दह्यते तत्र सुचिरं यः पापे बुद्धिकृन् नरः नरकं क्रकचाख्यातं पीड्यन्ते तत्र वै नराः
There, for a long time, the man who devised evil is burned; this hell is called Krakaca, where men are tormented.
क्रकचैर् वज्रधारोग्रैर् अगम्यागमने रताः नरकं गुडपाकेति ज्वलद्गुडह्रदैर् वृतम्
With saws sharp as thunderbolts, those who delighted in forbidden unions are tormented in the hell called Guḍapāka, surrounded by lakes of burning molasses.
निक्षिप्तो दह्यते तस्मिन् वर्णसंकरकृन् नरः क्षुरधारेति नरकं तीक्ष्णक्षुरसमावृतम्
There, the man who causes the mixing of castes is thrown and burned; that hell is called Kṣuradhāra, enveloped by sharp razors.
छिद्यन्ते तत्र कल्पान्तं विप्रभूमिहरा नराः नरकं चाम्बरीषाख्यं प्रलयानलदीपितम्
There, men who seize the land of Brahmins are cut apart until the end of the aeon; that hell is called Ambarīṣa, blazing with the fire of dissolution.
कल्पकोटिशतं तत्र दह्यते स्वर्णहारकः नाम्ना वज्रकुठारेति नरकं वज्रसंकुलम्
There, the thief of gold is burned for hundreds of millions of aeons; that hell is named Vajrakuṭhāra, filled with thunderbolts.
छिद्यन्ते तत्र छेत्तारो द्रुमाणां पापकारिणः नरकं परितापाख्यं प्रलयानलदीपितम्
There, the wicked who cut down trees are cut apart; that hell is called Paritāpa, blazing with the fire of dissolution.
गरदो मधुहर्ता च पच्यते तत्र पापकृत् नरकं कालसूत्रं च वज्रसूत्रविनिर्मितम्
The poisoner and the honey thief, both sinners, are cooked there; that hell is Kālasūtra, constructed of adamantine threads.
भ्रमन्तस् तत्र च्छिद्यन्ते परसस्योपलुण्ठकाः नरकं कश्मलं नाम श्लेष्मशिङ्घाणकावृतम्
There, those who wander and cut others' crops are cut apart; that hell is called Kaśmala, covered with phlegm and mucus.
तत्र संक्षिप्यते कल्पं सदा मांसरुचिर् नरः नरकं चोग्रगन्धेति लालामूत्रपुरीषवत्
There, the man who always delights in flesh is confined for an aeon; that hell is called Ugragandha, filled with saliva, urine, and excrement.
क्षिप्यन्ते तत्र नरके पितृपिण्डाप्रयच्छकाः नरकं दुर्धरं नाम जलौकावृश्चिकाकुलम्
There, those who withhold ancestral offerings are thrown into hell; that hell is called Durdhara, teeming with leeches and scorpions.
उत्कोचभक्षकस् तत्र तिष्ठते वर्षकायुतम् यच् च वज्रमहापीडा नरकं वज्रनिर्मितम्
There, the eater of sharp implements remains for ten thousand years; that hell is Vajramahāpīḍā, made of adamant.
तत्र प्रक्षिप्य दह्यन्ते पीड्यन्ते यमकिंकरैः धनं धान्यं हिरण्यं वा परकीयं हरन्ति ये
There, those who steal others' wealth, grain, or gold are thrown in, burned, and tormented by Yama's servants.
यमदूतैश् च चौरास् ते छिद्यन्ते लवशः क्षुरैः ये हत्वा प्राणिनं मूढाः खादन्ते काकगृध्रवत्
There, thieves are cut to pieces by Yama's messengers with razors; those fools who kill creatures and eat them like crows and vultures.
भोज्यन्ते च स्वमांसं ते कल्पान्तं यमकिंकरैः आसनं शयनं वस्त्रं परकीयं हरन्ति ये
There, those who steal others' seats, beds, or clothes are made to eat their own flesh until the end of the aeon by Yama's servants.
यमदूतैश् च ते मूढा भिद्यन्ते शक्तितोमरैः फलं पत्त्रं नृणां वापि हृतं यैस् तु कुबुद्धिभिः
There, those fools who, with evil intent, steal fruit or leaves from men are pierced by Yama's messengers with spears and lances.
यमदूतैश् च ते क्रुद्धैर् दह्यन्ते तृणवह्निभिः परद्रव्ये कलत्रे च यः सदा दुष्टधीर् नरः
There, those men of wicked mind who always covet others' property or wives are burned by Yama's angry messengers with grass-fires.
यमदूतैर् ज्वलत् तस्य हृदि शूलं निखन्यते कर्मणा मनसा वाचा ये धर्मविमुखा नराः
There, Yama's messengers drive a blazing spear into the heart of those who, by deed, mind, or speech, turn away from righteousness.
यमलोके तु ते घोरा लभन्ते परियातनाः एवं शतसहस्राणि लक्षकोटिशतानि च
In Yama's realm, those terrible ones undergo wanderings; thus, hundreds of thousands and hundreds of millions.
नरकाणि नरैस् तत्र भुज्यन्ते पापकारिभिः इह कृत्वा स्वल्पम् अपि नरः कर्माशुभात्मकम्
There, hells are experienced by sinners; even by doing a little evil act here, a man partakes of hell.
प्राप्नोति नरके घोरे यमलोकेषु यातनाम् न शृण्वन्ति नरा मूढा धर्मोक्तं साधु भाषितम्
He attains torment in the dreadful hells of Yama's realm; fools do not listen to the righteous words spoken about dharma.
दृष्टं केनेति प्रत्यक्षं प्रत्युक्त्यैवं वदन्ति ते दिवा रात्रौ प्रयत्नेन पापं कुर्वन्ति ये नराः
By whom has it been seen?—they say, 'by direct perception.' In this way, those men who commit sins by day and night with effort, speak.
नाचरन्ति हि ते धर्मं प्रमादेनापि मोहिताः इहैव फलभोक्तारः परत्र विमुखाश् च ये
Indeed, they do not practice righteousness, deluded even by negligence; such people are enjoyers of results only in this world and are turned away from the next.
ते पतन्ति सुघोरेषु नरकेषु नराधमाः दारुणो नरके वासः स्वर्गवासः सुखप्रदः नरैः संप्राप्यते तत्र कर्म कृत्वा शुभाशुभम्
Those worst among men fall into terrible hells; dwelling in hell is dreadful, while dwelling in heaven brings happiness. There, people attain accordingly, having performed good or evil deeds.
अहो ऽतिदुःखं घोरं च यममार्गे त्वयोदितम् नरकाणि च घोराणि द्वारं याम्यं च सत्तम
Alas, how extremely painful and terrible is the path of Yama you have described, and the dreadful hells, and the gate of Yama, O noble one.
अस्त्य् उपायो न वा ब्रह्मन् यममार्गे ऽतिभीषणे ब्रूहि येन नरा यान्ति सुखेन यमसादनम्
Is there a means or not, O Brahman, for that most fearsome path of Yama? Tell me by which men may reach Yama’s abode with ease.
इह ये धर्मसंयुक्तास् त्व् अहिंसानिरता नराः गुरुशुश्रूषणे युक्ता देवब्राह्मणपूजकाः
Those here who are devoted to righteousness, intent on nonviolence, engaged in serving their teachers, and worshippers of gods and Brahmins—
यस्मिन् मनुष्यलोकास् ते सभार्याः ससुतास् तथा तम् अध्वानं च गच्छन्ति यथा तत् कथयामि वः
Those men, together with their wives and sons, travel that path to the world of men; I will tell you how they go there.
विमानैर् विविधैर् दिव्यैः काञ्चनध्वजशोभितैः धर्मराजपुरं यान्ति सेवमानाप्सरोगणैः
They go to the city of Dharma’s Lord in various divine chariots adorned with golden banners, attended by groups of Apsarases.
ब्राह्मणेभ्यस् तु दानानि नानारूपाणि भक्तितः ये प्रयच्छन्ति ते यान्ति सुखेनैव महापथे
Those who give various kinds of gifts to Brahmins with devotion, they travel the great path with ease.
अन्नं ये तु प्रयच्छन्ति ब्राह्मणेभ्यः सुसंकृतम् श्रोत्रियेभ्यो विशेषेण भक्त्या परमया युताः
Those who give well-prepared food to Brahmins, especially to learned ones, endowed with supreme devotion—