प्रतिकूलं कर्मणां पापमाहु- स्तद्वर्ततेऽप्रवणे पापलोक्यम्। सन्तोऽसतां नानुवर्तन्ति चैत- द्यथा चैषामनुकूलास्तथाऽऽसन्
They say that acting against righteousness is sinful; such conduct leads to evil realms; the good do not follow the ways of the wicked, but act as is proper for the virtuous.
अभूद्धनं मे विपुलं गतं त- द्विचेष्टमानो नाधिगन्ता तदस्मि। एवं प्रधार्यात्महिते निविष्टो यो वर्तते स विजानाति जीवः
Once I had great wealth, now it is gone; though I strive, I cannot regain it; thus, one who is steadfast in seeking his own good, and acts accordingly, truly understands life.
महाधनो यो यजते सुयज्ञै- र्यः सर्वविद्यासु विनीतबुद्धिः। वेदानधीत्य तपसा योज्य देहं दिवं स यायात्पुरुषो वीतमोहः
He who performs great sacrifices with abundant wealth, whose mind is disciplined in all branches of knowledge, who studies the Vedas and dedicates his body to austerity, that man, free from delusion, attains heaven.
दिष्टं बलीय इति मत्वाऽऽत्मबुद्ध्या
Thinking that destiny is powerful, one should act with understanding.
सुखं हि जन्तुर्यदि वाऽपि दुःखं दैवाधीनं विन्दते नात्मशक्त्या। तस्माद्दिष्टं बलवन्मन्यमानो न संज्वरेन्नापि हृष्येत्कथंचित्
Indeed, whether happiness or sorrow, a creature experiences it by fate, not by his own power; therefore, considering destiny to be strong, one should neither grieve nor rejoice excessively.
दुःखैर्न तप्येन्न सुखैः प्रहृष्ये- त्समेन वर्तेत सदैव धीरः। दिष्टं बलीय इति मन्यमानो न संज्वरेन्नापि हृष्येत्कथंचित्
Let one not be tormented by sorrow nor exult in happiness; the wise should always remain even-minded, thinking that destiny is powerful, and should neither grieve nor rejoice excessively.
भये न मुह्याम्यष्टकाहं कदाचि- त्सन्तापो मे मानसो नास्ति कश्चित्। धाता यथा मां विदधीत लोके ध्रुवं तथाऽहं भवितेति मत्वा
O Ashtaka, I am never bewildered by fear, nor do I suffer any mental distress; as the Creator has ordained for me in this world, so surely shall I become, thinking thus.
संस्वेदजा अण्डजाश्चोद्भिदश्च सरीसृपाः कृमयोऽथाप्सु मत्स्याः। तथाश्मनस्तृणकाष्ठं च सर्वे दिष्टक्षये स्वां प्रकृतिं भजन्ति
Those born from sweat, from eggs, from sprouts, reptiles, worms, and fish in the waters, as well as all stones, grass, and wood—when their allotted time ends, all return to their own nature.
अनित्यतां सुखदुःस्वस्य बुद्ध्वा कस्मात्संतापमष्टकाहं भजेयम्। किं कुर्यां वै किं च कृत्वा न तप्ये तस्मात्सन्तापं वर्जयाम्यप्रमत्तः
Knowing the impermanence of happiness and suffering, O Ashtaka, why should I be distressed? What should I do, or not do, that would cause me pain? Therefore, I avoid sorrow, remaining attentive.
एवं व्रुवाणं नृपतिं ययाति- मथाष्टकः पुनरेवान्वपृच्छत्। मातामहं सर्वगुणोपपन्नं तत्रस्थितं स्वर्गलोके यथावत्
As King Yayati was speaking thus, Ashtaka again questioned him: 'Grandfather, endowed with all virtues, as you dwell there in heaven, tell me as it truly is.'
ये ये लोकाः पार्थिवेन्द्रप्रधाना- स्त्वया भुक्ता यं च कालं यथावत्। तान्मे राजन्ब्रूहि सर्वान्यथाव- त्क्षेत्रज्ञवद्भाषसे त्वं हि धर्मान्
O King, tell me of all those worlds, chief among earthly rulers, which you enjoyed, and for how long; speak of them all as they are, for you explain dharma like one who knows the field.
राजाऽहमासमिह सार्वभौम- स्ततो लोकान्महतश्चाजयं वै। तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकं परमस्म्यभ्युपेतः
I was once a universal monarch here, and then I conquered great worlds; there I dwelt for a thousand years, and after that, I attained a higher world.
ततः पुरीं पुरुहूतस्य रम्यां सहस्रद्वारां शतयोजनायताम्। अध्यावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकं परमस्म्यभ्युपेतः
Then I dwelt in the delightful city of Indra, with a thousand gates and a hundred yojanas in extent, for a thousand years, and after that, I attained a higher world.
ततो दिव्यमजरं प्राप्य लोकं प्रजापतेर्लोकपतेर्दुरापम्। तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकं परमस्म्यभ्युपेतः
Then, attaining the divine, ageless world of the Lord of Creatures, difficult to reach even for the ruler of the worlds, I dwelt there for a thousand years, and after that, I attained a higher world.
स देवदेवस्य निवेशने च विहृत्य लोकानवसं यथेष्टम्। संपूज्यमानस्त्रिदशैः समस्तै- स्तुल्यप्रभावद्युतिरीश्वराणाम्
There, in the abode of the god of gods, he enjoyed himself freely among the worlds as he wished, being honored by all the gods, his splendor and power equal to that of the lords of the gods.
तथाऽऽवसं नन्दने कामरूपी संवत्सराणामयुतं शतानाम्। सहाप्सरोभिर्विहरन्पुण्यगन्धा- न्पश्यन्नगान्पुष्पितांश्चारुरूपान्
In the same way, in Nandana, able to assume any form at will, he spent a hundred thousand years, delighting with the Apsarases, beholding fragrant, blossoming, and beautiful trees.
तत्र स्थितं मां देव सुखेषु सक्तं कालेऽतीते महति ततोऽतिमात्रम्। दूतो देवानामब्रवीदुग्ररूपो ध्वंसेत्युच्चैस्त्रिः प्लुतेन स्वरेण
While I remained there, attached to pleasures, after a very long time had passed, a fierce messenger of the gods spoke loudly to me, shouting three times in a thunderous voice: 'Fall!'
एतावन्मे विदितं राजसिंह ततो भ्रष्टोऽहं नन्दनात्क्षीणपुण्यः। वाचोऽश्रौषं चान्तरिक्षे सुराणां सानुक्रोंशाः शोचतां मां नरेन्द्र
This much I know, O lion among kings: then, fallen from Nandana, my merit exhausted, I heard the compassionate voices of the gods in the sky, lamenting for me, O king.
अहो कष्टं क्षीणपुण्यो ययातिः पतत्यसौ पुण्यकृत्पुण्यकीर्तिः। तानब्रुवं पतमानस्ततोऽहं सतां मध्ये निपतेयं कथं नु
Alas, how terrible! Yayati, whose deeds and fame were righteous, now falls, his merit spent. As I was falling, I said: 'How can I, among the virtuous, fall down in their midst?'
तैराख्याता भवतां यज्ञभूमिः समीक्ष्य चेमां त्वरितमुपागतोऽस्मि। हविर्गन्धं देशिकं यज्ञभूमे- र्धूमापाङ्गं प्रतिगृह्य प्रतीतः
They told me of your sacrificial ground, and seeing it, I quickly came here. Perceiving the fragrance of the offerings, the smoke rising from the altar, I arrived with certainty.
यदाऽवसो नन्दने कामरूपी संवत्सराणामयुतं शतानाम्। किं कारणं कार्तयुगप्रधान हित्वा च त्वं वसुधामन्वपद्यः
When you dwelled in Nandana, able to assume any form, for a hundred thousand years, what was the reason, O foremost of the Kṛta age, that you abandoned heaven and came to earth?
ज्ञातिः सुहृत्स्वजनो वा यथेह क्षीणे वित्ते त्यज्यते मानवैर्हि। तथा तत्र क्षीणपुण्यं मनुष्यं त्यजन्ति सद्यः सेश्वरा देवसङ्घाः
Just as here, when wealth is lost, a man is abandoned by relatives, friends, and his own people, so there, when merit is exhausted, the hosts of gods, along with their lord, immediately abandon a man.
तस्मिन्कथं क्षीणपुण्या भवन्ति संमुह्यते मेऽत्र मनोऽतिमात्रम्। किं वा विशिष्टाः कस्य धामोपयान्ति तद्वै ब्रूहि क्षेत्रवित्त्वं मतो मे
How does one become depleted of merit there? My mind is greatly confused about this. Who attains which realm, and by what distinction? Tell me this, for you are wise in these matters, as I think.
इमं भौमं नरकं ते पतन्ति ललाप्यमाना नरदेव सर्वे। ते कङ्कगोमायुबलाशनार्थे क्षीणे पुण्ये बहुधा प्रव्रजन्ति
All those, O king, who fall into this earthly hell, are tormented, seeking food from crows, jackals, and dogs. When merit is exhausted, they wander in many forms.
तस्मादेतद्वर्जनीयं नरेन्द्र दुष्टं लोके गर्हणीयं च कर्म। आख्यातं ते पार्थिव सर्वमेव भूयश्चेदानीं वद किं ते वदामि
Therefore, O king, such wicked and blameworthy deeds in the world must be avoided. All this has been told to you, O ruler of the earth; if you wish to hear more, tell me what I should say.
यदा तु तान्वितुदन्ते वयांसि तथा गृध्राः शितिकण्ठाः पतङ्गाः। कथं भवन्ति कथमाभवन्ति न भौममन्यं नरकं शृणोमि
When birds, vultures, crows, and insects attack them, how does this happen, and how do they come to be so? I have not heard of any other hell on earth.
ऊर्ध्वं देहात्कर्मणो जृम्भमाणा- द्व्यक्तं पृथिव्यामनुसंचरन्ति। इमं भौमं नरकं ते पतन्ति नावेक्षन्ते वर्षपूगाननेकान्
After death, as the effects of karma unfold, they wander visibly upon the earth. They fall into this earthly hell and do not escape it for countless years.
षष्टिं सहस्राणि पतन्ति व्योम्नि तथा अशीतिं परिवत्सराणि। तान्वै तुदन्ति पततः प्रपातं भीमा भौमा राक्षसास्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राः
Sixty thousand fall through the sky, and for eighty years they wander. As they fall, they are pierced by fearsome earthly demons with sharp fangs.
यदेनसस्ते पततस्तुदन्ति भीमा भौमा राक्षसास्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राः। कथं भवन्ति कथमाभवन्ति कथंभूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति
By what means do those fearsome earthly demons with sharp fangs torment the fallen? How does this happen, and what is their state? How do they become embodied as embryos?
अस्रं रेतः पुष्पफलानुपृक्त- मन्वेति तद्वै पुरुषेण सृष्टम्। स वै तस्या रज आपद्यते वै स गर्भभूतः समुपैति तत्र
Blood, semen, and substances mixed with flowers and fruits—this is what pursues them, created by a man. It enters the woman's womb, and thus he becomes an embryo there.