Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच श्रुतं मे भवतो वाक्यमन्नदानस्य यो विधिः नक्षत्रयोगस्येदानीं दानकल्पं ब्रवीहि मे
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said I have heard your discourse about the ordinances for the gift of food. Do you describe to me now about the conjunctions of the planets and the stars in relation to the subject of making gifts.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् देवक्याश्चैव संवादं देवर्षेर्नारदस्य च
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Regarding it is recited this ancient discourse between Devaki and Narada, that foremost of Rishis.
द्वारकामनुसंप्राप्तं नारदं देवदर्शनम् पप्रच्छैनं ततः प्रश्नं देवकी धर्मदर्शिनी
M. N. Dutt: Once on a time when Narada of godlike features and knowing every duty arrived at Dwaraka, Devaki asked him this question.
तस्याः संपृच्छमानाया देवर्षिर्नारदस्तदा आचष्ट विधिवत्सर्वं यत्तच्छृणु विशां पते
M. N. Dutt: The celestial Rishi Narada replied to her question in the following words. Do you hear as I recite them.
नारद उवाच कृत्तिकासु महाभागे पायसेन ससर्पिषा संतर्प्य ब्राह्मणान्साधूँल्लोकानाप्नोत्यनुत्तमान्
M. N. Dutt: Narada said By pleasing, O blessed lady, worthy Brahmanas with pudding mixed with ghee, under the constellation Krittika, one acquires regions of great happiness.
रोहिण्यां प्रथितैर्मांसैर्माषैरन्नेन सर्पिषा पयोऽनुपानं दातव्यमानृण्यार्थं द्विजातये
M. N. Dutt: Under the constellation Rohini, one should, for freeing himself from the debt he owes to the Brahmanas, make gifts to them of many handfuls of venison along with rice and clarified butter and milk, and other kinds of edibles and drinks.
दोग्ध्रीं दत्त्वा सवत्सां तु नक्षत्रे सोमदैवते गच्छन्ति मानुषाल्लोकात्स्वर्गलोकमनुत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: One giving away a cow with a calf under the constellation called Somadevata (or Mrigashiras), proceeds from this human region to a region in Heaven of great felicity.
आर्द्रायां कृसरं दत्त्वा तैलमिश्रमुपोषितः नरस्तरति दुर्गाणि क्षुरधारांश्च पर्वतान्
M. N. Dutt: One undergoing a fast and giving away Krishara mixed with sesame, gets over all difficulties in the next world, including those mountains with rocks sharp as razors.
अपूपान्पुनर्वसौ दत्त्वा तथैवान्नानि शोभने यशस्वी रूपसंपन्नो बह्वन्ने जायते कुले
M. N. Dutt: By making gifts, O beautiful lady, of cakes and other food under the constellation Punarvasu, one gets personal beauty and great fame and takes birth in his next life in a family in which there is profuse food.
पुष्ये तु कनकं दत्त्वा कृतं चाकृतमेव च अनालोकेषु लोकेषु सोमवत्स विराजते
M. N. Dutt: Making a gift of wrought or unwrought gold, under the constellation Pushya, one shines like the Moon himself in regions of surrounding darkness.
आश्लेषायां तु यो रूप्यमृषभं वा प्रयच्छति स सर्वभयनिर्मुक्तः शात्रवानधितिष्ठति
M. N. Dutt: He who makes a gift, gift, under under the constellation Ashlesha, of silver or a bull, becomes freed from every fear and acquires riches and prosperity.
मघासु तिलपूर्णानि वर्धमानानि मानवः प्रदाय पुत्रपशुमानिह प्रेत्य च मोदते
M. N. Dutt: By making a gift, under the constellation Megha, of earthen dishes filled with sesame, one gets children and animals in this world and acquires happiness in the next.
Supplementary Passages:
13.63.12 After 12ab, D7 ins.: *351 ताम्राणि तिलपात्राणि त्रिंशत्पलमितानि तु
फल्गुनीपूर्वसमये ब्राह्मणानामुपोषितः भक्षान्फाणितसंयुक्तान्दत्त्वा सौभाग्यमृच्छति
M. N. Dutt: By making gifts, while fasting, to Brahmanas, under the constellation called PurvaPhalguni, of food mixed with Phanita, the reward is great prosperity both here and hereafter.
घृतक्षीरसमायुक्तं विधिवत्षष्टिकौदनम् उत्तराविषये दत्त्वा स्वर्गलोके महीयते
M. N. Dutt: By making a gift, under the constellation called UttaraPhalguni, of clarified butter and milk with rice called Shashthika, one wins great honours in Heaven.
यद्यत्प्रदीयते दानमुत्तराविषये नरैः महाफलमनन्तं च भवतीति विनिश्चयः
M. N. Dutt: Whatever gifts are made by men under the constellation of Uttara-Phalguni yield great merit, which, again, becomes unending. This is very certain.
हस्ते हस्तिरथं दत्त्वा चतुर्युक्तमुपोषितः प्राप्नोति परमाँल्लोकान्पुण्यकामसमन्वितान्
M. N. Dutt: Observing a fast, the person who makes, under the constell.tion Hasta, a gift of a car with four elephants, acquires regions of great happiness that are capable of granting the fruition of every wish.
चित्रायामृषभं दत्त्वा पुण्यान्गन्धांश्च भारत चरत्यप्सरसां लोके रमते नन्दने तथा
M. N. Dutt: By making a gift, under the constellation Chitra, of a bull and of good perfumes, one sports in bliss in regions of Apsaras like the deities sporting in the garden of Nandana.
स्वातावथ धनं दत्त्वा यदिष्टतममात्मनः प्राप्नोति लोकान्स शुभानिह चैव महद्यशः
M. N. Dutt: By making gifts of riches under the constellation Svati, one acquires such excellent regions as one desires and wins, besides great fame.
विशाखायामनड्वाहं धेनुं दत्त्वा च दुग्धदाम् सप्रासङ्गं च शकटं सधान्यं वस्त्रसंयुतम्
AI Translation: Having given a cow and a bull to Vishākhā, and a milk-giving cow, And a cart with a yoke, along with grain and cloth,
पितॄन्देवांश्च प्रीणाति प्रेत्य चानन्त्यमश्नुते न च दुर्गाण्यवाप्नोति स्वर्गलोकं च गच्छति
AI Translation: He pleases the ancestors and gods, and attains immortality after death. He does not encounter difficulties, and goes to the world of heaven.
दत्त्वा यथोक्तं विप्रेभ्यो वृत्तिमिष्टां स विन्दति नरकादींश्च संक्लेशान्नाप्नोतीति विनिश्चयः
M. N. Dutt: By making gifts the Brahmanas of whatever articles they want, one acquires such means of subsistence as he wishes, and becomes rescued from Hell and every calamity that befall sinners after death. This is the certain conclusion of the scriptures.
अनुराधासु प्रावारं वस्त्रान्तरमुपोषितः दत्त्वा युगशतं चापि नरः स्वर्गे महीयते
M. N. Dutt: By making gifts, under the constellation Anuradha, of embroidered cloth and other dresses and of food, observing a fast all the while, one becomes honoured in Heaven for a hundred cycles.
कालशाकं तु विप्रेभ्यो दत्त्वा मर्त्यः समूलकम् ज्येष्ठायामृद्धिमिष्टां वै गतिमिष्टां च विन्दति
M. N. Dutt: By making a gift under the constellation Jyeshtha, of the potherb called Kalashaka with the roots, one acquires great prosperity as also such an end as is desirable.
मूले मूलफलं दत्त्वा ब्राह्मणेभ्यः समाहितः पितॄन्प्रीणयते चापि गतिमिष्टां च गच्छति
M. N. Dutt: By making to Brahmanas a gift under the constellation Mula, of fruits and roots, with a controlled soul, one pleases the departed manes and attains to a desirable end.
अथ पूर्वास्वषाढासु दधिपात्राण्युपोषितः कुलवृत्तोपसंपन्ने ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे प्रदाय जायते प्रेत्य कुले सुबहुगोकुले
AI Translation: Then, in the first month of the rainy season, having fasted, and having given to a Brahmin who is accomplished in the conduct of his family and is learned in the Vedas, one is reborn in a family with many cows.
उदमन्थं ससर्पिष्कं प्रभूतमधुफाणितम् दत्त्वोत्तरास्वषाढासु सर्वकामानवाप्नुयात्
AI Translation: Uddamtha, with clarified butter, plenty of honey and molasses, Giving in the Uttarāṣāḍhā constellation, one attains all desires.
दुग्धं त्वभिजिते योगे दत्त्वा मधुघृताप्लुतम् धर्मनित्यो मनीषिभ्यः स्वर्गलोके महीयते
M. N. Dutt: By making a gift, under the conjunction called Abhijit, of milk with loney and ghee unto men of wisdom, a righteous person attains to Heaven and becomes an object of adoration and honour there.
श्रवणे कम्बलं दत्त्वा वस्त्रान्तरितमेव च श्वेतेन याति यानेन सर्वलोकानसंवृतान्
M. N. Dutt: By making, under the conjunction Shravana, a gift of blankets or other cloth of thick texture, one passes freely through every region of happiness, riding on a white car of pure resplendence.
गोप्रयुक्तं धनिष्ठासु यानं दत्त्वा समाहितः वस्त्ररश्मिधरं सद्यः प्रेत्य राज्यं प्रपद्यते
M. N. Dutt: By making with a controlled soul under the constellation Dhanishtha a gift of a car with bulls yoked thereto, or masses of cloths and riches, one at once acquires Heaven in his next life.
गन्धाञ्शतभिषग्योगे दत्त्वा सागुरुचन्दनान् प्राप्नोत्यप्सरसां लोकान्प्रेत्य गन्धांश्च शाश्वतान्
M. N. Dutt: By making gifts, under the constellation Shatabhisha, of perfumes with Aquilaria Agallocha and sandal wood, one acquires in the next world the companionship of Apsaras as also eternal perfumes of various sorts.
पूर्वभाद्रपदायोगे राजमाषान्प्रदाय तु सर्वभक्षफलोपेतः स वै प्रेत्य सुखी भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: By making gifts, under the constellation Purva Bhadrapada, of Rajamasha, one acquires great happiness in next life and comes by a profuse supply of every kind of food and fruits.
औरभ्रमुत्तरायोगे यस्तु मांसं प्रयच्छति स पितॄन्प्रीणयति वै प्रेत्य चानन्त्यमश्नुते
M. N. Dutt: One who makes, under the constellation Uttara, a gift of mutton, pleases the departed manes by such an act and acquires unending merit in the next world.
कांस्योपदोहनां धेनुं रेवत्यां यः प्रयच्छति सा प्रेत्य कामानादाय दातारमुपतिष्ठति
M. N. Dutt: If one makes a gift, under the constellation Revati, of a cow with a vessel of white copper for milking her, the cow so given away approaches him in the next world, ready to grant the fruition of every desire.
रथमश्वसमायुक्तं दत्त्वाश्विन्यां नरोत्तमः हस्त्यश्वरथसंपन्ने वर्चस्वी जायते कुले
M. N. Dutt: By making a gift, under the constellation Ashvini, of a car with horses yoked thereto, one is born in his next life in a family possessing abundant elephants and horses and cars and becomes gifted with great energy.
भरणीषु द्विजातिभ्यस्तिलधेनुं प्रदाय वै गाः सुप्रभूताः प्राप्नोति नरः प्रेत्य यशस्तथा
M. N. Dutt: By making, under the constellation Bharani, a gift to the Brahmanas of kine and. sesame, one attains in his next life great fame and abundant kine.
भीष्म उवाच इत्येष लक्षणोद्देशः प्रोक्तो नक्षत्रयोगतः देवक्या नारदेनेह सा स्नुषाभ्योऽब्रवीदिदम्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Thus did Narada describe to Devaki the subject of what gifts should be made under what constellations. Devaki herself, having heard this account related it in her turn to her daughters-in-law.