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—
तस्यान्ते च स्वयं प्राणैर् अनिच्छन्न् अपि मुच्यते जलम् अग्निर् विषं शस्त्रं क्षुद् व्याधिः पतनं गिरेः
At its end, even unwillingly, is released from life; whether by water, fire, poison, weapon, hunger, disease, or falling from a mountain.
निमित्तं किंचिद् आसाद्य देही प्राणैर् विमुच्यते विहाय सुमहत् कृत्स्नं शरीरं पाञ्चभौतिकम्
Upon encountering some cause, the embodied soul is released from life, leaving behind the entire great body composed of the five elements.
अन्यच् छरीरम् आदत्ते यातनीयं स्वकर्मजम् दृढं शरीरम् आप्नोति सुखदुःखोपभुक्तये
It takes on another body, one meant for suffering, born of its own deeds; it attains a firm body to experience pleasure and pain.
तेन भुङ्क्ते स कृच्छ्राणि पापकर्ता नरो भृशम् सुखानि धार्मिको हृष्ट इह नीतो यमक्षये
With that, the sinful man intensely endures hardships, while the righteous, brought to Yama’s abode, joyfully enjoys happiness.
ऊष्मा प्रकुपितः काये तीव्रवायुसमीरितः भिनत्ति मर्मस्थानानि दीप्यमानो निरन्धनः
Heat, agitated in the body and driven by a fierce wind, breaks the vital points, blazing without fuel.
उदानो नाम पवनस् ततश् चोर्ध्वं प्रवर्तते भुज्यताम् अम्बुभक्ष्याणाम् अधोगतिनिरोधकृत्
Then the wind called Udana moves upward, causing the consumption of water and food to cease, and blocking the downward path.
ततो येनाम्बुदानानि कृतान्य् अन्नरसास् तथा दत्ताः स तस्याम् आह्लादम् आपदि प्रतिपद्यते
Then, whoever has given water and food, as well as nourishing substances, attains delight in adversity through that act.
अन्नानि येन दत्तानि श्रद्धापूतेन चेतसा सो ऽपि तृप्तिम् अवाप्नोति विनाप्य् अन्नेन वै तदा
He who has given food with a mind purified by faith also attains satisfaction, even without food at that time.
येनानृतानि नोक्तानि प्रीतिभेदः कृतो न च आस्तिकः श्रद्दधानश् च सुखमृत्युं स गच्छति
He who has not spoken falsehoods, has not caused discord, is faithful and believing, attains a happy death.
देवब्राह्मणपूजायां निरताश् चानसूयकाः शुक्ला वदान्या ह्रीमन्तस् ते नराः सुखमृत्यवः
Those men who are devoted to honoring gods and Brahmins, free from envy, pure, generous, and modest, experience a happy death.
यः कामान् नापि संरम्भान् न द्वेषाद् धर्मम् उत्सृजेत् यथोक्तकारी सौम्यश् च स सुखं मृत्युम् ऋच्छति
He who does not abandon righteousness out of desire, anger, or hatred, who acts as instructed and is gentle, attains a pleasant death.
वारिदास् तृषितानां ये क्षुधितान्नप्रदायिनः प्राप्नुवन्ति नराः काले मृत्युं सुखसमन्वितम्
Those who give water to the thirsty and food to the hungry, at the proper time, attain a death accompanied by happiness.
शीतं जयन्ति धनदास् तापं चन्दनदायिनः प्राणघ्नीं वेदनां कष्टां ये चान्योद्वेगधारिणः
Those who give wealth overcome cold; those who give sandalwood overcome heat; those who relieve others' suffering and distress overcome deadly pain.
मोहं ज्ञानप्रदातारस् तथा दीपप्रदास् तमः कूटसाक्षी मृषावादी यो गुरुर् नानुशास्ति वै
Those who grant knowledge dispel delusion; those who give lamps dispel darkness; a false witness, a liar, and a teacher who does not instruct—
ते मोहमृत्यवः सर्वे तथा ये वेदनिन्दकाः विभीषणाः पूतिगन्धाः कूटमुद्गरपाणयः
All these are subject to delusion and death, as are those who revile the Vedas: terrifying, foul-smelling, wielding false clubs.
आगच्छन्ति दुरात्मानो यमस्य पुरुषास् तथा प्राप्तेषु दृक्पथं तेषु जायते तस्य वेपथुः
Evil-minded ones, the servants of Yama, approach; when they come into view, trembling arises in him.
क्रन्दत्य् अविरतः सो ऽथ भ्रातृमातृपितृंस् तथा सा तु वाग् अस्फुटा विप्रा एकवर्णा विभाव्यते
He cries out incessantly, calling for brothers, mother, and father; his speech becomes indistinct, and only a single syllable is perceived by the Brahmins.
दृष्टिर् विभ्राम्यते त्रासात् कासावृष्ट्य् अत्य् अथाननम् ततः स वेदनाविष्टं तच् छरीरं विमुञ्चति
His vision spins from fear, his face is covered with cough and tears; then, overwhelmed by pain, he abandons that body.
वाय्वग्रसारी तद्रूपदेहम् अन्यत् प्रपद्यते तत्कर्मयातनार्थे च न मातृपितृसंभवम्
Carried away by the wind, he attains another body of that form, for the purpose of experiencing the results of his actions, not born from mother and father.
तत्प्रमाणवयोवस्थासंस्थानैः प्राप्यते व्यथा ततो दूतो यमस्याथ पाशैर् बध्नाति दारुणैः
He experiences suffering according to the measure, age, condition, and form of that body; then Yama's messenger binds him with harsh ropes.