विष्णोर् अमितवीर्यस्य यः शृणोति कृताञ्जलिः
He who listens, with hands joined in reverence, to the account of Vishnu's boundless might—
एताश् च योगेश्वरयोगमायाः श्रुत्वा नरो मुच्यति सर्वपापैः ऋद्धिं समृद्धिं विपुलांश् च भोगान् प्राप्नोति शीघ्रं भगवत्प्रसादात्
And who hears these manifestations of the Lord of Yoga and his wondrous powers, is freed from all sins; he swiftly attains prosperity, abundance, and great enjoyments by the grace of the Blessed One.
एवं मया मुनिश्रेष्ठा विष्णोर् अमिततेजसः सर्वपापहराः पुण्याः प्रादुर्भावाः प्रकीर्तिताः
Thus, O foremost of sages, I have described the auspicious manifestations of Vishnu, whose brilliance is immeasurable and which remove all sins.
न तृप्तिम् अधिगच्छामः पुण्यधर्मामृतस्य च मुने त्वन्मुखगीतस्य तथा कौतूहलं हि नः
O sage, we do not attain satisfaction from the nectar of virtuous dharma, nor from the songs spoken by your mouth; indeed, our curiosity remains.
उत्पत्तिं प्रलयं चैव भूतानां कर्मणो गतिम् वेत्सि सर्वं मुने तेन पृच्छामस् त्वां महामतिम्
You know, O sage, the origin and dissolution of beings, the course of their actions; therefore, O wise one, we ask you everything.
श्रूयते यमलोकस्य मार्गः परमदुर्गमः दुःखक्लेशकरः शश्वत् सर्वभूतभयावहः
It is heard that the path to the realm of Yama is extremely difficult, causing suffering and pain, eternally bringing fear to all creatures.
कथं तेन नरा यान्ति मार्गेण यमसादनम् प्रमाणं चैव मार्गस्य ब्रूहि नो वदतां वर
How do men travel by that path to the abode of Yama? Tell us, O best of speakers, the measure and nature of that path.
मुने पृच्छाम सर्वज्ञ ब्रूहि सर्वम् अशेषतः कथं नरकदुःखानि नाप्नुवन्ति नरान् मुने
O sage, we ask you, all-knowing one, tell us everything in full: how do men avoid the sufferings of hell?
केनोपायेन दानेन धर्मेण नियमेन च मानुषस्य च याम्यस्य लोकस्य कियद् अन्तरम्
By what means, by what gift, by what dharma or discipline, and what is the distance between the human world and the realm of Yama?
कथं च स्वर्गतिं यान्ति नरकं केन कर्मणा स्वर्गस्थानानि कियन्ति कियन्ति नरकाणि च
How do men attain heaven, and by what action do they go to hell? How many places are there in heaven, and how many hells?
कथं सुकृतिनो यान्ति कथं दुष्कृतकारिणः किं रूपं किं प्रमाणं वा को वर्णस् तूभयोर् अपि जीवस्य नीयमानस्य यमलोकं ब्रवीहि नः
How do the virtuous go, and how do the wicked act? What is their form, what is their measure, and what is the color of the soul led to the realm of Yama? Tell us.
शृणुध्वं मुनिशार्दूला वदतो मम सुव्रताः संसारचक्रम् अजरं स्थितिर् यस्य न विद्यते
Hear, O tiger among sages, as I speak, O steadfast ones: the wheel of existence is ageless, and its state is never fixed.
सो ऽहं वदामि वः सर्वं यममार्गस्य निर्णयम् उत्क्रान्तिकालाद् आरभ्य यथा नान्यो वदिष्यति
I shall tell you all the determination of the path to Yama, beginning from the moment of departure, as no other will speak.
स्वरूपं चैव मार्गस्य यन् मां पृच्छथ सत्तमाः यमलोकस्य चाध्वानम् अन्तरं मानुषस्य च
I shall describe the nature of the path, which you ask me, O noble ones, and the journey to the realm of Yama, as well as the distance from the human world.
योजनानां सहस्राणि षडशीतिस् तद् अन्तरम् तप्तताम्रम् इवातप्तं तद् अध्वानम् उदाहृतम्
The distance is eighty-six thousand yojanas; that route is described as burning hot, like heated copper.
तद् अवश्यं हि गन्तव्यं प्राणिभिर् जीवसंज्ञकैः पुण्यान् पुण्यकृतो यान्ति पापान् पापकृतो ऽधमाः
All beings possessing the sign of life must certainly traverse it; the virtuous go to auspicious realms, the wicked to lower ones.
द्वाविंशतिश् च नरका यमस्य विषये स्थिताः येषु दुष्कृतकर्माणो विपच्यन्ते पृथक् पृथक्
There are twenty-two hells established in the domain of Yama, in which those who perform evil deeds are cooked separately.
नरको रौरवो रौद्रः शूकरस् ताल एव च कुम्भीपाको महाघोरः शाल्मलो ऽथ विमोहनः
The hells are: Raurava, Raudra, Shukara, Tala, Kumbhipaka, the most terrible, Shalmali, and Vimohana.
कीटादः कृमिभक्षश् च नालाभक्षो भ्रमस् तथा नद्यः पूयवहाश् चान्या रुधिराम्भस् तथैव च
There are those who eat insects, those who feed on worms, those who consume filth, and others who wander; there are rivers carrying pus, and others of blood and water as well.
अग्निज्वालो महाघोरः संदंशः शुनभोजनः घोरा वैतरणी चैव असिपत्त्रवनं तथा
There is a blazing, terrible fire; biting iron pincers; food of dogs; the dreadful river Vaitarani; and the forest of sword-leaves.
न तत्र वृक्षच्छाया वा न तडागाः सरांसि च न वाप्यो दीर्घिका वापि न कूपो न प्रपा सभा
There is no shade of trees, no ponds or lakes, no reservoirs, no long pools, no wells, nor any resting places or assembly halls.
न मण्डपो नायतनं न नद्यो न च पर्वताः न किंचिद् आश्रमस्थानं विद्यते तत्र वर्त्मनि
There is no pavilion, no temple, no rivers, nor mountains; there is nothing like a hermitage to be found on that path.
यत्र विश्रमते श्रान्तः पुरुषो ऽतीवकर्षितः अवश्यम् एव गन्तव्यः स सर्वैस् तु महापथः
There, even when exhausted and greatly afflicted, a person finds no place to rest; all must certainly travel that great path.
प्राप्ते काले तु संत्यज्य सुहृद्बन्धुधनादिकम् जरायुजाण्डजाश् चैव स्वेदजाश् चोद्भिजास् तथा
When the time comes, one abandons friends, relatives, wealth, and all else; creatures born from womb, egg, sweat, or sprout alike—
जङ्गमाजङ्गमाश् चैव गमिष्यन्ति महापथम् देवासुरमनुष्यैश् च वैवस्वतवशानुगैः
Both moving and unmoving beings will travel that great path, along with gods, asuras, and humans, under the authority of Vaivasvata.
स्त्रीपुंनपुंसकैश् चैव पृथिव्यां जीवसंज्ञितैः पूर्वाह्णे चापराह्णे वा मध्याह्ने वा तथा पुनः
Women, men, and those of indeterminate sex, all living beings on earth, whether in the morning, afternoon, or again at midday—
संध्याकाले ऽर्धरात्रे वा प्रत्यूषे वाप्य् उपस्थिते वृद्धैर् वा मध्यमैर् वापि यौवनस्थैस् तथैव च
At dusk, at midnight, or at dawn, whether old, middle-aged, or in youth—
गर्भवासे ऽथ बाल्ये वा गन्तव्यः स महापथः प्रवासस्थैर् गृहस्थैर् वा पर्वतस्थैः स्थले ऽपि वा
Whether in the womb, in childhood, as a traveler, a householder, on a mountain, or on land—one must go on that great path.
क्षेत्रस्थैर् वा जलस्थैर् वा गृहमध्यगतैस् तथा आसीनैश् चास्थितैर् वापि शयनीयगतैस् तथा
Whether in the fields, in water, within the house, sitting, standing, or lying down—
जाग्रद्भिर् वा प्रसुप्तैर् वा गन्तव्यः स महापथः इहानुभूय निर्दिष्टम् आयुर् जन्तुः स्वयं तदा
Whether awake or asleep, one must travel that great path; having experienced here the allotted span of life, the creature then—