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 disse: Lá existe um rio bem conhecido chamado Puṇyodakā, destinado aos habitantes do reino de Yama. Ele está cheio de água como néctar—doce, fresca e inesgotável. Quem, neste mundo, oferece água para beber, ao chegar ao outro mundo bebe a água desse rio. Agora ouvi o relato mais amplo dos méritos que nascem da dádiva de uma lâmpada (dīpa-dāna).
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.