शक्तितोमरचक्राद्यैः सुदीप्तैर् विविधायुधैः पाशशृङ्खलदण्डैश् च भीषयन्तो महाबलाः
With spears, maces, discs, and other brilliant weapons, with nooses, chains, and staffs, these mighty beings inspire terror.
आगच्छन्ति महारौद्रा मर्त्यानाम् आयुषः क्षये ग्रहीतुं प्राणिनः सर्वे यमस्याज्ञाकरास् तथा
These exceedingly fierce beings come at the end of a mortal’s life to seize all living creatures, obeying the commands of Yama.
यत् तच् छरीरम् आदत्ते यातनीयं स्वकर्मजम् तद् अस्य नीयते जन्तोर् यमस्य सदनं प्रति
That body, which is assumed for suffering and is born of one's own actions, is carried away from the being to the abode of Yama.
बद्ध्वा तत् कालपाशैश् च निगडैर् वज्रशृङ्खलैः ताडयित्वा भृशं क्रुद्धैर् नीयते यमकिंकरैः
Bound with the nooses of Time, with fetters and adamantine chains, beaten severely by the enraged servants of Yama, he is led away.
प्रस्खलन्तं रुदन्तं च आक्रोशन्तं मुहुर् मुहुः हा तात मातः पुत्रेति वदन्तं कर्मदूषितम्
Stumbling, weeping, and crying out again and again—'Alas, father! Mother! Son!'—the one tainted by his deeds is dragged along.
आहत्य निशितैः शूलैर् मुद्गरैर् निशितैर् घनैः खड्गशक्तिप्रहारैश् च वज्रदण्डैः सुदारुणैः
Struck with sharp spears, with heavy, keen mallets, with blows from swords and lances, and with terrible adamantine rods—
भर्त्स्यमानो महारावैर् वज्रशक्तिसमन्वितैः एकैकशो भृशं क्रुद्धैस् ताडयद्भिः समन्ततः
Terrified by great roars, accompanied by thunderbolt-like weapons, he is struck all around, one by one, by those who are intensely enraged.
स मुह्यमानो दुःखार्तः प्रतपंश् च इतस् ततः आकृष्य नीयते जन्तुर् अध्वानं सुभयंकरैः
Overwhelmed by pain, fainting, and burning, the being is dragged here and there along the dreadful path by terrifying beings.
कुशकण्टकवल्मीकशङ्कुपाषाणशर्करे तथा प्रदीप्तज्वलने क्षारवज्रशतोत्कटे
Through thickets of grass, thorns, anthills, spikes, stones, and gravel, and also through blazing fires, caustic substances, and a hundred adamantine horrors—
प्रदीप्तादित्यतप्तेन दह्यमानस् तदंशुभिः कृष्यते यमदूतैश् च शिवासंनादभीषणैः
Burned by the rays of blazing, sun-heated fires, he is dragged by Yama's messengers, whose terrifying shouts are dreadful to hear.
विकृष्यमाणस् तैर् घोरैर् भक्ष्यमाणः शिवाशतैः प्रयाति दारुणे मार्गे पापकर्मा यमालयम्
Dragged by those fearsome beings, devoured by hundreds of fierce spirits, the evil-doer travels the terrible path to Yama's abode.
क्वचिद् भीतैः क्वचित् त्रस्तैः प्रस्खलद्भिः क्वचित् क्वचित् दुःखेनाक्रन्दमानैश् च गन्तव्यः स महापथः
At times with the frightened, at times with the terrified, at times stumbling, at times crying out in pain, one must go along that great path.
निर्भर्त्स्यमानैर् उद्विग्नैर् विद्रुतैर् भयविह्वलैः कम्पमानशरीरैस् तु गन्तव्यं जीवसंज्ञकैः
Harassed by the distressed, scattered, and panic-stricken, with trembling bodies, those called 'the living' must proceed along the way.
कण्टकाकीर्णमार्गेण संतप्तसिकतेन च दह्यमानैस् तु गन्तव्यं नरैर् दानविवर्जितैः
On a path strewn with thorns, with burning sand, and while being scorched, men bereft of virtue must go.
मेदःशोणितदुर्गन्धैर् बस्तगात्रैश् च पूगशः दग्धस्फुटत्वचाकीर्णैर् गन्तव्यं जीवघातकैः
Through heaps of bodies with foul fat and blood, with bladders and limbs, scattered with burned, split skin, the killers of living beings must go.
कूजद्भिः क्रन्दमानैश् च विक्रोशद्भिश् च विस्वरम् वेदनार्तैश् च सद्भिश् च गन्तव्यं जीवघातकैः
Amid those who wail, cry out, and scream in discordant voices, and those tormented by pain, the killers of living beings must proceed.
शक्तिभिर् भिन्दिपालैश् च खड्गतोमरसायकैः भिद्यद्भिस् तीक्ष्णशूलाग्रैर् गन्तव्यं जीवघातकैः
Pierced by spears, sling-stones, swords, javelins, and arrows, and by sharp-tipped spikes, the killers of living beings must go.
श्वानैर् व्याघ्रैर् वृकैः कङ्कैर् भक्ष्यमाणैश् च पापिभिः
Devoured by sinful dogs, tigers, wolves, and vultures—
कृन्तद्भिः क्रकचाघातैर् गन्तव्यं मांसखादिभिः महिषर्षभशृङ्गाग्रैर् भिद्यमानैः समन्ततः
Torn apart by saws, they must go, eaten by flesh-eaters, and pierced all around by the horns of buffaloes and bulls.
उल्लिखद्भिः शूकरैश् च गन्तव्यं मांसखादकैः सूचीभ्रमरकाकोलमक्षिकाभिश् च संघशः
Scratched by boars, they must go, devoured by flesh-eaters, and swarmed by needles, bees, crows, and flies.
भुज्यमानैश् च गन्तव्यं पापिष्ठैर् मधुघातकैः विश्वस्तं स्वामिनं मित्रं स्त्रियं वा यस् तु घातयेत्
Those most wicked killers of honey, who slay a trusting master, friend, or woman, must proceed along this path.
शस्त्रैर् निकृत्यमानैश् च गन्तव्यं चातुरैर् नरैः घातयन्ति च ये जन्तूंस् ताडयन्ति निरागसः
Those clever men who are struck with weapons, and those who kill creatures or beat the innocent, must go this way.
राक्षसैर् भक्ष्यमाणास् ते यान्ति याम्यपथं नराः ये हरन्ति परस्त्रीणां वरप्रावरणानि च
Those men devoured by rākṣasas, and those who steal the fine garments of another’s wife, travel the path of Yama.
ते यान्ति विद्रुता नग्नाः प्रेतीभूता यमालयम् वासो धान्यं हिरण्यं वा गृहक्षेत्रम् अथापि वा
They go, fleeing and naked, as ghosts to the abode of Yama—whether they have taken clothing, grain, gold, or house and field.
ये हरन्ति दुरात्मानः पापिष्ठाः पापकर्मिणः पाषाणैर् लगुडैर् दण्डैस् ताड्यमानैस् तु जर्जरैः
Those evil-hearted, most sinful wrongdoers who steal are beaten with stones, clubs, and rods, battered and broken.
वहद्भिः शोणितं भूरि गन्तव्यं तु यमालयम् ब्रह्मस्वं ये हरन्तीह नरा नरकनिर्भयाः
Carrying much blood, they must go to the abode of Yama; those who steal Brahman property here, fearless of hell.
ताडयन्ति तथा विप्रान् आक्रोशन्ति नराधमाः शुष्ककाष्ठनिबद्धास् ते छिन्नकर्णाक्षिनासिकाः
They strike Brahmins and abuse them, these lowest of men; bound with dry wood, their ears, eyes, and noses are cut.
पूयशोणितदिग्धास् ते कालगृध्रैश् च जम्बुकैः किंकरैर् भीषणैश् चण्डैस् ताड्यमानाश् च दारुणैः
Smeared with pus and blood, they are attacked by black vultures, jackals, and fierce, terrifying servants.
विक्रोशमाना गच्छन्ति पापिनस् ते यमालयम् एवं परमदुर्धर्षम् अध्वानं ज्वलनप्रभम्
Crying out, those sinners proceed to the abode of Yama, along a most difficult, blazing path.
रौरवं दुर्गविषमं निर्दिष्टं मानुषस्य च प्रतप्तताम्रवर्णाभं वह्निज्वालास्फुलिङ्गवत्
Raurava, harsh and perilous, is prescribed for humans; its color is like heated copper, blazing with fire and sparks.