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added Vishnu Smrti adhyaya 91 verses and meanings
== Introduction ==
== Introduction ==
Construction of temples, wells, and similar religious and charitable foundations and institutions is included under purtadharma and people of all varnas, ashramas, women and widows could perform such dharma. The Istadharma included vedic sacrifices and danas associated with them had some restrictions. Shabara in his Bhashya on Jaimini sutras (1.3.2) refers to the smrti rules about charitable objects which are based on sruti passages as <blockquote>प्रपास्तडागानि च परोपकाराय, न धर्मायेत्य् एवावगम्यते. तथा च दर्शनम् - धन्वन्न् इव प्रपा असीति. तथा - स्थलयोदकं परिगृह्णन्तीति च ॥</blockquote>'O Agni, who art ancient and a king, thou art to the man who desires to offer a sacrifice like Prapa (shed where water is distributed to travellers) in a desert."<ref>Kane, Pandurang Vaman. (1941) ''History of Dharmasastra (Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law) Volume 2, Part 2.'' Poona : Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute</ref>
Construction of temples, wells, and similar religious and charitable foundations and institutions is included under purtadharma and people of all varnas, ashramas, women and widows could perform such dharma. The Istadharma included vedic sacrifices and danas associated with them had some restrictions. Shabara in his Bhashya on Jaimini sutras (1.3.2) refers to the smrti rules about charitable objects which are based on sruti passages as <blockquote>प्रपास्तडागानि च परोपकाराय न धर्मायेत्येवावगम्यते तथा च दर्शनम् धन्वन्निव प्रपा असीति तथा स्थलयोदकं परिगृह्णन्तीति च ॥ </blockquote><blockquote>प्र ते यक्षि प्र त इयर्मि मन्म भुवो यथा वन्द्यो नो हवेषु । धन्वन्निव प्रपा असि त्वमग्न इयक्षवे पूरवे प्रत्न राजन् ॥१॥ (Rig. Veda. 10.10.4)</blockquote>'O Agni, who art ancient and a king, thou art to the man who desires to offer a sacrifice like Prapa (shed where water is distributed to travellers) in a desert."<ref>Kane, Pandurang Vaman. (1941) ''History of Dharmasastra (Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law) Volume 2, Part 2.'' Poona : Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute</ref>
Jalashaya
In Rigveda, mandala 10, a mention of pushkarini is made as given<blockquote>भोजायाश्वं सं मृजन्त्याशुं भोजायास्ते कन्या शुम्भमाना । भोजस्येदं पुष्करिणीव वेश्म परिष्कृतं देवमानेव चित्रम् ॥१०॥ (Rig. Veda. 10.107.10)</blockquote>The Vishnu Dharmasutras (Adhyaya 91) extensively deals about the rewards obtained by acts of digging wells, planting trees, building new temples and renovating dilapidated temples.
Jalashaya
Providing water for travellers or general public through dedication of Jalaashay (wells, ponds and reservoirs) has been praised in several Puranas. Detailed guidance for construction of water bodies is given in traditional texts. It is also preserved among local communities and artisans. The Puran deal mainly with the ritualistic aspects.
Providing water for travellers or general public through dedication of Jalaashay (wells, ponds and reservoirs) has been praised in several Puranas. Detailed guidance for construction of water bodies is given in traditional texts. It is also preserved among local communities and artisans. The Puran deal mainly with the ritualistic aspects.
During Summers (Greeshm) Equivalent to Ashwamedh Yagn
During Summers (Greeshm) Equivalent to Ashwamedh Yagn
== Verses and Meanings ==
The following are the details from Vishnu Smrti (Adhyaya 91) outlining the rewards of digging wells and planting trees.<blockquote>अथ कूपकर्तुस्तत्प्रवृत्ते पानीये दुष्कृतस्यार्धं विनश्यति । । ९१.१ । । तडागकृन्नित्यतृप्तो वारुणं लोकं अश्नुते । । ९१.२ । । जलप्रदः सदा तृप्तो भवति । । ९१.३ । ।</blockquote>The digger of a well has the half of his evil acts destroyed as soon as water springs forth in it. One who digs water reservoirs is for ever freed from thirst and attains Varuna loka. One who gives water will be satisfied for ever (never suffer from thirst).<blockquote>वृक्षारोपयितुर्वृक्षाः परलोके पुत्रा भवन्ति । । ९१.४ । ।वृक्षप्रदो वृक्षप्रसूनैर्देवान्प्रीणयति । । ९१.५ । ।फलैश्चातिथीन् । । ९१.६ । ।छायया चाभ्यागतान् । । ९१.७ । । देवे वर्षत्युदकेन पितॄन् । । ९१.८ । । सेतुकृत्स्वर्गं आप्नोति । । ९१.९ । ।</blockquote>One who plants trees will have them as sons in future existence. One who plants trees please the devatas by their flowers, atithis by their fruits, travellers by the shade of those trees. He pleases the forefathers with the water (trickling down from their leaves) when it rains. One who builds dikes (dams, water reservoirs) attains heaven. <blockquote>देवायतनकारी यस्य देवस्यायतनं करोति तस्यैव लोकं आप्नोति । । ९१.१० । । सुधासिक्तं कृत्वा यशसा विराजते । । ९१.११ । ।विचित्रं कृत्वा गन्धर्वलोकं आप्नोति । । ९१.१२ । ।</blockquote>One who constructs temples enters the loka of the deity for whom he erected that temple. He who paints the temple, white, acquires brilliant fame while one who colours it with different paints attains gandharva loka. <blockquote>पुष्पप्रदानेन श्रीमान्भवति । । ९१.१३ । । अनुलेपनप्रदानेन कीर्तिमान् । । ९१.१४ । ।दीपप्रदानेन चक्षुष्मान्सर्वत्रोज्ज्वलश्च । । ९१.१५ । ।अन्नप्रदानेन बलवान् । । ९१.१६ । ।</blockquote>By giving flowers he becomes fortunate. Charity of aromatic applications (and scents) endows one with fame. By giving lamps one obtains an excellent eyesight and becomes radiant with lustre. By giving food the donor obtains strength.<blockquote>देवनिर्माल्यापनयनात्गोदानफलं आप्नोति । । ९१.१७ । ।देवगृहमार्जनात्तदुपलेपनात्ब्राह्मणोच्छिष्टमार्जनात्पादशौचादकल्यपरिचरणाच्च । । ९१.१८ । । कूपारामतडागेषु देवतायतनेषु च । पुनः संस्कारकर्ता च लभते मौलिकं फलम् । । ९१.१९ । ।</blockquote>By removing the devanirmalya (remains of an offering to a deity) he obtains the same reward as for giving a cow. Same reward is also obtained by scouring a temple, smearing it with cow-dung, removing the left-overs of the food of a brahmana, by washing his feet and nursing him when sick. One who consecrates anew a well, garden, a pool or water reservoir, a temple (which have been soiled in time) obtains the same reward as he who first made them.
== References ==
== References ==