Adhyaya 68
Fruits of Righteousness: Charity, Faith, and the Path to Yama
Chapter PP.2.68 turns from the consequences of unrighteousness to the rewards of righteousness. It teaches that all embodied beings—regardless of age, sex, or condition—must inevitably travel to Yama’s realm, where Citragupta and other impartial examiners review and weigh one’s good and evil deeds. It then lists dharmic acts that ease this passage and uplift one’s posthumous course: compassionate conduct and a “gentle path,” and above all dāna (charitable giving)—footwear, umbrella, clothing, palanquin, seats, as well as the founding of gardens, temples, hermitages (āśramas), and halls for the destitute. A strong emphasis is placed on śraddhā (faithful intention): even the smallest gift, even a tiny coin, yields great merit when offered with faith to worthy and needy brāhmaṇas, explicitly linked to śrāddha contexts and assured spiritual fruit.
Shlokas
Verse 1
ययातिरुवाच । अधर्मस्य फलं सूत श्रुतं सर्वं मया विभो । धर्मस्यापि फलं ब्रूहि श्रोतुं कौतूहलं मम
Yayāti said: “O Sūta, venerable one, I have heard in full the results of adharma. Now tell me also the results of dharma, for I am eager to hear.”
Verse 2
मातलिरुवाच । अथ पापैरिमे यांति यमलोकं चतुर्विधाः । संत्रासजननं घोरं विवशाः सर्वदेहिनः
Mātali said: Then, driven by their sins, these beings—of four kinds—go to Yama’s world (Yamaloka), a dreadful realm that gives rise to terror, as all embodied creatures are carried along helplessly.
Verse 3
गर्भस्थैर्जायमानैश्च बालैस्तरुणमध्यमैः । पुंस्त्रीनपुंसकैर्वृद्धैर्यातव्यं जंतुभिस्ततः
Therefore, all beings must proceed onward—those still in the womb, those being born, children, youths and the middle-aged, men, women, those of a third sex, and the elderly as well.
Verse 4
शुभाशुभफलं तत्र देहिनां प्रविचार्यते । चित्रगुप्तादिभिः सर्वैर्मध्यस्थैः सर्वदर्शिभिः
There, the fruits of the embodied beings’ good and evil deeds are examined by all—Citragupta and the others—impartial and all-seeing.
Verse 5
न तेत्र प्राणिनः संति ये न यांति यमक्षयम् । अवश्यं हि कृतं कर्म भोक्तव्यं तद्विचारितम्
There is no living being there who does not go to Yama’s abode. Indeed, whatever karma has been done must inevitably be experienced—this is the settled judgment.
Verse 6
ये तत्र शुभकर्माणः सौम्यचित्तादयान्विताः । ते नरा यांति सौम्येन पथा यमनिकेतनम्
Those who perform auspicious deeds and are endowed with a gentle mind and compassion proceed by a gentle path to Yama’s abode.
Verse 7
यः प्रदद्याच्च विप्राणामुपानत्काष्ठपादुके । स विमानेन महता सुखं याति यमालयम्
Whoever gives sandals or wooden footwear to brāhmaṇas travels in comfort to Yama’s abode in a great celestial chariot.
Verse 8
छत्रदानेन गच्छंति पथा साभ्रेण देहिनः । दिव्यवस्त्रपरीधाना यांति वस्त्रप्रदायिनः
By the gift of an umbrella, embodied beings travel along a path shaded as if by clouds; and those who give clothing proceed wearing divine garments.
Verse 9
शिबिकायाः प्रदानेन विमानेन सुखं व्रजेत् । सुखासनप्रदानेन सुखं यांति यमालयम्
By gifting a palanquin, one goes joyfully in a celestial vimāna; by gifting a comfortable seat, one goes in comfort to Yama’s abode.
Verse 10
आरामकर्ता छायासु शीतलासु सुखं व्रजेत् । यांति पुष्पकयानेन पुष्पारामप्रदायिनः
One who creates a garden dwells happily amid its cool, refreshing shade. Those who provide flower-gardens attain passage in the celestial aerial car, the Puṣpaka.
Verse 11
देवायतनकर्ता च यतीनामाश्रमस्य च । अनाथमंडपानां च क्रीडन्याति गृहोत्तमैः
And the builder of temples for the gods, and of hermitages for ascetics, and of halls for the destitute—such a person attains the highest abodes.
Verse 12
देवाग्निगुरुविप्राणां मातापित्रोश्च पूजकः
One who worships the gods, the sacred fire, one’s teacher, the brāhmaṇas, and also one’s mother and father.
Verse 13
विप्रेषु दीनेषु गुणान्वितेषु यच्छ्रद्धया स्वल्पमपि प्रदत्तम् । तत्सर्वकामान्समुपैति लोके श्राद्धे च दानं प्रवदंति संतः
Even a small gift, when offered with faith to virtuous and needy brāhmaṇas, brings the giver the fulfillment of all desires in this world; therefore the wise praise charitable giving, especially in connection with śrāddha rites.
Verse 14
श्रद्धादानेन विज्ञेयमपि वालाग्रमात्रकम् । यत्पात्रादि चतुष्टयं श्रद्धा तेषु सदा मम
Even what is as minute as the tip of a hair is to be known as meaningful through a gift made with faith. Whatever the fourfold factors—beginning with the worthy recipient—may be, My constant concern is faith in them.
Verse 15
श्रद्धीयते सदा तस्माच्छ्रद्धायास्तत्फलं भवेत् । गुणान्वितेषु दीनेषु यच्छत्यावसथान्यपि
Therefore one should always act with faith, for faith yields its corresponding reward. Even providing lodging and shelter to the poor who are endowed with good qualities brings that fruit.
Verse 16
स प्रयाति सर्वकामं स्थानं पैतामहं नृप । श्रद्धयायेन विप्राय दत्तं काकिणिमात्रकम्
O king, he attains the all-fulfilling realm of Brahmā if—having faith—he gives even a mere kākiṇī, a tiny coin, to a brāhmaṇa.
Verse 17
सस्याद्दिव्यतिथिर्भूप देवानां कीर्तिवर्धनः । तस्माच्छ्रद्धान्वितैर्देयं तत्फलं भवति ध्रुवम्
O king, the offering of grain becomes a divine observance that increases the glory of the gods. Therefore it should be given with faith; its reward is assured.
Verse 68
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने पितृतीर्थवर्णने ययाति । चरित्रेऽष्टषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixty-eighth chapter in the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa of the Śrī Padma Purāṇa, within the narrative of Vena, describing the Pitṛ-tīrthas—sacred pilgrimage places for the ancestors—and the account of King Yayāti.