Danas one should make

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Danas one should make - R vaidyanadhan

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1. The digger of a well has (the consequences of) the half of his

evil acts taken from him as soon as the water comes forth from it.

2. A digger of pools is for ever freed from thirst, and attains the

world of Varuna.

3. A giver of water shall never stiffer from thirst (in heaven, for a

hundred Yugas or ages of the world).

4. He who plants trees will have those trees for his sons in a future

existence.

5. A giver of trees gladdens the gods by (offering up) their blossoms

to them.

6. (He gladdens) his guests by (giving) their fruits to them;

7. (He gladdens) travellers with their shade;

8. (He gladdens) the manes with the water (trickling down from their

leaves) when it rains.

9. A maker of dikes attains heaven.

10. A builder of temples enters the dwelling-place of that deity to

whom he has erected a temple.

11. He who causes (a temple erected by another) to be whitewashed

acquires brilliant fame.

12. He who causes (such a temple) to be painted with (a different)

colour (such as blue, yellow, and others) attains the world of the

Gandharvas.

13. By giving flowers he becomes fortunate.

14. By giving ointments he acquires renown.

15. By giving a lamp he obtains an excellent eyesight and exquisite

happiness.

16. By giving food he obtains strength.

17. By removing the remains of an offering to a deity he obtains the

same reward as for giving a cow.

18. The same reward is also obtained by scouring a temple, by

smearing it (with cow-dung and the like), by removing the leavings of

the food of a Brâhmana, by washing his feet, and by nursing him when

sick.

19. He who consecrates anew a well, or a park, or a pool, or a temple

(when they have been soiled) obtains the same reward as he who first

made them.

20. Protecting (one attacked by robbers or by tigers or otherwise in

danger) is more meritorious than any (other) gift.

21. By doing so he obtains that place of abode (after death) which he

desires himself.

22. By giving land he obtains the same (heavenly reward).

23. By giving land to the extent of a bull's hide only he is purified

from every sin.

24. By giving a cow he attains heaven.

25. A giver of ten milch cows (obtains) the mansion of cows (after

death).

26. A giver of a hundred milch cows enters the mansions of Brahman

(after death).

27. He who gives (a milch cow) with gilt horns, with hoofs covered

with silver, with a tail wound with a string of pearls, with a milk-

pail of white copper, and with a cover of cloth, shall reside in

heaven for as many years as the cow has hairs on her body;

28. Particularly, if it is a brown cow.

29. He who has given a tamed bull is (equal in virtue to) a giver of

ten milch cows.

30. The giver of a horse attains the mansion of Sûrya (the sun-god).

31. The giver of a garment (attains) the mansion of Kandra (the god

of the moon).

32. By giving gold (he attains) the mansion of Agni (the god of fire).

33. By giving silver (rûpya, he obtains) beauty (rûpa).

34. By giving dishes (pâtra) made of (gold or silver or other) metal

he renders himself worthy (pâtra) to obtain everything he may desire.

35. By giving clarified butter, honey, or oil (he acquires) freedom

from disease;

36. The same by giving (boiled or otherwise dressed) drugs.

37. By giving salt (lavana, he obtains) personal charms (lâvanya).

38. By giving grain (produced in the rainy season, such as Syâmâka

grain, he acquires) satiation;

39. The same (effect is obtained) by giving grain (produced in winter

or spring, such as wild turmeric or wheat).

40. A giver of food (obtains) all the rewards (enumerated above).

41. By giving grain (of any of the kinds not mentioned before, such

as Kulattha or Kodrava grain, he obtains) good fortune.

42. A giver of sesame (obtains) such offspring as he desires.

43. A giver of fuel (obtains) an excellent digestive power;

44. And he obtains victory in every fight.

45. By giving a seat (he obtains) high rank.

46. By giving a bed.(of the kind declared above,

47. By giving a pair of shoes (he obtains) a carriage yoked with

mules.

48. By giving an umbrella (he attains) heaven.

49. By giving a fan or a cowries (he obtains) prosperity in

travelling.

50. By giving a house (he receives) the post of governor of a town.

51. Whatever a man is most fond of in this world (himself) and what

his family like best, all that he must bestow upon a virtuous

(Brahman), if he wishes it to become imperishable.

52. What is given to another than a Brahman produces the same fruit

in the world to come.

53 (What is given) to one who calls himself a Brahman (because he was

born and initiated as such, but who does not perform his daily

duties) produces twice the same fruit.

54. (What is given) to one who has studied the main portions of the

Veda produces a thousand times the same fruit.

55. (What is given) to one who has mastered the whole Veda, produces

infinite fruit.

56. A domestic priest may claim gifts from his own employer (but from

no one else).

57. And so may a sister, a daughter and sons-in-law (or other

connections claim gifts from their. brother, father, & c., but not

from a stranger).

58. One who knows his duty must not give even water to a twice-born

man who acts like a cat, or to a Brahman who acts like a crane, or to

one who has not studied the Veda.

59. One who constantly hoists the flag of religion, and who is

avaricious, crafty, deceitful, pitiless, and a calumniator of

everybody, such a man is said to act like a cat.

60. One who hangs his head, who is bent upon, injuring others and

upon his own gain, artful, and falsely demure, such a man is said to

act like, a crane.

61. Those who act like cranes in this world, and those who act like

cats, fall into (the hell called) Andhatâmisra on account of their

wickedness.

62. If a man has committed an offence and does penance for it, he

must not do so under pretext of performing an act of piety, covering

his crime under a (fictitious) vow, and imposing on women and Sûdras.

63. A Brâhmana who acts thus, is despised in the next life and in

this by those who know the Veda, and the penance performed by him

under such false pretence goes to the (demons called) Râkshasas.

64. One who gains his subsistence by wearing (a lock on the crown of

the head or other) distinguishing marks of a caste or religious

order, to which he does not belong, takes upon himself the

(consequences of the) sins committed by those who have a right to

those marks, and enters in a future birth the womb of an animal.

65. He must not give (to a panegyrist) from vain-glory, or from fear,

or to a friend (from whom he hopes to obtain benefit), nor (must he

bestow gifts), with a view to acquire religious merit, upon dancers

or singers, that is a fixed rule.