वनस्य तस्य सर्वस्य केतुभूतमिवोच्छ्रितम् । तं महातरुमासाद्य निषसाद महीपतिः ॥ २,२७.
That great tree, towering like a landmark over the whole forest, was approached by the king, who then sat down beneath it.
अथ प्रेतं ददर्शासौ क्षुत्तृष्णाव्याकुलेन्द्रियम् । उत्कचं मलिनं कुब्जं (रूक्षं) निर्मांसं भीमदर्शनम् ॥ २,२७.
There he saw a preta, senses disturbed by hunger and thirst: disheveled, filthy, hunchbacked, emaciated, and terrifying to behold.
स्नायुबद्धास्थिचरणं धावमानमितस्ततः । अन्यैश्च बहुभिः प्रेतैः समन्तात्परिवारितम् ॥ २,२७.
Its feet were bones bound by sinews, running here and there, and it was surrounded on all sides by many other pretas.
तं दृष्ट्वा विकृतं घोरं विस्मितो बभ्रुवाहनः । प्रेतोऽपि दृष्ट्वा तां घोरामटवीमागतं नृपम् ॥ २,२७.
Seeing that dreadful, misshapen being, Babhruvāhana was astonished. The preta, too, seeing the king enter that fearsome forest, gazed at him.
तदा हृष्टमना भूत्वा तस्यान्तिकमुपागतः । अब्रवीत्स तदा तार्क्ष्य प्रेतराजो नृपं वचः ॥ २,२७.
Then, becoming joyful, the king of pretas approached him and spoke these words to the king, O Tārkṣya.
प्रेतभावो मया त्यक्तः प्राप्तोऽस्मि परमां गतिम् । त्वत्संयोगान्महाबाहो नास्तिधन्यतरो मम ॥ २,२७.
I have abandoned the state of a preta and attained the highest state. Through meeting you, O mighty-armed one, none is more blessed than I.
नृपतिरुवाच । कृष्णवर्णः करालास्यस्त्वं प्रेत इव लक्ष्यसे । कथयस्व मम प्रीत्या यथैवं चासि तत्त्वतः ॥ २,२७.
The King said: You are dark in complexion, with a terrifying face, and you appear like a ghost. Out of affection, tell me truly who you are and why you are thus.
तथा पृष्टः स वै राज्ञा प्रोवाच सकलं स्वकम् ॥ २,२७.
Thus questioned by the king, he told everything about himself.
प्रेत उवाच । कथयामि नृपश्रेष्ठ सर्वमेवादितस्तव । प्रेतत्वे कारणं श्रुत्वा दयां कर्तुं ममार्हसि ॥ २,२७.
The Preta said: O best of kings, I will tell you everything from the beginning. After hearing the cause of my ghosthood, you should show me compassion.
वैदिशं नाम नगरं सर्वसम्पत्समन्वितम् । नानाजनपदाकीर्णं नानारत्नसमाकुलम् । नानापुण्यसमायुक्तं नानावृक्षसमाकुलम् ॥ २,२७.
There is a city named Vaidisha, endowed with all kinds of wealth, crowded with people from various regions, filled with many kinds of jewels, abundant in various merits, and rich with many kinds of trees.
तत्राहं न्यवसं भूयो देवार्चनरतः सदा । वैश्यो जात्या सुदेवोऽहं नाम्ना विदितमस्तु ते ॥ २,२७.
There I lived for a long time, always devoted to worshipping the gods. By birth I am a merchant, and my name is Sudeva—let this be known to you.
हव्येन तर्पिता देवाः कव्येन पितरस्तथा । विविधैर्दानयोगैश्च विप्राः सन्तर्पिता मया ॥ २,२७.
I satisfied the gods with offerings, the ancestors with oblations, and the Brahmins with various acts of charity.
आवाहाश्च विवाहाश्च मया वै सुनिवेशिताः । दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यो मया दत्तमनेकधा ॥ २,२७.
I properly performed both invitations and marriages, and I gave many gifts to the poor, the helpless, and the distinguished.
तत्सर्वं विफलं तात मम दैवादुपागतम् । यथा मे निष्फलं जातं सुकृतं तद्वदामि ते ॥ २,२७.
All that, O dear one, has become fruitless for me due to fate. I will tell you how my good deeds have come to nothing.
न मेऽस्ति सन्ततिस्तात न सुहृन्न च बान्धवः । न च मित्रं हि मे तादृग्यः कुर्यादौर्ध्वदैहिकम् ॥ २,२७.
I have no offspring, no friend, nor any relative. I have no companion who would perform the funeral rites for me.
प्रेतत्वं सुस्थिरं तेन मम जातं नृपोत्तम । एकादशं त्रिपक्षं च षाण्मासिकमथाब्दिकम् । प्रतिमास्यानि चान्यानि एवं श्राद्धानि षोडश ॥ २,२७.
Therefore, O best of kings, my state as a ghost has become fixed. The eleventh-day, fortnightly, six-month, yearly, and other monthly rites—thus, there are sixteen funeral offerings.
यस्यैतानि न दीयन्ते प्रेतश्राद्धानि भूपते । प्रेतत्वं सुस्थिरं तस्य दत्तैः श्राद्धशतैरपि ॥ २,२७.
O king, for whom these funeral offerings are not given, his ghosthood remains firm, even if hundreds of offerings are made by others.
एवं ज्ञात्वा महाराज प्रेतत्वादुद्धरस्व माम् । वर्णानां चापि सर्वेषां राजा बन्धुरिहोच्यते ॥ २,२७.
Knowing this, O great king, deliver me from this ghostly state. The king is called the kinsman of all castes here.
तन्मां तारय राजेन्द्र मणिरत्नं ददामि ते । यथा मम शुभावाप्तिर्भवेन्नृपवरोत्तम ॥ २,२७.
Therefore, O king of kings, save me; I will give you a jewel. So that I may attain auspiciousness, O best of kings.
तथा कार्यं महाबाहो कृपा यदि मयीष्यते । आत्मनश्च कुरु क्षिप्रं सर्वमेवौर्ध्वेदैहिकम् ॥ २,२७.
Thus should it be done, O mighty-armed one, if you have compassion for me. And quickly perform all the funeral rites for me yourself.
नृपतिरुवाच । कथं प्रेता भवन्तीह कृतैरप्यौर्ध्वदैहिकैः । पिशाचाश्च भवन्तीह कर्मभिः कैश्च तद्वद ॥ २,२७.
The King said: How do people become ghosts here, even when funeral rites are performed? And by what actions do they become piśācas? Tell me that as well.
प्रेत उवाच । देवद्रव्यं च ब्रह्मस्वं स्त्रीबालधनसञ्चयम् । ये हरन्ति नृपश्रेष्ठ प्रेतयोनिं व्रजन्ति ते ॥ २,२७.
The Preta said: O best of kings, those who steal temple property, Brahmin wealth, or the possessions of women and children, they enter the womb of ghosts.
तापसीं च सगोत्रां च अगम्यां ये भजन्ति हि । भवन्ति ते महाप्रेता अम्बुजानि हरन्ति ये ॥ २,२७.
Those who approach ascetic women of their own lineage, or forbidden women, become great ghosts; and those who steal lotuses also become such.
प्रवालवज्रहर्तारो ये च वस्त्रापहारकाः । तथा हिरण्यहर्तारः संयुगेऽसन्मुखागताः ॥ २,२७.
Those who steal bark garments, thunderbolts, or clothes, as well as those who steal gold, and those who flee from battle when confronted—
कृतघ्ना नास्तिका रौद्रास्तथा साहसिका नराः । पञ्चयज्ञविनिर्मुक्ता महादानरताश्च ये ॥ २,२७.
Those who are ungrateful, atheists, fierce, and reckless, who are exempt from the five sacrifices, and who are devoted to great gifts—
स्वामिद्रोहकरा मित्रब्राह्मद्रोहकराश्च ये । तीर्थपापकरा राजञ्जायन्ते प्रेतयोनयः । एवमाद्या महाराज जायन्ते प्रेतयोनयः ॥ २,२७.
Those who betray their master, who harm friends and Brahmins, who commit sins at holy places, O King, are born in the realm of spirits; thus, O great King, such as these are born in the realm of spirits.
राजोवाच । कथं मुक्ता भवन्तीह प्रेतत्वात्त्वं च तेऽपि च । कथं चापि मया कार्यमौर्ध्वदैहिकमात्मनः । विधिना केन तत्कार्यं सर्वमेतद्वदस्व मे ॥ २,२७.
The king said: How do these become freed here from being spirits, and how can I perform the posthumous rites for myself? By what method should all this be done? Tell me everything.
प्रेत उवाच । शृणु राजेन्द्र संक्षेपाद्विधिं नारायणात्मकम् । सच्छास्त्रश्रवणं विष्णोः पूजा सज्जनसंगतिः ॥ २,२७.
The spirit said: Listen, O king, in brief, to the method rooted in Nārāyaṇa: hearing true scriptures, worship of Viṣṇu, and association with virtuous people.
प्रेतयोनिविनाशाय भवन्तीति मया श्रुतम् । अतो वक्ष्यामि ते विष्णुपूजां प्रेतत्वनाशिनीम् ॥ २,२७.
I have heard that these bring about the destruction of the spirit condition; therefore, I will tell you the worship of Viṣṇu that destroys the state of being a spirit.
सुवर्णद्वयमाहृत्य मूर्तिं भूप प्रकल्पयेत् । नारायणस्य देवस्य सर्वाभरणभूषिताम् ॥ २,२७.
Having obtained two pieces of gold, the king should fashion an image of Nārāyaṇa, the divine one, adorned with all ornaments.