मिथ्यावादी देवगृहे देवलः सप्तजन्मसु
One who speaks falsely in the house of the gods becomes a devala for seven births.
ततो भवन्ति मूकास्ते बधिराश्च त्रिजन्मसु
After that, they become mute and deaf for three births.
मित्रद्रोही च न कुलः कृतघ्नश्चापि गण्डकः
One who betrays a friend has no lineage, and an ungrateful person becomes a leper.
मिथ्यासाक्ष्यप्रदश्चैव भल्लूकः सप्तजन्मसु '
One who gives false testimony becomes a bear for seven births.
नित्यक्रियाविहीनश्च जडत्वेन युतो द्विजः
A twice-born who neglects daily rites is afflicted with dullness.
व्रतोपवासहीनश्च सद्वाक्यपरिनिंदकः 2.31.
One who neglects vows and fasts and reviles good speech—
जलजंतुर्भवेत्सोऽपि शतजन्मक्रमेण च
—such a person becomes an aquatic creature, in the course of a hundred births.
यो वा धनस्यापहारं देवाब्रह्मणयोश्चरेत्
Whoever steals the wealth of gods or Brahmins—
स्वयं याति च धूमांधं धूमध्वांतसमन्वितम्
—goes himself to a realm of smoky darkness, enveloped in gloom.
ततो मूषकजातिश्च शतजन्मानि भारते
After that, he is born in the race of mice for a hundred births in the land of Bharata.
ततो नानाविधा वृक्षजातयश्च ततो नरः
After that, he is born among various kinds of trees, and then as a human.
ततो भवेत्स्वर्णकारः सुवर्णस्य वणिक्तथा
Then he becomes a goldsmith, and also a dealer in gold.
विप्रो दैवज्ञोपजीवी वैद्यजीवी चिकित्सकः
A Brahmin who lives by astrology, or by medicine, or as a physician—
स याति नागवेष्टं च नागैर्वेष्टित एव च
—he goes to the abode of serpents, and is surrounded by serpents.
ततो भवेत्स गणको वैद्यो वै सप्तजन्मसु
After that, he becomes a mathematician or a physician for seven births.
प्रसिद्धानि च कुण्डानि कथितानि पतिव्रते 2.31.
The renowned pits have been described, O devoted wife.
सन्ति पातकिनस्तेषु स्वकर्मफलभोगिनः
There are sinners among them, experiencing the fruits of their own actions.
सावित्र्युवाच नानापुराणेतिहासपाञ्चरात्रप्रदर्शकः
Savitri said: He who reveals the teachings of various Puranas, Itihasas, and Pancharatra—
सर्वेषु सारभूतं यत्सर्वेष्टं सर्वसम्मतम्
That which is the essence among all things, most desired by all, and universally accepted,
यशःप्रदं धर्मदं च सर्वमंगलमंगलम्
That which bestows fame, grants righteousness, and is the most auspicious of all auspicious things,
कुण्डानि च न पश्यन्ति तत्र नैव पतंति च
They do not see the pits there, nor do they fall into them.
किमाकाराणि कुण्डानि कानि तेषां मतानि च
What are the forms of these pits, and what are the opinions about them?
स्वदेहे भस्मसाद्भूते यांति लोकान्तरं नराः
When their own bodies have been reduced to ashes, people go to other worlds.
सुचिरं क्लेशभोगेन कथं देहो न नश्यति
Through long experience of suffering, how does the body not perish?
नारायण उवाच कथां कथितुमारेभे गुरुं नत्वा च नारद
Nārāyaṇa said: Having bowed to the teacher, O Nārada, he began to narrate the story.
यम उवाच पुराणेष्वितिहासेषु पाञ्चरात्रादिकेषु च
Yama said: In the Purāṇas, in the ancient histories, and in the texts like the Pāñcarātra,
अन्येषु सर्वशास्त्रेषु वेदांगेषु च सुव्रते 2.32.
And in all other scriptures, in the limbs of the Veda as well, O virtuous one,
जन्ममृत्युजरारोगशोकसन्तापतारणम्
The means to cross over birth, death, old age, disease, grief, and suffering,
कारणं सर्वसिद्धीनां नरकार्णवतारणम्
The cause of all accomplishments, and the means to cross the ocean of hell,
गोलोकमार्गसोपानमविनाशिपदप्रदम्
The stairway to the path of Goloka, granting the imperishable state,