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.
कुरण्टकण्टकाकीर्णं पृथुविकटताडनैः शक्तिवज्रैश् च संकीर्णम् उज्ज्वलं तीव्रकण्टकम्
It is strewn with sharp thorns and battered by heavy blows, filled with spears and thunderbolts, shining and intensely thorny.
अङ्गारवालुकामिश्रं वह्निकीटकदुर्गमम् ज्वालामालाकुलं रौद्रं सूर्यरश्मिप्रतापितम्
Mixed with burning coals and sand, hard to cross with fire insects, encircled by flames, dreadful, scorched by the rays of the sun.
अध्वानं नीयते देही कृष्यमाणः सुनिष्ठुरैः यदैव क्रन्दते जन्तुर् दुःखार्तः पतितः क्वचित्
The embodied soul is led along this path, dragged by the most cruel ones; whenever the creature cries out in pain, fallen somewhere—
तदैवाहन्यते सर्वैर् आयुधैर् यमकिंकरैः एवं संताड्यमानश् च लुब्धः पापेषु यो ऽनयः
At that very moment, he is struck by all the weapons of Yama’s servants; thus, tormented, the greedy one who acts wickedly among sins.
अवशो नीयते जन्तुर् दुर्धरैर् यमकिंकरैः सर्वैर् एव हि गन्तव्यम् अध्वानं तत् सुदुर्गमम्
Helpless, the creature is led by the fierce servants of Yama; all must traverse that most difficult path.
नीयते विविधैर् घोरैर् यमदूतैर् अवज्ञया नीत्वा सुदारुणं मार्गं प्राणिनं यमकिंकरैः
He is led by various terrifying messengers of Yama, with contempt; after leading him along the most dreadful way, the servants bring the living being.
प्रवेश्यते पुरीं घोरां ताम्रायसमयीं द्विजाः सा पुरी विपुलाकारा लक्षयोजनम् आयता
He is made to enter the dreadful city, colored like copper, O twice-born; that city is vast in form, stretching a hundred thousand yojanas.
चतुरस्रा विनिर्दिष्टा चतुर्द्वारवती शुभा प्राकाराः काञ्चनास् तस्या योजनायुतम् उच्छ्रिताः
It is described as square, possessing four gates, auspicious; its ramparts are of gold, rising ten thousand yojanas high.
इन्द्रनीलमहानीलपद्मरागोपशोभिता सा पुरी विविधैः संघैर् घोरा घोरैः समाकुला
That city, adorned with sapphires, great blue gems, and padmaraga stones, was crowded with various terrifying hosts.
देवदानवगन्धर्वैर् यक्षराक्षसपन्नगैः पूर्वद्वारं शुभं तस्याः पताकाशतशोभितम्
Its eastern gate, beautiful and decorated with hundreds of banners, was thronged by gods, demons, gandharvas, yakshas, rakshasas, and serpents.