Brahma Purana — Chapter 218
BrP 218.1
अधर्मस्य गतिर् ब्रह्मन् कथिता नस् त्वयानघ धर्मस्य च गतिं श्रोतुम् इच्छामो वदतां वर ॥
adharmasya gatir brahman kathitā nas tvayānagha dharmasya ca gatiṃ śrotum icchāmo vadatāṃ vara //
The course of unrighteousness has been told to us by you, O brahman, O sinless one; we wish to hear the course of righteousness too, O best of speakers.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.2
कृत्वा पापानि कर्माणि कथं यान्त्य् अशुभां गतिम् कर्मणा च कृतेनेह केन यान्ति शुभां गतिम् ॥
kṛtvā pāpāni karmāṇi kathaṃ yānty aśubhāṃ gatim karmaṇā ca kṛteneha kena yānti śubhāṃ gatim //
Having done sinful deeds, how do they go to an inauspicious destiny? And by what deed done here do they go to an auspicious destiny?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.3
कृत्वा पापानि कर्माणि त्व् अधर्मवशम् आगतः मनसा विपरीतेन निरयं प्रतिपद्यते ॥
kṛtvā pāpāni karmāṇi tv adharmavaśam āgataḥ manasā viparītena nirayaṃ pratipadyate //
Having done sinful deeds and come under the sway of unrighteousness, with a perverted mind he goes to hell.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.4
मोहाद् अधर्मं यः कृत्वा पुनः समनुतप्यते मनःसमाधिसंयुक्तो न स सेवेत दुष्कृतम् ॥
mohād adharmaṃ yaḥ kṛtvā punaḥ samanutapyate manaḥsamādhisaṃyukto na sa seveta duṣkṛtam //
He who out of delusion commits an unrighteous act and afterwards feels remorse for it, being joined with composure of mind, will not (again) resort to evil-doing.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.5
यदि विप्राः कथयते विप्राणां धर्मवादिनाम् ततो ऽधर्मकृतात् क्षिप्रम् अपराधात् प्रमुच्यते ॥
yadi viprāḥ kathayate viprāṇāṃ dharmavādinām tato 'dharmakṛtāt kṣipram aparādhāt pramucyate //
If, O brahmins, he declares (it) to brahmins who expound the dharma, then he is quickly released from that offence committed against dharma.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.6
यथा यथा नरः सम्यग् अधर्मम् अनुभाषते समाहितेन मनसा विमुञ्चति तथा तथा ॥
yathā yathā naraḥ samyag adharmam anubhāṣate samāhitena manasā vimuñcati tathā tathā //
The more fully a man confesses his unrighteousness with a collected mind, the more he is released (from it).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.7
यथा यथा मनस् तस्य दुष्कृतं कर्म गर्हते तथा तथा शरीरं तु तेनाधर्मेण मुच्यते ॥
yathā yathā manas tasya duṣkṛtaṃ karma garhate tathā tathā śarīraṃ tu tenādharmeṇa mucyate //
The more his mind reproaches the evil deed done, the more is his body freed from that unrighteousness.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.8
भुजंग इव निर्मोकान् पूर्वभुक्ताञ् जहाति तान् दत्त्वा विप्रस्य दानानि विविधानि समाहितः ॥
bhujaṃga iva nirmokān pūrvabhuktāñ jahāti tān dattvā viprasya dānāni vividhāni samāhitaḥ //
As a snake (casts off) the skins it has worn before, so, being composed and having given manifold gifts to a brahmin, he abandons those (sins).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.9
मनःसमाधिसंयुक्तः स्वर्गतिं प्रतिपद्यते दानानि तु प्रवक्ष्यामि यानि दत्त्वा द्विजोत्तमाः ॥
manaḥsamādhisaṃyuktaḥ svargatiṃ pratipadyate dānāni tu pravakṣyāmi yāni dattvā dvijottamāḥ //
Joined with composure of mind, he attains the road to heaven. But I shall declare the gifts by giving which, O best of the twice-born,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.10
नरः कृत्वाप्य् अकार्याणि ततो धर्मेण युज्यते सर्वेषाम् एव दानानाम् अन्नं श्रेष्ठम् उदाहृतम् ॥
naraḥ kṛtvāpy akāryāṇi tato dharmeṇa yujyate sarveṣām eva dānānām annaṃ śreṣṭham udāhṛtam //
a man, even after doing what should not be done, is thereafter united with dharma. Of all gifts, food is declared the best.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.11
सर्वम् अन्नं प्रदातव्यम् ऋजुना धर्मम् इच्छता प्राणा ह्य् अन्नं मनुष्याणां तस्माज् जन्तुः प्रजायते ॥
sarvam annaṃ pradātavyam ṛjunā dharmam icchatā prāṇā hy annaṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ tasmāj jantuḥ prajāyate //
All food should be given away by an upright man who desires dharma; for food is the life-breath of men, and from it creatures are born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.12
अन्ने प्रतिष्ठिता लोकास् तस्माद् अन्नं प्रशस्यते अन्नम् एव प्रशंसन्ति देवर्षिपितृमानवाः ॥
anne pratiṣṭhitā lokās tasmād annaṃ praśasyate annam eva praśaṃsanti devarṣipitṛmānavāḥ //
The worlds are established on food; therefore food is praised. Gods, seers, ancestors and men praise food itself.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.13
अन्नस्य हि प्रदानेन स्वर्गम् आप्नोति मानवः न्यायलब्धं प्रदातव्यं द्विजातिभ्यो ऽन्नम् उत्तमम् ॥
annasya hi pradānena svargam āpnoti mānavaḥ nyāyalabdhaṃ pradātavyaṃ dvijātibhyo 'nnam uttamam //
For by the gift of food a man obtains heaven; food lawfully obtained, of the best quality, should be given to the twice-born,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.14
स्वाध्यायसमुपेतेभ्यः प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना यस्य त्व् अन्नम् उपाश्नन्ति ब्राह्मणाश् च सकृद् दश ॥
svādhyāyasamupetebhyaḥ prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā yasya tv annam upāśnanti brāhmaṇāś ca sakṛd daśa //
to those engaged in Vedic recitation, with a thoroughly gladdened inner self. And he whose food ten brahmins eat once,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.15
हृष्टेन मनसा दत्तं न स तिर्यग्गतिर् भवेत् ब्राह्मणानां सहस्राणि दशाभोज्य द्विजोत्तमाः ॥
hṛṣṭena manasā dattaṃ na sa tiryaggatir bhavet brāhmaṇānāṃ sahasrāṇi daśābhojya dvijottamāḥ //
given with a joyful mind — he will not come to a birth among animals. Having fed ten thousand brahmins, O best of the twice-born,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.16
नरो ऽधर्मात् प्रमुच्येत पापेष्व् अभिरतः सदा भैक्षेणान्नं समाहृत्य विप्रो वेदपुरस्कृतः ॥
naro 'dharmāt pramucyeta pāpeṣv abhirataḥ sadā bhaikṣeṇānnaṃ samāhṛtya vipro vedapuraskṛtaḥ //
a man would be released from unrighteousness, (even though) always addicted to sins. And a brahmin who puts the Veda foremost, having collected food by begging,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.17
स्वाध्यायनिरते विप्रे दत्त्वेह सुखम् एधते अहिंसन् ब्राह्मणस्वानि न्यायेन परिपाल्य च ॥
svādhyāyanirate vipre dattveha sukham edhate ahiṃsan brāhmaṇasvāni nyāyena paripālya ca //
having given (it) here to a brahmin devoted to Vedic recitation, thrives in happiness — not doing injury, and guarding the property of brahmins lawfully.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 218.18
क्षत्रियस् तरसा प्राप्तम् अन्नं यो वै प्रयच्छति द्विजेभ्यो वेदमुख्येभ्यः प्रयतः सुसमाहितः ॥
kṣatriyas tarasā prāptam annaṃ yo vai prayacchati dvijebhyo vedamukhyebhyaḥ prayataḥ susamāhitaḥ //
The kṣatriya who, purified and well composed, presents food won by force to the twice-born who are foremost in the Veda —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.19
तेनापोहति धर्मात्मा दुष्कृतं कर्म भो द्विजाः षड्भागपरिशुद्धं च कृषेर् भागम् उपार्जितम् ॥
tenāpohati dharmātmā duṣkṛtaṃ karma bho dvijāḥ ṣaḍbhāgapariśuddhaṃ ca kṛṣer bhāgam upārjitam //
by that, O brahmins, the man of righteous nature removes the evil deed he has done. And the portion earned from agriculture, purified by (paying) the sixth part,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.20
वैश्यो ददद् द्विजातिभ्यः पापेभ्यः परिमुच्यते अवाप्य प्राणसंदेहं कार्कश्येन समार्जितम् ॥
vaiśyo dadad dvijātibhyaḥ pāpebhyaḥ parimucyate avāpya prāṇasaṃdehaṃ kārkaśyena samārjitam //
the vaiśya, giving (it) to the twice-born, is wholly released from his sins. And (food) amassed by hard toil, obtained at the risk of life —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.21
अन्नं दत्त्वा द्विजातिभ्यः शूद्रः पापात् प्रमुच्यते औरसेन बलेनान्नम् अर्जयित्वा विहिंसकः ॥
annaṃ dattvā dvijātibhyaḥ śūdraḥ pāpāt pramucyate aurasena balenānnam arjayitvā vihiṃsakaḥ //
having given food to the twice-born, a śūdra is released from sin. And the man given to injuring, who has earned food by the strength of his own breast,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.22
यः प्रयच्छति विप्रेभ्यो न स दुर्गाणि सेवते न्यायेनावाप्तम् अन्नं तु नरो हर्षसमन्वितः ॥
yaḥ prayacchati viprebhyo na sa durgāṇi sevate nyāyenāvāptam annaṃ tu naro harṣasamanvitaḥ //
if he presents (it) to brahmins, does not meet with hard straits. And a man filled with gladness, (giving) food obtained lawfully
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.23
द्विजेभ्यो वेदवृद्धेभ्यो दत्त्वा पापात् प्रमुच्यते अन्नम् ऊर्जस्करं लोके दत्त्वोर्जस्वी भवेन् नरः ॥
dvijebhyo vedavṛddhebhyo dattvā pāpāt pramucyate annam ūrjaskaraṃ loke dattvorjasvī bhaven naraḥ //
to the twice-born grown old in the Veda, is released from sin. In this world food is what makes vigour; by giving it a man becomes full of vigour.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.24
सतां पन्थानम् आवृत्य सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते दानविद्भिः कृतः पन्था येन यान्ति मनीषिणः ॥
satāṃ panthānam āvṛtya sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate dānavidbhiḥ kṛtaḥ panthā yena yānti manīṣiṇaḥ //
By choosing the path of the good one is freed from all sins — the path made by those who know giving, by which the wise go.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 218.25
तेष्व् अप्य् अन्नस्य दातारस् तेभ्यो धर्मः सनातनः सर्वावस्थं मनुष्येण न्यायेनान्नम् उपार्जितम् ॥
teṣv apy annasya dātāras tebhyo dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ sarvāvasthaṃ manuṣyeṇa nyāyenānnam upārjitam //
Among these too (the highest are) the givers of food; from them comes the eternal dharma. In every condition food is to be earned by a man by lawful means.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.26
कार्यान् न्यायागतं नित्यम् अन्नं हि परमा गतिः अन्नस्य हि प्रदानेन नरो याति परां गतिम् ॥
kāryān nyāyāgataṃ nityam annaṃ hi paramā gatiḥ annasya hi pradānena naro yāti parāṃ gatim //
One should always procure food come by lawfully, for food is the highest goal; indeed by the gift of food a man goes to the supreme state.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 218.27
सर्वकामसमायुक्तः प्रेत्य चाप्य् अश्नुते सुखम् एवं पुण्यसमायुक्तो नरः पापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥
sarvakāmasamāyuktaḥ pretya cāpy aśnute sukham evaṃ puṇyasamāyukto naraḥ pāpaiḥ pramucyate //
Endowed with all objects of desire, he enjoys happiness even after death; thus a man endowed with merit is released from his sins.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.28
तस्माद् अन्नं प्रदातव्यम् अन्यायपरिवर्जितम् यस् तु प्राणाहुतीपूर्वम् अन्नं भुङ्क्ते गृही सदा ॥
tasmād annaṃ pradātavyam anyāyaparivarjitam yas tu prāṇāhutīpūrvam annaṃ bhuṅkte gṛhī sadā //
Therefore food should be given, (food) free from unrighteousness. But the householder who always eats his food only after the offerings to the breaths (prāṇa-oblations)...
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.29
अवन्ध्यं दिवसं कुर्याद् अन्नदानेन मानवः भोजयित्वा शतं नित्यं नरो वेदविदां वरम् ॥
avandhyaṃ divasaṃ kuryād annadānena mānavaḥ bhojayitvā śataṃ nityaṃ naro vedavidāṃ varam //
A man should make the day not barren by the gift of food; a man having constantly fed a hundred of the best of the knowers of the Veda,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.30
न्यायविद्धर्मविदुषाम् इतिहासविदां तथा न याति नरकं घोरं संसारं न च सेवते ॥
nyāyaviddharmaviduṣām itihāsavidāṃ tathā na yāti narakaṃ ghoraṃ saṃsāraṃ na ca sevate //
and (a hundred) of those learned in law and in dharma, and likewise of those versed in the old narratives, does not go to dreadful hell, nor does he undergo the round of rebirth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.31
सर्वकामसमायुक्तः प्रेत्य चाप्य् अश्नुते सुखम् एवं कर्मसमायुक्तो रमते विगतज्वरः ॥
sarvakāmasamāyuktaḥ pretya cāpy aśnute sukham evaṃ karmasamāyukto ramate vigatajvaraḥ //
Endowed with all objects of desire, he enjoys happiness even after death; thus one endowed with (such) action takes his pleasure, free from distress.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 218.32
रूपवान् कीर्तिमांश् चैव धनवांश् चोपजायते एतद् वः सर्वम् आख्यातम् अन्नदानफलं महत् मूलम् एतत् तु धर्माणां प्रदानानां च भो द्विजाः ॥
rūpavān kīrtimāṃś caiva dhanavāṃś copajāyate etad vaḥ sarvam ākhyātam annadānaphalaṃ mahat mūlam etat tu dharmāṇāṃ pradānānāṃ ca bho dvijāḥ //
And he is born handsome, famous and wealthy. All this has been told to you — the great fruit of the gift of food; and this, O brahmins, is the root of the dharmas and of the gifts.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition