13.063
nakṣatrayogadānam
The gift of the combination of stars
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
śrutaṁ me bhavato vākyam annadānasya yo vidhiḥ। nakṣatrayogasya idānīṁ dānakalpaṁ bravīhi me ॥13-63-1॥
"I have heard from you the procedure for food-giving. Now tell me the rule for making donations at the time of lunar conjunctions." (13-63-1)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atrāpy udāharantīm am itihāsaṁ purātanam। devakyāś caiva saṁvādaṁ devarṣeḥ nāradasya ca ॥13-63-2॥
Here too, they recite this ancient story, the dialogue between Devakī and the divine sage Nārada. (13-63-2)
dvārakāmanusamprāptaṃ nāradaṃ devadarśanam। papracchainaṃ tataḥ praśnaṃ devakī dharmadarśinī ॥13-63-3॥
When the divine-seeing Nārada had arrived at Dvārakā, Devakī, perceiver of righteousness, then asked him a question. (13-63-3)
tasyāḥ sampṛcchamānāyā devarṣir nāradas tadā। ācaṣṭa vidhivat sarvaṃ yat tac chṛṇu viśāṃ pate ॥13-63-4॥
While she was asking, the divine sage Nārada then narrated everything properly. That which was said, listen, O lord of men. (13-63-4)
nārada uvāca॥
Nārada said.
kṛttikāsu mahābhāge pāyasena sasarpiṣā। santarpya brāhmaṇān sādhūn lokān āpnoty anuttamān ॥13-63-5॥
Offering rice-milk with ghee to Brāhmaṇas and virtuous men during the auspicious time of Kṛttikā, one attains the highest worlds. (13-63-5)
rohiṇyāṃ prathitair māṃsair māṣair annena sarpiṣā। payo'nupānaṃ dātavyam ānṛṇyārthaṃ dvijātaye॥13-63-6॥
On the day of Rohiṇī, one should give to a twice-born person well-known meats, black gram, cooked rice, ghee, and milk as an accompanying drink, for the sake of becoming free from debts. (13-63-6)
dogdhrīṃ dattvā savatsāṃ tu nakṣatre somadaivate. gacchanti mānuṣāllokātsvargalokamanuttamam ॥13-63-7॥
By giving a milch cow with its calf on the day sacred to the Soma deity, one passes from the world of men to the highest realm of heaven. (13-63-7)
ārdrāyāṃ kṛsaraṃ dattvā taila-miśram-upoṣitaḥ. naraḥ tarati durgāṇi kṣuradhārāṃś ca parvatān ॥13-63-8॥
On the day of Ārdrā, one who has given kṛsara mixed with oil after fasting, crosses over difficulties and razor-edged mountains. (13-63-8)
apūpān punarvasau dattvā tathaiva annāni śobhane। yaśasvī rūpasampanno bahvanne jāyate kule ॥13-63-9॥
O beautiful lady, one who gives fried cakes and foods again in the month of Vasā (Vaisākha) is born in a renowned lineage, endowed with beauty and abundant food. (13-63-9)
puṣye tu kanakaṃ dattvā kṛtaṃ cākṛtameva ca। anālokeṣu lokeṣu somavatsa virājate ॥13-63-10॥
But in the constellation Puṣya, having given gold, both performed and even unperformed deeds, in the worlds without light, he shines like the moon. (13-63-10)
āśleṣāyāṁ tu yo rūpyam ṛṣabhaṁ vā prayacchati। sa sarva-bhaya-nirmuktaḥ śātravān adhitiṣṭhati ॥13-63-11॥
But he who gives silver or a bull on (the day of) Āśleṣā, he remains freed from all fear, even among enemies. (13-63-11)
maghāsu tilapūrṇāni vardhamānāni mānavaḥ। pradāya putrapaśum āniha pretya ca modate॥13-63-12॥
A man who, during the Maghā constellation, gives growing pots filled with sesame seeds, becomes possessed of sons and cattle, and rejoices both in this world and after death. (13-63-12)
phalguni-pūrva-samaye brāhmaṇānām upoṣitaḥ। bhakṣān phāṇita-saṃyuktān dattvā saubhāgyam ṛcchati॥13-63-13॥
If, before Phalgunī, one fasts and gives the Brāhmaṇas food mixed with sugar, one attains good fortune. (13-63-13)
ghṛta-kṣīra-samāyuktaṃ vidhivat ṣaṣṭika-udanam। uttarā-viṣaye dattvā svarga-loke mahīyate॥13-63-14॥
One who gives rice food made from early rice, properly mixed with clarified butter and milk, in the northern region, is honored in the heavenly world. (13-63-14)
yadyatpradīyate dānam uttarāviṣaye naraiḥ। mahāphalam anantaṃ ca bhavatīti viniścayaḥ ॥13-63-15॥
Whatever gift men give in the future world certainly produces great and endless reward. (13-63-15)
haste hastirathaṃ dattvā caturyuktamupoṣitaḥ। prāpnoti paramāṃllokān puṇyakāmasamanvitān ॥13-63-16॥
Having given in his hand an elephant-cart yoked with four (elephants or horses), and having fasted, one obtains the highest worlds endowed with virtuous desires. (13-63-16)
citrāyām ṛṣabhaṁ dattvā puṇyān gandhāṁś ca bhārata। caraty apsarasāṁ loke ramate nandane tathā ॥13-63-17॥
O Bhārata, one who has given a bull and meritorious perfumes during Citrā moves in the world of apsarases and delights likewise in the Nandana garden. (13-63-17)
svātāvatha dhanaṃ dattvā yadiṣṭatamam ātmanaḥ। prāpnoti lokān sa śubhān iha ca eva mahat yaśaḥ॥13-63-18॥
When, after quenching his own thirst, a person gives away the wealth most cherished by himself, he attains auspicious worlds and, even here, great fame. (13-63-18)
viśākhāyāmanadvāhaṃ dhenuṃ dattvā ca dugdhadām। saprāsaṅgaṃ ca śakaṭaṃ sadhānyaṃ vastrasaṃyutam ॥13-63-19॥
In the Viśākhā (lunar mansion), having given a bullock-drawn cart, a cow, a rope for milking, together with accessories, and a cart filled with grain and accompanied by cloth. (13-63-19)
pitṝn devāṁś ca prīṇāti pretya ca anantyam aśnute। na ca durgāṇi avāpnoti svargalokaṁ ca gacchati॥13-63-20॥
He pleases both his forefathers and the gods; after death, he attains the eternal, does not encounter difficulties, and goes to the world of heaven. (13-63-20)
dattvā yathoktaṃ viprebhyo vṛttimiṣṭāṃ sa vindati। narakādīṃś ca saṅkleśān nāpnūtīti viniścayaḥ ॥13-63-21॥
Having given to the Brāhmaṇas the prescribed and desired livelihood, he obtains benefit; (he) certainly does not attain hell and other torments. (13-63-21)
anurādhāsu prāvāraṃ vastrāntaram upoṣitaḥ। dattvā yugaśataṃ cāpi naraḥ svarge mahīyate॥13-63-22॥
If, during the time of Anurādhā nakṣatra, a man fasts while wearing a cloak and another garment, and after giving charity, he is honored in heaven for a hundred ages. (13-63-22)
kālaśākaṃ tu viprebhyo dattvā martyaḥ samūlakam। jyeṣṭhāyām ṛddhim iṣṭāṃ vai gatim iṣṭāṃ ca vindati॥13-63-23॥
But if a mortal gives amaranth with roots to the Brāhmaṇas in the month of Jyeṣṭha, he attains both the desired prosperity and the desired goal. (13-63-23)
mūle mūlaphalaṃ dattvā brāhmaṇebhyaḥ samāhitaḥ। pitṝn prīṇayate cāpi gatimiṣṭāṃ ca gacchati ॥13-63-24॥
One who, being composed, gives root-fruit at the root to the Brāhmaṇas, satisfies his ancestors and also attains the desired state. (13-63-24)
atha pūrvāsv aṣāḍhāsu dadhipātrāṇy upoṣitaḥ। kulavṛttopasampanne brāhmaṇe vedapārage॥ pradāya jāyate pretya kule subahugokule॥13-63-25॥
At the beginning of the Aṣāḍhā month, after fasting, by giving vessels of curd to a Brāhmaṇa who is accomplished in family conduct and learned in the Vedas, one is reborn after death in a family blessed with many cows. (13-63-25)
udamanthaṃ sasarpiṣkaṃ prabhūtamadhuphāṇitam। dattvottarāsv aṣāḍhāsu sarvakāmānavāpnuyāt ॥13-63-26॥
One who gives milk and barley mixture with ghee, abundant with honey and sugar, during the (lunar mansion) Uttarā-Aṣāḍhā, may attain all desires. (13-63-26)
dugdhaṃ tvabhijite yoge dattvā madhu-ghṛtāplutam। dharma-nityo manīṣibhyaḥ svarga-loke mahīyate ॥13-63-27॥
But milk given at the auspicious period of Abhijit, soaked with honey and ghee, by one always devoted to dharma to the wise, is honored in the world of heaven. (13-63-27)
śravaṇe kambalaṃ dattvā vastrāntaritam eva ca। śvetena yānti yānena sarvalokān asaṃvṛtān ॥13-63-28॥
Having given a blanket to the ear (for the ear), and one wrapped in cloth, he proceeds by a white vehicle to worlds that are unobstructed (without concealment). (13-63-28)
goprayuktaṃ dhaniṣṭhāsu yānaṃ dattvā samāhitaḥ। vastra-raśmi-dharaṃ sadyaḥ pretya rājyaṃ prapadyate॥13-63-29॥
By giving with a concentrated mind a vehicle drawn by cows, equipped with cloth reins, one immediately after death attains a kingdom. (13-63-29)
gandhāñ śatabhiṣagyoge dattvā sāgurucandanān। prāpnoty apsarasāṁ lokān pretya gandhāṁś ca śāśvatān ॥13-63-30॥
Having offered scents, with aguru and sandalwood, at the conjunction of the Śatabhiṣak asterism, one obtains after death the worlds of the Apsarases and everlasting fragrances. (13-63-30)
pūrvabhādrapadāyoge rājamāṣān pradāya tu। sarvabhakṣaphalopetaḥ sa vai pretya sukhī bhavet॥13-63-31॥
If one gives black gram beans during the conjunction of Pūrvabhādrā, he becomes endowed with all the enjoyments of food and will indeed be happy after death. (13-63-31)
aurabhramuttarāyoge yastu māṁsaṁ prayacchati। sa pitṝnprīṇayati vai pretya cānantyam-aśnute ॥13-63-32॥
Whoever, at the aurabhramuttara rite, offers meat, pleases the ancestors indeed, and after death attains immortality. (13-63-32)
kāṁsyopadohanāṁ dhenuṁ revatyāṁ yaḥ prayacchati। sā pretya kāmān ādāya dātāram upatiṣṭhati॥13-63-33॥
Whoever gives a cow with a bronze milking-pail at the time of Revati, that cow, after death, takes the fulfillments of desires and approaches the giver. (13-63-33)
rathamaśvasamāyuktaṃ dattvāśvinyāṃ narottamaḥ। hastyaśvarathasampanne varcasvī jāyate kule ॥13-63-34॥
If the best of men gives a yoked chariot with horses during the Aśvinī nakṣatra, a brilliant person, endowed with wealth in elephants, horses, and chariots, is born in his family. (13-63-34)
bharaṇīṣu dvijātibhyaḥ tiladhenum pradāya vai। gāḥ suprabhūtāḥ prāpnoti naraḥ pretya yaśas tathā॥13-63-35॥
If a man gives a sesame-cow to the twice-born during the days of Bharaṇī, he attains abundant cows and fame after death. (13-63-35)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
ityeṣa lakṣaṇoddeśaḥ prokto nakṣatrayogataḥ। devakyā nāradeneha sā snuṣābhyo'bravīd idam ॥13-63-36॥
Thus, this description of characteristics according to the conjunction of stars has been stated. Here, Devakī, instructed by Nārada, said this to her daughters-in-law. (13-63-36)
