Shloka 26
Viṣṇu-sahasranāma—Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Recitation (विष्णोर्नामसहस्रम्)
वहाँ पुण्योदका नामसे प्रसिद्ध नदी है, जो यमलोकनिवासियोंके लिये विहित है। उसमें अमृतके समान मधुर, शीतल एवं अक्षय जल भरा रहता है ।।
yama uvāca | tatra puṇyodakā nāma prasiddhā nadī yā yamalokanivāsibhyo vihitā | tasyāṃ amṛtasamaṃ madhuraṃ śītalam akṣayaṃ ca jalaṃ pūrṇaṃ tiṣṭhati || sa tatra toyaṃ pibati pānīyaṃ yaḥ prayacchati | pradīpasya pradānena śrūyatāṃ guṇavistaraḥ | yo hiha jaladānaṃ karoti sa paralokaṃ gatvā tasyā nadījalasya pānaṃ labhate | atha pradīpadānāt yaḥ atiriktataraḥ lābhaḥ sa śrūyatām ||
Yama sprach: Dort gibt es einen wohlbekannten Fluss namens Puṇyodakā, der für die Bewohner von Yamas Reich bestimmt ist. Er ist erfüllt von Wasser, das dem Nektar gleicht—süß, kühl und unerschöpflich. Wer hier in dieser Welt Trinkwasser spendet, der trinkt, wenn er in die jenseitige Welt gelangt, das Wasser dieses Flusses. Nun hört die ausführlichere Darlegung der Verdienste, die aus der Gabe einer Lampe (dīpa-dāna) erwachsen.
यम उवाच
Educational Q&A
Acts of practical charity—especially giving drinking water—generate lasting merit that returns to the giver in the afterlife; the passage also introduces the superior or expanded merits associated with gifting a lamp (dīpa-dāna).
Yama describes a sacred river in his realm, Puṇyodakā, whose nectar-like water is enjoyed by those who donated water while alive; he then transitions to explain, in greater detail, the fruits of lamp-giving.