Shloka 21
गोप्रदान-माहात्म्ये गोलोक-प्रश्नः
Gopradāna-Māhātmya: Inquiry into Goloka
पुष्करिण्यस्तडागानि कूपांश्चैवात्र खानयेत् । एतत् सुदुर्लभतरमिहलोके द्विजोत्तम,द्विजश्रेष्ठ! मनुष्यको यहाँ पोखरी, तालाब और कुएँ खुदवाने चाहिये। यह इस संसारमें अत्यन्त दुर्लभ--पुण्य कार्य है
puṣkariṇyas taḍāgāni kūpāṁś caivātra khānayet | etat sudurlabhataram iha loke dvijottama, dvijaśreṣṭha |
Yama said: “In this world, O best of the twice-born, one should have ponds, tanks, and wells dug. Such an act is exceedingly rare and hard to attain as merit—an outstanding deed of righteousness, for it sustains living beings by providing water.”
यम उवाच
Educational Q&A
Creating water sources—ponds, tanks, and wells—is presented as a highly meritorious form of dharma because it directly supports life and benefits the wider community.
Yama addresses a Brahmin respectfully and instructs him that arranging the excavation of public water-reservoirs is an exceptionally rare and valuable righteous act in the human world.