Garuda Purana

मृगस्य कस्यचित्कुक्षिं ततो विव्याध भूमिपः । राजा मृगप्रसङ्गेन तमनु प्राविशद्वनम् ॥ २,९.

The king pierced the belly of a certain animal; and, drawn by the pursuit, entered further into the forest.

एकाकी वै हृतबलः क्षुत्प्रिपासासमन्वितः । स वनस्यान्तमासाद्य महच्चारण्यमासदत् ॥ २,९.

Alone, his strength exhausted, afflicted by hunger and thirst, he reached the depths of the forest and entered a vast wilderness.

तृषया परयाविष्टोऽन्विष्यज्जलमितस्ततः । स दूरात्पूरचक्राह्वं हंससारसनादितैः ॥ २,९.

Overcome by intense thirst, he searched for water here and there; from afar, he heard the cries of cranes and swans at a lake called Pūracakra.

सूचितं सर आगत्य साश्व एव व्यगाहत । पद्मानाञ्च परागेण उत्पलानां रजेन च ॥ २,९.

Guided by those sounds, he approached the lake and entered it with his horse; the pollen of lotuses and the dust of blue lilies covered him.

सुगन्धममलं शीतं पीत्वाम्भो निर्जगाम ह । मार्गश्रमपरिश्रान्तस्तडागतटमण्डपम् ॥ २,९.

He drank the fragrant, pure, cool water and emerged, weary from his journey, to the pavilion on the lake's bank.

न्यग्रोधं वीक्ष्य तस्याशु जटास्वश्वं बबन्ध ह । स तत्रास्तरमास्तीर्य खेटकानुपधाय च ॥ २,९.

Seeing a banyan tree, he quickly tied his horse to its roots; spreading a mat and placing his shield beneath, he lay down there.

सूष्वाप वायुना तत्र सेव्यामातस्तदा क्षणम् । क्षणं सुप्ते नृपे तत्र प्रेतो वै प्रेतवाहनः ॥ २,९.

He slept there for a moment, attended by the gentle breeze; as the king slept for a while, a preta, with its vehicle, arrived.

कश्चिदत्राजगामाथ युक्तः प्रेतशतेन च । अस्थिचर्मशिराशेषशरीरः परिविभ्रमन् ॥ २,९.

Then someone came there, accompanied by a hundred pretas; his body was composed only of bones, skin, and head, wandering about.

भक्ष्यंपेयं मार्गमाणो न बध्नाति धृतिं क्वचित् । तमपूर्वं नृपो दृष्ट्वाकरोदस्त्रं शरासने ॥ २,९.

Seeking food and drink, he could not find satisfaction anywhere; seeing this strange being, the king readied his bow and arrows.

दृष्ट्वा सोऽपि चिरं भूपं तस्थौ स्थाणुपिवाग्रतः । तमवस्थितमालोक्य राजा प्राप्तकुतूहलः ॥ २,९.

Seeing the king for a long time, he stood motionless before him like a statue; observing him thus, the king became curious.

पप्रच्छ तञ्च कोऽसीति कुतो वा विकृतिं गतः । प्रेत उवाच । प्रेतभावो मया त्यक्तो गतिं प्राप्तोऽस्म्यहं पराम् ॥ २,९.

He asked him, 'Who are you? From where have you come, and why are you so deformed?' The preta spoke: 'I have abandoned my preta state and attained a higher path.'

त्वत्संयोगान्महाबाहो नास्ति धन्यतरो मया । बभ्रुवाहन उवाच । किमेतद्विपिने घोरे सर्वत्रातिभयानके ॥ २,९.

O mighty-armed one, there is no one more fortunate than I because of this meeting with you. Babruvahana said: What is this, in this dreadful forest, terrifying in every direction?

दोधूयमाने वातेन वात्यारूपेण कोणप । पतङ्गा मशकाः क्षुद्राः कवन्धाश्च शिरांसि च ॥ २,९.

As the wind blows violently like a storm, corpses are tossed about; insects, mosquitoes, small creatures, headless bodies, and severed heads are seen.

मत्स्याः कूर्माः कृकलासा वृश्चिका भ्रमराहयः । अधोमुखोर्ध्वपादास्ते क्रन्दमानाः सुदारुणम् ॥ २,९.

Fish, turtles, skeletons, scorpions, bees, and horses—these, with faces downward and feet upward, are crying out terribly.

प्रवान्ति वायवो रूक्षा ज्वलन्तो विद्युदग्नयः । इतस्ततो भ्रमन्तीव वायुना तृणसन्ततिः ॥ २,९.

Harsh winds blow, blazing with lightning and fire; the grass seems to whirl here and there, driven by the wind.

दृश्यन्ते विविधा जीवा नागाश्च शलभव्रजाः । श्रूयन्ते बहुधा रावा न दृश्यन्ते क्वचित्क्वचित् ॥ २,९.

Various living beings are seen, as well as snakes and swarms of locusts; many cries are heard, but nothing is clearly visible anywhere.

दृष्ट्वेदं विकृतं सर्वं वेपते हृदयंमम । प्रते उवाच । येषां नैवाग्निसंस्कारो न श्राद्धं नोदकक्रियाः ॥ २,९.

Seeing all this horror, my heart trembles. Prata said: Those for whom there has been no fire-rite, no śrāddha, nor offering of water—

षट्पिण्डा दश गात्राणि सपिण्डीकरणं न हि । विश्वासघातिनो ये च सुरापाः स्वर्णहारिणः ॥ २,९.

No offering of six rice-balls, no ten limbs, no ancestral rites—those who betray trust, drink liquor, or steal gold—

मृता दुर्मरणाद्ये च ये चासूयापरा जनाः । प्रायश्चित्तविहीना ये अगम्यागमने रताः ॥ २,९.

Those who die unnatural deaths, those who are given to jealousy, those who lack expiation, and those who delight in forbidden unions—

कर्मभिर्भ्राम्यमाणास्ते प्राणिनः स्वकृतैरिह । दुर्लभाहारपानीया दृश्यन्ते पीडिता भृशम् ॥ २,९.

These beings, tossed about here by their own actions, are seen suffering greatly, deprived of food and water.

एतेषां कृपया राजंस्त्वं कुरुष्वौर्ध्वदेहिकम् । येषां न माता न पिता न पुत्रो न च बान्धवाः ॥ २,९.

Out of compassion for these, O king, you should perform the post-death rites for those who have no mother, father, son, or relatives.

तेषा राजा स्वयं कुर्यात्कर्माणि तु यतो नृपः । आत्मनश्च शुभं कर्म कर्तव्यं पारलौकिकम् ॥ २,९.

The king himself should perform these rites for them, for a ruler must do good deeds for himself that bear fruit in the next world.

विमुक्तः सर्वदुः खेभ्यो येनाञ्जो दुर्गातिं तरेत् । भ्रातरः कस्य के पुत्रास्त्रियोऽपि स्वार्थकोविदाः ॥ २,९.

Freed from all suffering, one crosses the difficult passage easily; for whose sake are brothers, sons, or wives, who are all intent on their own interests?

न कार्यस्तेषु विश्रम्भ स्वकृतं भुज्यतेयतः । गृहेष्वर्था निवर्न्त्तन्ते श्मशाने चैव बान्धवाः ॥ २,९.

One should not rely on them, for each person reaps what they have sown; wealth remains at home, and relatives only up to the cremation ground.

शरीरं काष्ठामादत्ते पापं पुण्यं सह व्रजेत् । तस्मादाशु त्वया सम्यगात्मनः श्रेय इच्छता ॥ २,९.

The body takes only wood, while sin and merit accompany the soul; therefore, one who desires their own welfare should act rightly and promptly.

अस्थिरेण शरीरेण कर्तव्यञ्चौर्ध्वदोहिकम् । राजोवाच । कृशरूपः करालाक्षस्त्वं प्रेत इव लक्ष्यसे ॥ २,९.

With this unstable body, one should perform the post-death rites. The king said: You appear emaciated, with fierce eyes, resembling a spirit.

कथयस्वः मम प्रीत्या प्रेतराज यथातथम् । तथा पृष्टः स वै राज्ञा उवाच सकलं स्वकम् ॥ २,९.

Tell me, out of kindness, O lord of the dead, the truth as it is. Thus questioned by the king, he told his entire story.

प्रेत उवाच । कथयामि नृपश्रेष्ठ सर्वमेवादितस्तव । प्रेतत्वे कारणं श्रुत्वा दयां कर्तुमिहार्हसि ॥ २,९.

The spirit said: I will tell you everything from the beginning, O best of kings; after hearing the cause of my becoming a spirit, you should show compassion here.

वैदिशं नाम नगरं सर्वसम्पत्सुखावहम् । नानाजनपदाकीर्णं नानारत्नसमाकुलम् ॥ २,९.

There is a city named Vaidisha, bestowing all wealth and happiness, filled with people from many lands and abundant in various jewels.