महता पांशुवर्षेण पूर्यमाणा रुदन्ति च मेघारवैः सुघोरैश् च वित्रास्यन्ते मुहुर् मुहुः
Filled by a great rain of dust, they weep, and are terrified again and again by the dreadful roar of clouds.
निःशेषाः शरवर्षेण चूर्ण्यमाणाश् च सर्वतः महाक्षाराम्बुधाराभिः सिच्यमाना व्रजन्ति च
Completely crushed everywhere by a shower of arrows, and drenched by torrents of highly saline water, they proceed.
महाशीतेन मरुता रूक्षेण परुषेण च समन्ताद् दीर्यमाणाश् च शुष्यन्ते संकुचन्ति च
Torn on all sides by a harsh, bitter, freezing wind, they wither and shrivel up.
इत्थं मार्गेण पुरुषाः पाथेयरहितेन च निरालम्बेन दुर्गेण निर्जलेन समन्ततः
Thus, along a path without provisions, support, or water, and surrounded by difficulty, people travel.
अतिश्रमेण महता निर्गतेनाश्रमाय वै नीयन्ते देहिनः सर्वे ये मूढाः पापकर्मिणः
Through immense exhaustion, having left behind all rest, all embodied beings who are deluded and wicked are led onward.
यमदूतैर् महाघोरैस् तदाज्ञाकारिभिर् बलात् एकाकिनः पराधीना मित्रबन्धुविवर्जिताः
By the terribly fierce messengers of Yama, who act on his command, they are forcibly led, alone, helpless, and bereft of friends and relatives.
शोचन्तः स्वानि कर्माणि रुदन्ति च मुहुर् मुहुः प्रेतीभूता निषिद्धास् ते शुष्ककण्ठौष्ठतालुकाः
Lamenting their own deeds, they weep again and again; having become pretas, they are forbidden, with parched throats, lips, and palates.
कृशाङ्गा भीतभीताश् च दह्यमानाः क्षुधाग्निना बद्धाः शृङ्खलया केचित् केचिद् उत्तानपादयोः
Emaciated, terrified again and again, burning with the fire of hunger, some are bound in chains, others with their feet turned upward.
आकृष्यन्ते शुष्यमाणा यमदूतैर् बलोत्कटैः नरा अधोमुखाश् चान्ये कृष्यमाणाः सुदुःखिताः
Withering, they are dragged by the powerful messengers of Yama; some are pulled face-down, others are dragged away in great distress.
अन्नपानीयरहिता याचमानाः पुनः पुनः देहि देहीति भाषन्तः साश्रुगद्गदया गिरा
Deprived of food and water, begging again and again, they cry out, 'Give, give!' with voices choked by tears.
कृताञ्जलिपुटा दीनाः क्षुत्तृष्णापरिपीडिताः भक्ष्यान् उच्चावचान् दृष्ट्वा भोज्यान् पेयांश् च पुष्कलान्
With hands joined in supplication, miserable, tormented by hunger and thirst, they see abundant foods and drinks, both high and low.
सुगन्धद्रव्यसंयुक्तान् याचमानाः पुनः पुनः दधिक्षीरघृतोन्मिश्रं दृष्ट्वा शाल्योदनं तथा
Begging again and again for fragrant substances, they see rice cooked with curds, milk, and ghee.
पानानि च सुगन्धीनि शीतलान्य् उदकानि च तान् याचमानांस् ते याम्या भर्त्सयन्तस् तदाब्रुवन् वचोभिः परुषैर् भीमाः क्रोधरक्तान्तलोचनाः
And when they begged for fragrant, cool drinks and water, the attendants of Yama, their eyes reddened with anger, rebuked them with harsh and terrible words.
न भवद्भिर् हुतं काले न दत्तं ब्राह्मणेषु च प्रसभं दीयमानं च वारितं च द्विजातिषु
You did not offer oblations at the proper time, nor did you give to the Brahmins; when compelled to give, you refused or withheld from the twice-born.
तस्य पापस्य च फलं भवतां समुपागतम् नाग्नौ दग्धं जले नष्टं न हृतं नृपतस्करैः
Now you have come to experience the fruit of that sin: it was not burned in fire, nor destroyed in water, nor taken away by thieves.
कुतो वा सांप्रतं विप्रे यन् न दत्तं पुराधमाः यैर् दत्तानि तु दानानि साधुभिः सात्त्विकानि तु
How could you now, O lowest of men, give to the Brahmins what you did not give before? The gifts given by the virtuous, by those of pure nature—
तेषाम् एते प्रदृश्यन्ते कल्पिता ह्य् अन्नपर्वताः भक्ष्यभोज्याश् च पेयाश् च लेह्याश् चोष्याश् च संवृताः
For them, here are seen mountains of food prepared—things to eat, to enjoy, to drink, to lick, and to suck, all arranged.
न यूयम् अभिलप्स्यध्वे न दत्तं च कथंचन यैस् तु दत्तं हुतं चेष्टं ब्राह्मणाश् चैव पूजिताः
But you shall not obtain any of it, nor receive anything at all; only those who gave, who offered oblations, who performed rites, and honored Brahmins—
तेषाम् अन्नं समानीय इह निक्षिप्यते सदा परस्वं कथम् अस्माभिर् दातुं शक्येत नारकाः
For them, their food is brought here and always set aside; how could we, the damned, give away what belongs to others?
किंकराणां वचः श्रुत्वा निःस्पृहाः क्षुत्तृषार्दिताः ततस् ते दारुणैश् चास्त्रैः पीड्यन्ते यमकिंकरैः
Hearing the words of the attendants, they, tormented by hunger and thirst, become despondent; then they are afflicted by the fierce weapons of Yama’s servants.
मुद्गरैर् लोहदण्डैश् च शक्तितोमरपट्टिशैः परिघैर् भिन्दिपालैश् च गदापरशुभिः शरैः
With mallets, iron rods, spears, javelins, swords, clubs, slings, maces, axes, and arrows—
पृष्ठतो हन्यमान्याश् च यमदूतैः सुनिर्दयैः अग्रतः सिंहव्याघ्राद्यैर् भक्ष्यन्ते पापकारिणः
Struck from behind by the merciless messengers of Yama, and in front devoured by lions, tigers, and other beasts, the evildoers suffer.
न प्रवेष्टुं न निर्गन्तुं लभन्ते दुःखिता भृशम् स्वकर्मोपहताः पापाः क्रन्दमानाः सुदारुणाः
They, greatly distressed, cannot enter or leave; overwhelmed by their own evil deeds, they cry out in terrible anguish.
तत्र संपीड्य सुभृशं प्रवेशं यमकिंकरैः नीयन्ते पापिनस् तत्र यत्र तिष्ठेत् स्वयं यमः
There, after being severely tormented by Yama’s attendants, the sinners are led to the place where Yama himself stands.
धर्मात्मा धर्मकृद् देवः सर्वसंयमनो यमः एवं पथातिकष्टेन प्राप्ताः प्रेतपुरं नराः
Yama, the righteous, the upholder of justice, the god who restrains all—thus, after enduring the hardships of the path, people reach the city of the dead.
प्रज्ञापितास् तदा दूतैर् निवेश्यन्ते यमाग्रतः ततस् ते पापकर्माणस् तं पश्यन्ति भयानकम्
There, announced by the messengers, they are placed before Yama; then those who performed evil deeds behold him, terrifying to see.
पापापविद्धनयना विपरीतात्मबुद्धयः दंष्ट्राकरालवदनं भ्रुकूटीकुटिलेक्षणम्
Their eyes are clouded by sin, their minds perverted; his face is dreadful with protruding fangs, his brows furrowed and eyes fierce.
ऊर्ध्वकेशं महाश्मश्रुं प्रस्फुरदधरोत्तरम् अष्टादशभुजं क्रुद्धं नीलाञ्जनचयोपमम्
His hair stands upright, his beard is great, his lips and jaws quiver; he is furious, has eighteen arms, and is dark as a mass of black collyrium.
सर्वायुधोद्यतकरं तीव्रदण्डेन संयुतम् महामहिषम् आरूढं दीप्ताग्निसमलोचनम्
He holds all weapons ready in his hands, is equipped with a fierce staff, mounted on a great buffalo, his eyes blazing like burning fire.
रक्तमाल्याम्बरधरं महामेघम् इवोच्छ्रितम् प्रलयाम्बुदनिर्घोषं पिबन्न् इव महोदधिम्
Wearing red garlands and garments, towering like a great cloud, his roar resounds like thunderclouds at the end of time, as if he were drinking the great ocean.