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.
वज्रेन्द्रनीलवैदूर्यमुक्ताफलविभूषितम् गीतनृत्यैः समाकीर्णं गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणैः
It was embellished with vajra gems, sapphires, cat’s-eye, and pearls, and filled with the singing and dancing troupes of gandharvas and apsarases.
प्रवेशस् तेन देवानाम् ऋषीणां योगिनां तथा गन्धर्वसिद्धयक्षाणां विद्याधरविसर्पिणाम्
Through that entrance passed the gods, sages, yogis, gandharvas, siddhas, yakshas, vidyadharas, and serpents.
उत्तरं नगरद्वारं घण्टाचामरभूषितम् छत्त्रचामरविन्यासं नानारत्नैर् अलंकृतम्
The northern city gate was adorned with bells and yak-tail fans, arranged with parasols and chowries, and decorated with various jewels.
वीणारेणुरवै रम्यैर् गीतमङ्गलनादितैः ऋग्यजुःसामनिर्घोषैर् मुनिवृन्दसमाकुलम्
It was filled with delightful sounds of vina and other instruments, auspicious songs and music, and the resonant chanting of Rig, Yajur, and Sama Vedas by assemblies of sages.
विशन्ति येन धर्मज्ञाः सत्यव्रतपरायणाः ग्रीष्मे वारिप्रदा ये च शीते चाग्निप्रदा नराः
Through that gate enter those who know righteousness, who are devoted to truth and vows, those who give water in summer and fire in winter.
श्रान्तसंवाहका ये च प्रियवादरताश् च ये ये च दानरताः शूरा मातापितृपराश् च ये
Those who help the weary, those who delight in kind speech, those devoted to giving, the brave, and those devoted to their mother and father.
द्विजशुश्रूषणे युक्ता नित्यं ये ऽतिथिपूजकाः पश्चिमं तु महाद्वारं पुर्या रत्नैर् विभूषितम्
Those engaged in serving the twice-born, those who always honor guests—these enter through the western great gate of the city, which is adorned with jewels.
विचित्रमणिसोपानं तोमरैः समलंकृतम् भेरीमृदङ्गसंनादैः शङ्खकाहलनादितम्
Its steps were fashioned of various gems and decorated with spears, resounding with drums and mridangas, and the blare of conches and kahalas.
सिद्धवृन्दैः सदा हृष्टैर् मङ्गलैः प्रणिनादितम् प्रवेशस् तेन हृष्टानां शिवभक्तिमतां नृणाम्
It was always resounding with auspicious cries from joyful hosts of siddhas; through that entrance enter the joyful men devoted to Shiva.
सर्वतीर्थप्लुता ये च पञ्चाग्नेर् ये च सेवकाः प्रस्थाने ये मृता वीरा मृताः कालञ्जरे गिरौ
Those who have bathed at all the sacred fords, those who serve the five fires, those who died on journeys, heroes who died on the mountain Kalañjara—
अग्नौ विपन्ना ये वीराः साधितं यैर् अनाशकम् ये स्वामिमित्रलोकार्थे गोग्रहे संकुले हताः
Heroes who perished in fire, those who accomplished the indestructible, those slain in tumultuous cattle raids for the sake of their lord, friend, or people—
ते विशन्ति नराः शूराः पश्चिमेन तपोधनाः पुर्यां तस्या महाघोरं सर्वसत्त्वभयंकरम्
Those brave men, rich in austerity, enter the city from the west, into that city, which is exceedingly terrifying and strikes fear into all beings.
हाहाकारसमाक्रुष्टं दक्षिणं द्वारम् ईदृशम् अन्धकारसमायुक्तं तीक्ष्णशृङ्गैः समन्वितम्
The southern gate was filled with wailing cries, enveloped in darkness, and set with sharp-pointed spikes.
कण्टकैर् वृश्चिकैः सर्पैर् वज्रकीटैः सुदुर्गमैः विलुम्पद्भिर् वृकैर् व्याघ्रैर् ऋक्षैः सिंहैः सजम्बुकैः
It was made impassable by thorns, scorpions, snakes, and diamond-bodied insects, and infested by wolves, tigers, bears, lions, and jackals who plundered all around.
श्वानमार्जारगृध्रैश् च सज्वालकवलैर् मुखैः प्रवेशस् तेन वै नित्यं सर्वेषाम् अपकारिणाम्
There, dogs, cats, and vultures with flaming mouths devoured flesh; through that entrance always pass all wrongdoers.
ये घातयन्ति विप्रान् गा बालं वृद्धं तथातुरम् शरणागतं विश्वस्तं स्त्रियं मित्रं निरायुधम्
Those who kill brahmins, cows, children, the elderly, the sick, those who slay the trusting, the surrendered, women, friends, or the unarmed—
ये ऽगम्यागामिनो मूढाः परद्रव्यापहारिणः निक्षेपस्यापहर्तारो विषवह्निप्रदाश् च ये
Those who go where they should not, the foolish, those who steal others’ property, those who take entrusted goods, and those who give poison or fire—
परभूमिं गृहं शय्यां वस्त्रालंकारहारिणः पररन्ध्रेषु ये क्रूरा ये सदानृतवादिनः
Those who steal another’s land, house, bed, clothing, or ornaments; those who are cruel in others’ affairs; those who always speak falsehood—
ग्रामराष्ट्रपुरस्थाने महादुःखप्रदा हि ये कूटसाक्षिप्रदातारः कन्याविक्रयकारकाः
Those who cause great suffering in villages, kingdoms, cities, or places; those who give false testimony; those who sell daughters—
अभक्ष्यभक्षणरता ये गच्छन्ति सुतां स्नुषाम् मातरं पितरं चैव ये वदन्ति च पौरुषम्
Those who delight in eating what should not be eaten; those who approach their own son, daughter-in-law, mother, or father; those who speak of sexual acts—