Benefits of Building a Temple
Agni said: I will now describe the fruits of making temples for the residence of Vasudeva and other deities.
He who attempts to erect temples for gods is freed from the sins of a thousand births.
Those who think of building a temple in their minds are freed from the sins of a hundred births.
Those who approve of a man's building a temple for Krishna go to the region of Acyuta [Vishnu] freed from sins.
Having desired to build a temple for Hari, a man immediately takes millions of his generations, past and future, to the region of Vishnu.
The departed manes of the person who builds a temple for Krishna live in the region of Vishnu, well adorned and free from the sufferings of hell.
The construction of a temple for a deity dissipates even the sin of Brahminicide.
By building a temple one reaps the fruit that one does not even gain by celebrating a sacrifice.
By building a temple one acquires the fruits of bathing at all the sacred shrines.
The construction of a temple, which gives heaven, by a religious or an irreligious man, yields the fruit reaped by persons slain in a battle undertaken on behalf of the celestials.
By making one temple one goes to heaven; by making three one goes to the region of Brahma; bu making five one goes to the region of Shambhu; by making eight one goes to the region of Hari. By making sixteen one attains all objects of enjoyment and emancipation.
A poor man, by building the smallest temple, reaps the same benefit which a rich man does by building the biggest temple for Vishnu.
Having acquired wealth and built a temple with a small portion of it, a person acquires piety and gains favors from Hari.
By making a temple with lakhs of rupees, or a thousand, or a hundred, or fifty a man goes where the Garuda-emblemed deity resides.
He who in his childhood even sportively makes a temple of Vasudeva with sand, goes to His region.
He who builds temples of Vishnu at sacred places, shrines, and hermitages, reaps fruits.
Those who decorate the temple of Vishnu with scents, flowers, and sacred mud, go to the city of the Lord.
Having erected a temple for Hari, a man, either fallen, about to fall, or half-fallen reaps twofold fruits.
He who brings about the fall of a man is the protector of one fallen. By making a temple for Vishnu one attains to his region.
As long as the collection of bricks of Hari's temple exists, the founder of his family lives gloriously in the region of Vishnu. He becomes pious and adorable in this world and in the next.
He who builds a temple for Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, is born as a man of good deeds and his family is purified.
He who builds temples for Visnu, Rudra, the sun-god, and other deities acquire fame. What is the use to him of wealth which is hoarded by ignorant men?
Useless is the acquisition of riches to one who does not have a temple built with hard-earned money for Krishna, or whose wealth is not enjoyed by the Pitris, Brahmanas, celestials, and friends. As death is certain for men, so is his destruction.
The man who does not spend his money for his enjoyment or in charities and keeps it hoarded is stupid and is fettered even when alive. What is the merit of him who, obtaining riches either by an accident or manliness, does not spend it for a glorious work or for religion? [What is the merit of him] who, having given away his wealth to the leading twice-born, makes his gift circulated, speaks of more than he gives away in charities?
Therefore a wise man should have the temples built for Vishnu and other deities. Having entered the region of Hari, he acquires reverential faith for Narottama [Vishnu]. He pervades all the three worlds containing the mobile and the immobile, the past, future, and present, gross, subtle, and all inferior objects. From Brahma to a pillar everything has originated from Vishnu. Having obtained entrance into the region of the Great Soul, Vishnu, the omnipresent god of gods, a man is not born again.
He who attempts to erect temples for gods is freed from the sins of a thousand births.
Those who think of building a temple in their minds are freed from the sins of a hundred births.
Those who approve of a man's building a temple for Krishna go to the region of Acyuta [Vishnu] freed from sins.
Having desired to build a temple for Hari, a man immediately takes millions of his generations, past and future, to the region of Vishnu.
The departed manes of the person who builds a temple for Krishna live in the region of Vishnu, well adorned and free from the sufferings of hell.
The construction of a temple for a deity dissipates even the sin of Brahminicide.
By building a temple one reaps the fruit that one does not even gain by celebrating a sacrifice.
By building a temple one acquires the fruits of bathing at all the sacred shrines.
The construction of a temple, which gives heaven, by a religious or an irreligious man, yields the fruit reaped by persons slain in a battle undertaken on behalf of the celestials.
By making one temple one goes to heaven; by making three one goes to the region of Brahma; bu making five one goes to the region of Shambhu; by making eight one goes to the region of Hari. By making sixteen one attains all objects of enjoyment and emancipation.
A poor man, by building the smallest temple, reaps the same benefit which a rich man does by building the biggest temple for Vishnu.
Having acquired wealth and built a temple with a small portion of it, a person acquires piety and gains favors from Hari.
By making a temple with lakhs of rupees, or a thousand, or a hundred, or fifty a man goes where the Garuda-emblemed deity resides.
He who in his childhood even sportively makes a temple of Vasudeva with sand, goes to His region.
He who builds temples of Vishnu at sacred places, shrines, and hermitages, reaps fruits.
Those who decorate the temple of Vishnu with scents, flowers, and sacred mud, go to the city of the Lord.
Having erected a temple for Hari, a man, either fallen, about to fall, or half-fallen reaps twofold fruits.
He who brings about the fall of a man is the protector of one fallen. By making a temple for Vishnu one attains to his region.
As long as the collection of bricks of Hari's temple exists, the founder of his family lives gloriously in the region of Vishnu. He becomes pious and adorable in this world and in the next.
He who builds a temple for Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, is born as a man of good deeds and his family is purified.
He who builds temples for Visnu, Rudra, the sun-god, and other deities acquire fame. What is the use to him of wealth which is hoarded by ignorant men?
Useless is the acquisition of riches to one who does not have a temple built with hard-earned money for Krishna, or whose wealth is not enjoyed by the Pitris, Brahmanas, celestials, and friends. As death is certain for men, so is his destruction.
The man who does not spend his money for his enjoyment or in charities and keeps it hoarded is stupid and is fettered even when alive. What is the merit of him who, obtaining riches either by an accident or manliness, does not spend it for a glorious work or for religion? [What is the merit of him] who, having given away his wealth to the leading twice-born, makes his gift circulated, speaks of more than he gives away in charities?
Therefore a wise man should have the temples built for Vishnu and other deities. Having entered the region of Hari, he acquires reverential faith for Narottama [Vishnu]. He pervades all the three worlds containing the mobile and the immobile, the past, future, and present, gross, subtle, and all inferior objects. From Brahma to a pillar everything has originated from Vishnu. Having obtained entrance into the region of the Great Soul, Vishnu, the omnipresent god of gods, a man is not born again.
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