम्। स दुर्गं विषमं कृत्स्नं न कदाचिदवाप्नुते॥
That man gets over every sort of calamity from whose well or tank every one draws water without restraint during the summers season.
बृहस्पतेर्भगवतः पूष्णाश्चैव भगस्य च। अश्विनोश्चैव बढेश्च प्रीतिर्भवति सर्पिषा॥
Clarified butter is said to please the illustrious Brihaspati, Pushan, Bhaga, the twin Ashvins, and the god of fire.
परमं भेषजं ह्येतद् यज्ञानामेतदुत्तमम्। रसानामुत्तमं चैतत् फलानां चैतदुत्तमम्॥
Clarified butter is possessed of high medicinal virtues. It is a high requisite of Sacrifice. It is the best of all liquids. The merit a gift of clarified butter yields is very superior.
फलकामो यशस्कामः पुष्टिकामश्च नित्यदा। घृतं दद्याद् द्विजातिभ्यः पुरुषः शुचिरात्मवान्॥
That man who wishes for the reward of happiness in the next world, who wishes for the fame and prosperity, should with a purified heart and having purified himself, make gifts of clarified butter to the Brahmanas.
घृतं मासे आश्वयुजि विप्रेभ्यो यः प्रयच्छति। तस्मै प्रयच्छतो रूपं प्रीतौ देवाविहाश्विनौ॥
The twin Ashvins, pleased, confer personal beauty upon that man who makes gifts of clarified butter to the Brahmanas in the month of Ashvin.
पायसं सर्पिषा मिश्रं द्विजेभ्यो यः प्रयच्छति। गृहं तस्य न रक्षांसि धर्षयन्ति कदाचन॥
Rakshasas never invade the house of that man who makes gifts to the Brahmans of pudding mixed with clarified butter.
पिपासया न म्रियते सोपच्छन्दश्च जायते। न प्राप्नुयाच्च व्यसनं करकान् यः प्रयच्छति॥
That man never dies of thirst who makes gifts to the Brahmanas of jars filled with water. Such a person gets every necessary of life in profusion, and has never to suffer from any calamity or distress.
प्रयतो ब्राह्मणाने यः श्रद्धया परया युतः। उपस्पर्शनषड्भागं लभते पुरुषः सदा॥
That man, who with great devotion and controlled senses makes gifts to the foremost of Brahmanas, is said to take a sixth part of the merits acquired by the Brahmanas by their penances.
यः साधनार्थं काष्ठानि ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रयच्छति। प्रतापनार्थं राजेन्द्र वृत्तवद्भ्यः सदा नरः॥ सिद्ध्यन्त्यर्थाः सदा तस्य कार्याणि विविधानि च। उपर्युपरि शत्रूणां वपुषा दीप्यते च सः॥
That man who makes presents, to Brahmanas having the means of life, of firewood for purposes of coO king as also for enabling them to drive cold, finds all his purposes and all his acts successful. Such a one is seen to shine over all his enemies.
भगवांश्चापि सम्प्रीतो वह्निर्भवति नित्यशः। न तं त्यजन्ति पशवः संग्रामे च जयत्यपि॥
The illustrious god of fire becomes pleased with such a man. As another reward, he never becomes divested of cattle, and he is sure to win victory in battle.
पुत्राञ्छ्रियं च लभते यश्छत्रं सम्प्रयच्छति। न चक्षुर्व्याधिं लभते यज्ञभागमथाश्नुते॥
The man who makes a gift of an umbrella gets children and great prosperity. Such a person never suffers from any eyedisease. The merits also that originate from the performance of a sacrifice become his.
निदाघकाले वर्षे वा यश्छत्रं सम्प्रयच्छति। नास्य कश्चिन्मनोदाहः कदाचिदपि जायते।
That man who makes a gift of an umbrella in the season of summer or rains, has never to suffer from any heartburning on any account.
कृच्छ्रात् स विषमाच्चैव क्षिप्रं मोक्षमवाप्नुते॥ प्रदानं सर्वदानानां शकटस्य विशाम्पते। एवमाह महाभागः शण्डिल्यो भगवानृषिः॥
Such a man quickly succeeds in freeing himself from every difficulty and obstacle. The highly blessed and illustrious Rishi Shandilya had said that of all gifts, the gift of a car, O king, is the greatest.