Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 58
MBh 9 58.1
युधिष्ठिर उवाच आरामाणां तडागानां यत् फलं कुरुपुङ्गवा तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तोऽद्य भरतर्षभ॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ārāmāṇāṃ taḍāgānāṃ yat phalaṃ kurupuṅgavā tadahaṃ śrotumicchāmi tvatto'dya bharatarṣabha||
Yudhishthira said I wish, O Bharata, chief to hear from you what the rewards are, O best of the Kurus, of the planting of trees and the digging of tanks.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.2
भीष्म उवाच सुप्रदर्शा बलवती चित्रा धातुविभूषिता। उपेता सर्वभूतैश्च श्रेष्ठा भूमिरिहोच्यते॥
bhīṣma uvāca supradarśā balavatī citrā dhātuvibhūṣitā| upetā sarvabhūtaiśca śreṣṭhā bhūmirihocyate||
Bhishma said A piece of land on a best sight, fertile, situate in the midst of charming adorned with various kinds of metals, and inhabited by all sorts of creatures, Is considered as the foremost of spots.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.3
तस्याः क्षेत्रविशेषाश्च तडागानां च बन्धनम्। औदकानि च सर्वाणि प्रवक्ष्याम्यनुपूर्वशः॥
tasyāḥ kṣetraviśeṣāśca taḍāgānāṃ ca bandhanam| audakāni ca sarvāṇi pravakṣyāmyanupūrvaśaḥ||
A particular portion of such land should be chosen for digging a tank. I shall tell you, in due order, the different kinds of tanks. I shall also tell you what kinds of tanks. I shall also tell you what the merits also are of the digging of tanks.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.4
तडागानां च वक्ष्यामि कृतानां चापि ये गुणाः। त्रिषु लाकेषु सर्वत्र पूजनीयस्तडागवान्॥
taḍāgānāṃ ca vakṣyāmi kṛtānāṃ cāpi ye guṇāḥ| triṣu lākeṣu sarvatra pūjanīyastaḍāgavān||
The man who causes a tank to be dug becomes entitled to the respect and adoration of the three worlds.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.5
अथवा मित्रसदनं मैत्रं मित्रविवर्धनम्। कीर्तिसंजननं श्रेष्ठं तडागानां निवेशनम्॥
athavā mitrasadanaṃ maitraṃ mitravivardhanam| kīrtisaṃjananaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ taḍāgānāṃ niveśanam||
A tank full of water is as agreeable and beneficial as the house of a friend. It is gratifying to the Sun himself. It also helps the growth of the celestials. It is the foremost of all things that lead to fame.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.6
धर्मस्यार्थस्य कामस्य फलमाहुर्मनीषिणः। तडागसुकृतं देशे क्षेत्रमेकं महाश्रयम्॥ चतुर्विधानां भूतानां तडागमुपलक्षयेत्। तडागानि च सर्वाणि दिशन्ति श्रियमुत्तमाम्॥
dharmasyārthasya kāmasya phalamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ| taḍāgasukṛtaṃ deśe kṣetramekaṃ mahāśrayam|| caturvidhānāṃ bhūtānāṃ taḍāgamupalakṣayet| taḍāgāni ca sarvāṇi diśanti śriyamuttamām||
The wise have said that the excavation of a tank brings on Virtue, Profit and Pleasure. A tank is said to be properly excavated, if it is made on a piece of land that is inhabited by respectable persons. A tank is said to be necessary for all the four purposes of living creatures. Thanks, again, are considered as forming the excellent beauty of a country.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.7
देवा मनुष्यगन्धर्वा: पितरोरगराक्षसाः। स्थावराणि च भूतानि संश्रयन्ति जलाशयम्॥
devā manuṣyagandharvā: pitaroragarākṣasāḥ| sthāvarāṇi ca bhūtāni saṃśrayanti jalāśayam||
The celestials, human beings, Gandharvas. Departed Manes Uragas, Rakshasas, and even immobile beings, all resort to a tank full of water as their refuge.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.8
तस्मात् तांस्ते प्रवक्ष्यामि तडागे ये गुणाः स्मृताः। या च तत्र फलावाप्तिर्ऋषिभिः समुदाहृता॥
tasmāt tāṃste pravakṣyāmi taḍāge ye guṇāḥ smṛtāḥ| yā ca tatra phalāvāptirṛṣibhiḥ samudāhṛtā||
I shall, therefore, recite to you the merits attached to tanks as described by great Rishis, and the rewards in store for persons who cause them to be excavated.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.9
वर्षाकाले तडागे सलिलं यस्य तिष्ठति। अग्निहोत्रफलं तस्य फलमाहुर्मनीषिणः॥
varṣākāle taḍāge salilaṃ yasya tiṣṭhati| agnihotraphalaṃ tasya phalamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ||
The wise have said that man acquires the merit of an Agnihotra sacrifice in whose tank water is held in the season of rains.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.10
शरत्काले तु सलिलं तडागे यस्य तिष्ठति। गोसहस्रस्य स प्रेत्य लभते फलमुत्तमम्॥
śaratkāle tu salilaṃ taḍāge yasya tiṣṭhati| gosahasrasya sa pretya labhate phalamuttamam||
The high reward in the world that is reaped by the person who makes a gift of a thousand kine is acquired by that man in whose tank water is held in the season of autumn.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.11
हेमन्तकाले सलिलं तडागे यस्य तिष्ठति। स वै बहुसुवर्णस्य यज्ञस्य लभते फलम्॥
hemantakāle salilaṃ taḍāge yasya tiṣṭhati| sa vai bahusuvarṇasya yajñasya labhate phalam||
That person in whose tank water lics in the cold season acquires the merit of the wight who performs a sacrifice with profuse gifts of gold.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.12
तु यस्य वै शैशिरे काले तडागे सलिलं भवेत्। तस्याग्निष्टोमयज्ञस्य फलमाहुर्मनीषिणः॥
tu yasya vai śaiśire kāle taḍāge salilaṃ bhavet| tasyāgniṣṭomayajñasya phalamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ||
That person in whose tank water lies in the season of dew, acquires, the wise have said, the merits of an Agnishtoma sacrifice.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.13
तडागं सुकृतं यस्य वसन्ते तु महाश्रयम्। अतिरात्रस्य यज्ञस्य फलं स समुपाश्नुते॥
taḍāgaṃ sukṛtaṃ yasya vasante tu mahāśrayam| atirātrasya yajñasya phalaṃ sa samupāśnute||
That man in whose wellmade tank water lies in the season of spring, acquires the merit of the Atiratra sacrifice.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.14
निदाघकाले पानीयं तडागे यस्य तिष्ठति। वाजिमेधफलं तस्य फलं वै मुनयो विदुः॥
nidāghakāle pānīyaṃ taḍāge yasya tiṣṭhati| vājimedhaphalaṃ tasya phalaṃ vai munayo viduḥ||
That man in whose tank water lies in the season of summer, wins, the Rishi say, the merits of a horsesacrifice.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.15
स कुलं तारयेत् सर्वं यस्य खाते जलाशये। गावः पिबन्ति सलिलं साधवश्च नराः सदा॥
sa kulaṃ tārayet sarvaṃ yasya khāte jalāśaye| gāvaḥ pibanti salilaṃ sādhavaśca narāḥ sadā||
That man rescues his whole race in whose tank kine are seen to satisfy their thirst and from which pious men draw their water.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.16
तडागे यस्य गावस्तु पिबन्ति तृषिता जलम्। मृगपक्षिमनुष्याच सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्॥
taḍāge yasya gāvastu pibanti tṛṣitā jalam| mṛgapakṣimanuṣyāca so'śvamedhaphalaṃ labhet||
That man in whose tank kine satisfy their thirst as also other animals and birds, and human being, gains the merits of of a horsesacrifice.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.17
यत् पिबन्ति जलं तत्र स्नायन्ते विश्रमन्ति च। तडागे यस्य तत् सर्वं प्रेत्यानन्त्याय कल्पते।॥
yat pibanti jalaṃ tatra snāyante viśramanti ca| taḍāge yasya tat sarvaṃ pretyānantyāya kalpate|||
Whatever quantity of water is drunk from one's tank and whatever quantity is taken therefrom by others for purposes of bathing, all become stored for the benefit of the excavater of the tank and he enjoys the same eternally in the next world.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.18
दुर्लभं सलिलं तात विशेषेण परत्र वै। पानीयस्य प्रदानेन प्रीतिर्भवति शाश्वती॥
durlabhaṃ salilaṃ tāta viśeṣeṇa paratra vai| pānīyasya pradānena prītirbhavati śāśvatī||
Water, especially in the other world, is difficult to get, O son. A gift of drink yields eternal happiness.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.19
तिलान् ददत पानीयं दीपान् ददत जाग्रत। ज्ञातिभिः सह मोदध्वमेतत् प्रेत्य सुदुर्लभम्॥
tilān dadata pānīyaṃ dīpān dadata jāgrata| jñātibhiḥ saha modadhvametat pretya sudurlabham||
Make gifts of sesame here. Make gifts of water. Do you also give lamps. While alive and awake, do you sport happily with kinsmen. These are acts which you shall not be able to achieve in the other world.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.20
सर्वदानैर्गुरुतरं सर्वदानैर्विशिष्यते। पानीयं नरशार्दूल तस्माद् दातव्यमेव हि॥
sarvadānairgurutaraṃ sarvadānairviśiṣyate| pānīyaṃ naraśārdūla tasmād dātavyameva hi||
The gift of drink, O chief of men, is superior to every other gift. In point of merit, it is superior to all other gifts. Therefore, do you make gifts of water.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.21
एवमेतत् तडागस्य कीर्तितं फलमुत्तमम्। अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि वृक्षाणामवरोपणम्॥
evametat taḍāgasya kīrtitaṃ phalamuttamam| ata ūrdhvaṃ pravakṣyāmi vṛkṣāṇāmavaropaṇam||
Thus have the Rishis described the high merits of the excavation of tanks, I shall now describe to you the planting of trees.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.22
स्थावराणां च भूतानां जातयः षट् प्रकीर्तिताः। वृक्षगुल्मलतावल्ल्यस्त्वक्सारास्तृणजातयः॥
sthāvarāṇāṃ ca bhūtānāṃ jātayaḥ ṣaṭ prakīrtitāḥ| vṛkṣagulmalatāvallyastvaksārāstṛṇajātayaḥ||
Of immobile objects, six classes have been spoken. They are Vrikshas, Gulmas, Latas, Vallis, Tvaksaras, and Trinas of diverse kinds.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.23
एता जात्यस्तु वृक्षाणां तेषां रोपे गुणस्त्विमे। कीर्तिश्च मानुषे लोके प्रेत्य चैव फलं शुभम्॥
etā jātyastu vṛkṣāṇāṃ teṣāṃ rope guṇastvime| kīrtiśca mānuṣe loke pretya caiva phalaṃ śubham||
These are the several kinds of vegetables. Listen now to the merit of their planting, By planting trees one acquires fame in the world of men and auspicious rewards in the next world.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.24
लभते नाम लोके च पितृभिश्च महीयते। देवलोके गतस्यापि नाम तस्य न नश्यति॥
labhate nāma loke ca pitṛbhiśca mahīyate| devaloke gatasyāpi nāma tasya na naśyati||
Such a man is applauded and respected in the world of the Departed Manes. Such a man's name does not die even when he goes to live in the world of celestials.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.25
अतीतानागते चोभे पितृवशं च भारत। तारयेद् वृक्षरोपी च तस्माद् रोपयेत्॥
atītānāgate cobhe pitṛvaśaṃ ca bhārata| tārayed vṛkṣaropī ca tasmād ropayet||
The man who plants trees rescues the ancestors and descendants of both his paternal and maternal lines. Do you, therefore, plant trees, O Yudhishthira.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.26
तस्य पुत्रा भवन्त्येत पादपा नात्र संशयः। परलोकगतः स्वर्ग लोकांश्चात्पोति सोऽव्ययान्॥
tasya putrā bhavantyeta pādapā nātra saṃśayaḥ| paralokagataḥ svarga lokāṃścātpoti so'vyayān||
The trees that a man plants become the planter's children. There is no doubt in this, Departing from this world, such a man goes to the celestial region, Indeed, he enjoys many cternal regions of bliss.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.27
पुष्पैः सुरगणान् वृक्षाः फलैचापि तथा पितॄन्। छायया चातिथिं तात पूजयन्ति महीरुहः॥
puṣpaiḥ suragaṇān vṛkṣāḥ phalaicāpi tathā pitṝn| chāyayā cātithiṃ tāta pūjayanti mahīruhaḥ||
Trees please the deities by their flowers; the Departed Manes by their fruits; and all guests and strangers by the shadow they afford.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.28
किन्नरोरगरक्षांसि देवगन्धर्वमानवाः। तथा ऋषिगणाश्चैव संश्रयन्ति महीरुहान्॥
kinnaroragarakṣāṃsi devagandharvamānavāḥ| tathā ṛṣigaṇāścaiva saṃśrayanti mahīruhān||
Kinnaras, Uragas, Rakshasas, deities Gandharvas, and human beings, as also Rishis, all resort to trees as their refuge.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.29
पुष्पिताः फलवन्तश्च तर्पयन्तीह मानवान्। वृक्षदं पुत्रवद् वृक्षास्तारयन्ति परत्र तु॥
puṣpitāḥ phalavantaśca tarpayantīha mānavān| vṛkṣadaṃ putravad vṛkṣāstārayanti paratra tu||
Trees that bear flowers and fruits please all men. The planter of trees is saved in the next world by the trees he plants like children saving their own father.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.30
तस्मात् तडागे सवृक्षा रोप्याः श्रेयोऽर्थिना सदा। पुत्रवत् परिपाल्याश्च पुत्रास्ते धर्मतः स्मृताः॥
tasmāt taḍāge savṛkṣā ropyāḥ śreyo'rthinā sadā| putravat paripālyāśca putrāste dharmataḥ smṛtāḥ||
Therefore, the man who is desirous of achieving his own good, should plant trees by the side of tanks and rear them like his own children. The trees which a man plants are, according to both reason and the scriptures, the children of the planter.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.31
तडागकृद् वृक्षरोपी इष्टयज्ञश्च यो द्विजः। एते स्वर्गे महीयन्ते ये चान्ये सत्यवादिनः॥
taḍāgakṛd vṛkṣaropī iṣṭayajñaśca yo dvijaḥ| ete svarge mahīyante ye cānye satyavādinaḥ||
That Brahmana who excavates a tank, and he who plants trees, and he who performs sacrifices, are all adored in the celestial region as men who are devoted to truth fullness of speech.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 58.32
तस्मात् तडागं कुर्वीत आरामांश्चैव रोपयेत् यजेच्च विविधैर्यज्ञैः सत्यं च सततं वदेत्॥
tasmāt taḍāgaṃ kurvīta ārāmāṃścaiva ropayet yajecca vividhairyajñaiḥ satyaṃ ca satataṃ vadet||
Hence, one should cause tanks to be excavated and trees to be planted, adore the deities in diverse sacrifices, and speak the truth.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)