The Garuda Purana

by Manmatha Nath Dutt | 1908 | 245,256 words | ISBN-13: 9788183150736

The English translation of the Garuda Purana: contents include a creation theory, description of vratas (religious observances), sacred holidays, sacred places dedicated to the sun, but also prayers from the Tantrika ritual, addressed to the sun, to Shiva, and to Vishnu. The Garuda Purana also contains treatises on astrology, palmistry, and preci...

Chapter LI - Discourses on charities and gift-makings, etc. (continued)

Brahma said:—I will now describe the most excellent rules of making charities. Wealth should be respectfully given to a worthy person. Charity yields enjoyment and emancipation. Riches, acquired by fair means, when given away in charities, yeild the fruits of enjoyment. Teaching, officiating as priests and accepting presents are the duties of the Brahmanas. Usury, agriculture and trade are the duties of the Vaishyas. When charity is made to a worthy person it is called Svattvik (v. one pervaded by the quality of goodness). Besides there are various other forms of charity, viz., Nitya (daily), Naimittika (occasional), Kamya (made with the desire of fruits) and Vimala (pure, or disinterested). Whatever is daily given to persons who have done us no good or to the Brahmanas without any expectation for fruits it is called Nitya. Whatever is given to a learned person, for the expiation of sins or for averting evils, is called Naimittika. Such charities are made by pious men. Whatever is given for having children, achieving victory, or attaining heaven, is called by the Rishis, well read in the Religious Code, Kamya. With a mind pervaded by the quality of Svattva (goodness) when a man makes presents to persons conversant with the knowledge of Brahma, only with the object of pleasing God such a gift is called Vimala.

If a man gives lands abounding in barley and corns and outskirted on all sides with sugar-cane plants, he is never born again. There never had been nor there will be any charity superior to the giving away of lands. By giving education unto the Brahmanas one becomes glorified in the region of Brahma. By giving reverentially food unto the Brahmacharins one, freed off of all sins, attains to the region of Brahma. If a person, after fasting on the full-moon day in the month of Vaishakha (March-April), adores twelve Brahmanas with honey and cakes of sessamum seeds or with scents or with sweet and moral words, all the sins, committed by him all through his life, are immediately dissipated. Having placed sessamum seeds, gold, honey and sarpi on skin of a black antelope he, who makes. them over to a Brahmana, crosses over all his iniquities. He, who specially in the month ofì Vaishaka treats the Brahmanas with clarified butter, boiled rice and water in honor of Dharmaraja, becomes freed from all fear. If on the twelfth day of a fortnight a person adores Vishnu who destroys all sins he forsooth becomes freed from all sins. Whatever deity a man wishes to adore he must beforehand worship the Brahmanas and feed the women and celestials. He, who wishes to recover from a disease, must worship the Sun; while one, wishing for riches, should worship the fire-God. One, wishing for success in all his undertakings, should worship Vinayaka and one, wishing for enjoyments, should worship the moon. One, wishing for strength, should adore the Wind-god. And he, who wishes for emancipation from worldly fetters, should with every care adore Hari. He, who does not desire for any thing or he, who desires for everything, should adore Gadadhara. The giver of water attains to gratification. The giver of boiled rice enjoys happiness. The giver of sessamum seeds obtains good offspring and the giver of lamps most excellent eyes. One, who gives away lands, attains to all while the giver of gold acquires longevity. The giver of houses attains to the most exalted station in the world and the giver of silver a most handsome appearance. The giver of dwelling houses attains to the region of the moon and the giver of horses to that of Ashvins. The giver of balls attains prosperity while the giver of kine attains to the region of Brahma. He, who gives conveyances and beddings, obtains a wife, and the giver of protection attains wealth. The giver of corns enjoys eternal happiness; while the giver of Brahma (knowledge of) attains to the neighbourhood of Brahma. Imparting knowledge on the knowers of the Vedas one becomes glorified in the celestial region. By giving grass to the kine one becomes freed from all sins. By giving sacrificial fuels a man becomes effulgent like fire. By giving to the diseased, for the removal of his ailments, medicines, attendance and food one becomes freed from diseases, enjoys happiness and lives long. By giving away umbrellas one passes unscathed through a road of Asipatra leaves, sharp as razor and does not suffer from the fierce rays of the sun. He, who wishes things never to end, must give away unto qualified persons the various desired-for objects of the world and whatever is most favourite unto him in the house. If any thing is given away in charity during the equinox, the solar and lunar eclipses and on the last day of a month it becomes never exhausted. There is no religious rite for a man to perform in this world superior to the making of charities in Prayaga (Allahabad) and various other sacred places and especially in Gaya where charities are made for attaining heaven and averting evils. The sinful person, who prevents a Brahmana from worshipping sacred fire and celebrating sacrifices, goes to hell. He, who does not give food during a famine, becomes the hateful' destroyer of the Brahmanas on account of their meeting with death (for his negligence).

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