क्व माता क्व पिता मूढ क्व जाया क्व सुतः सुहृत् । स्वकर्मोपार्जिते भुङ्क्ष्वं मूर्ख याताश्चिरं पथि ॥ २,५.
Where is my mother, where is my father, fool? Where is my wife, where is my son, my friend? You must eat what you have earned by your own actions, fool, for your companions have long gone on their own way.
जानासि शम्बलमलं बलमध्वगानां नोऽशम्बलः प्रयतते परलोकगत्यै । गन्तव्यमस्ति तव निश्चितमेव तेन मार्गेण येन न भवेत्क्रयविक्रयोऽपि ॥ २,५.
You know that a staff is essential for travelers, but one without a staff does not strive for the journey to the next world. You must certainly go by that path, where there is neither buying nor selling.
ऊनषाण्मासिके क्रौञ्चे भुक्त्वा पिण्डन्तु सोदकम् । घटीमात्रन्तु विश्रम्य विचित्रनगरं व्रजेत् ॥ २,५.
After six months, having eaten the rice-ball with water offered for you, and having rested for just a short while, one proceeds to the City of Wonders.
व्रजन्नेवं विलपते शूलाग्रेण विदारितः ॥ २,५.
As he goes, he laments in this way, pierced by the tip of a spear.
कुत्र यामि न हि गामि जीवितं हा मृतस्य मरणं पुनर्न वै । इत्थमेव विलपन् प्रयात्यसौ यातनार्हधृतविग्रहः पति ॥ २,५.
Where shall I go? I cannot go. Life is gone—alas! For the dead, there is no dying again. Thus lamenting, he proceeds, bearing a body fit for torment.
विचित्रनगरे तत्र विचित्रो नाम पारिथिवः । तत्र षण्मासपिण्डेन तृप्तः सन् व्रजते पुरः ॥ २,५.
In that City of Wonders, there is a king named Vicitra. There, satisfied with the rice-ball offered for six months, he moves forward.
व्रजन्नेवं विलपते प्रासाग्रेण प्रपीडितः ॥ २,५.
As he goes, he laments in this way, oppressed by the point of a lance.
माता भ्राता पिता पुत्रः कोऽपि मे वर्तते न वा । यो मामुद्धरते पापं पतन्तं दुः खसागरे ॥ २,५.
Mother, brother, father, son—none of them are with me, or perhaps someone is. Who will lift me up as I fall, sinful, into the ocean of suffering?
व्रजतस्तत्र मार्गे तु तत्र वैतरणी शुभा । शतयोजनविस्तीर्णा पूयशोणितसंकुला ॥ २,५.
As he travels on that path, there appears the auspicious river Vaitarani, a hundred yojanas wide, filled with pus and blood.
आयाति तत्र दृश्यन्ते नाविका धीवरादयः । ते वदन्ति प्रदत्ता गौर्यदि वैतरणी त्वया । नावमेनां समारोह सुकेनोत्तर वै नदीम् ॥ २,५.
There, boatmen and fishermen are seen. They say, 'If you have given a cow as a gift for Vaitarani, then board this boat and cross the river happily.'
तत्र येन प्रदत्ता गौः स सुखेनैव तां तरेत् । अदायी तत्र घृष्येत करग्राहन्तु नाविकैः ॥ २,५.
He who has given a cow as a gift will cross it easily; but one who has not given will be dragged by the boatmen, seized by the hand.
उखैः काकैर्बकोलूकैस्तीक्ष्णतुण्डैर्वितुद्यते । मनुजानां हितं दानमन्ते वैतरणी खग ॥ २,५.
He is torn by crows, cranes, and owls with sharp beaks. The gift given by men at the end is beneficial in crossing Vaitarani, O bird.
दत्ता पापं दहेत्सर्वं मम लोकन्तु सा नयेत् । मप्तमे मासि सम्प्राप्ते पुरं बह्वापदं मृतः ॥ २,५.
The gift burns up all sin and leads me to the world beyond. When the month is complete, the dead man reaches the city of many dangers.
व्रजेत्तु सोदकं भुक्त्वा पिण्डं वै सप्तमासिकम् । व्रजन्नेवं विलपते परिघाहतिपीडितः ॥ २,५.
Having eaten the rice-ball with water offered for the seventh month, he proceeds, lamenting in this way, afflicted by the blows of iron bars.
न दत्तं न हुतं तप्तं न स्नातं न कृतं हितम् । यादृशं चरितं कर्म मूढात्मन् भुङ्क्ष्व तादृशम् ॥ २,५.
No gift was given, no offering made, no penance performed, no bathing done, no good deed accomplished. Whatever actions you have done, deluded soul, you must now experience their results.
मास्यष्टमे दुः खदे तु परे भुक्त्वाथ सोदकम् । पिण्डं प्रयात्सयौ तार्क्ष्य नानाक्रन्दपुरं ततः ॥ २,५.
In the eighth month, after suffering and eating the rice-ball with water, he proceeds, O Tārkṣya, to the City of Many Cries.
प्रयाणे च प्रवदते मुसलाघातपीडितः । क्व जायाचटुलैश्चाटुपटुभिर्वचनैर्मम ॥ २,५.
On the journey, afflicted by blows from pestles, he says: 'Where is my wife with her sweet and clever words?'
भोजनं भल्लभल्लीभिर्मुसलैश्च क्व मारणम् । नवमे मासि दत्तं वै नानाक्रन्दपुरे ततः ॥ २,५.
'Where is food, where is death by clubs and pestles?' In the ninth month, the offering is made, and then he reaches the City of Many Cries.
पिण्डमश्राति करुणं नानाक्रन्दान् करोत्यपि । दशमे मासि दत्तं वै सुतप्तभवनं ततः ॥ २,५.
He cries out for food with compassion, making various lamentations; in the tenth month, the offering given becomes a well-heated dwelling for him.
सरन्नेवं विलपते हलाहतिहतः पथि । क्व सूनुपेशलकरैः पादसंवाहनं मम ॥ २,५.
As he goes along, struck down by the weapon of death on the path, he laments: 'Where is the gentle massage of my feet by the skillful hands of my son?'
क्व दूतवज्रप्रतिमकैर्मत्पदकर्षणम् । दशमे मासि पिण्डादि तत्र भुक्त्वा प्रसर्पति ॥ २,५.
'Where is the drawing of my feet by messengers whose hands were like thunderbolts?' Having partaken of the offerings in the tenth month, he proceeds from there.
मासे चैकादशे पूर्णे पुरं रौद्रं स गच्छति । गच्छन्नेव विलपते यथा पृष्ठे प्रपीडितः ॥ २,५.
And when the eleventh month is completed, he goes to the dreadful city; as he goes, he laments like one oppressed from behind.
क्वाहं सतूलीशयने परिवर्तन् क्षणे क्षणे । भटहस्तभ्रष्टयष्टिकृष्टपृष्ठः क्व वा पुनः ॥ २,५.
'Where am I, turning from side to side on a soft-cushioned bed every moment? And where am I now, my back dragged by the staff fallen from the hand of the guard?'
क्षितौ दत्तञ्च पिण्डादि भुक्त्वा तत्र ततो व्रजेत् । पयोवर्षणमित्येतन्नामकं पुरमण्डज ॥ २,५.
Having eaten the offerings given on earth, he goes from there to the city called Payovarṣaṇa.
व्रजन्नेवं विलपते कुठारैर्मूर्ध्नि ताडितः । क्व भृत्यकोमलकरैर्गन्धतैलावसेचनम् ॥ २,५.
As he goes, lamenting thus, struck on the head with axes, he cries: 'Where is the anointing of fragrant oil by the soft hands of servants?'
क्व कीनाशानुगैः क्रोधात्कुठारैः शिरसि व्यथा । ऊनाब्दिकञ्च यच्छ्राद्धं तत्र भुङ्क्ते सुदुः खितः ॥ २,५.
'Where is the pain on my head from the axes of the angry followers of the servants of death?' Suffering greatly, he partakes there of the śrāddha performed before the year is complete.
संपूर्णे तु ततो वर्षे शीताढ्यं नगरं व्रजेत् । गच्छन्नेवं छुरिकया च्छिन्नजिह्वस्तु रोदिति ॥ २,५.
Then, when the year is completed, he goes to the city of cold; as he goes, his tongue cut off with a knife, he weeps.
प्रियालापैः क्व च ससमधुरत्वस्य वर्णनम् । उक्तमात्रेऽसिपत्रादिजिह्वाच्छेदः क्व चैव हि ॥ २,५.
'Where are the sweet words and the description of gentle affection? And where, indeed, is the cutting off of my tongue at the mere utterance in the forest of swords?'
वार्षिकं पिण्डदानादि भुक्त्वा तत्र प्रसर्पति । बहुभीतिकरं तत्तत्पिण्डजं देवमास्थितः ॥ २,५.
Having eaten the annual offerings there, he proceeds, terrified by many things, to the deity presiding over the offerings made for him.
प्रकाशयति पाप्पानमात्मानञ्च विनिन्दति । योषिदप्येवमेतस्मिन्मार्गे वै परिदेवति ॥ २,५.
He reveals his sinful drinking and reproaches himself; even a woman laments in this way on that path.