Markandeya Purana

अपस्मारी च भवति शूद्रत्वं च स गच्छति । एष एव क्रमो दृष्टो गोसुवर्णापहारिणाम् ॥ १५.

He becomes epileptic and is born as a Śūdra; this is the observed sequence for those who steal cows or gold.

विद्यापहारिणश्चोग्रा निष्क्रयभ्रंशिनो गुरोः । जायामन्यस्य पुरुषः पारख्यां प्रतिपादयन् ॥ १५.

Those who steal knowledge, commit grave fraud, or take another man's wife, or give her to another, are also included.

प्राप्नोति षण्ढतां मूढो यातनाभ्यः परिच्युतः । यः करोति नरो होममसमिद्धे विभावसौ ॥ १५.

The deluded one who does these becomes a eunuch, cast out from the torments; and the man who performs a sacrifice with unkindled fire is likewise affected.

सोऽजिर्णव्याधिदुः खार्तो मन्दाग्निः संप्रजायते । परनिन्दा कृतघ्रत्वं परमर्मावघट्टनम् ॥ १५.

He is born afflicted with indigestion, disease, and suffering, with poor digestion; slander, ingratitude, and harming another's vital points also follow.

नैष्ठुर्यं निर्घृणत्वञ्च परदारोपसेवनम् । परस्वहरणाशौचं देवतानाञ्च कुत्सनम् ॥ १५.

Harshness, cruelty, adultery, theft, impurity, and reviling the gods are also included.

निकृत्या कञ्चनं नृणां कार्पण्यं च नृणां वधः । यानि च प्रतिषिद्धानि तत्प्रवृत्तिश्च सन्तता ॥ १५.

Deceitfully taking gold from men, killing men out of miserliness, and engaging in forbidden acts repeatedly are also to be noted.

उपलक्ष्याणि जानीयान्मुक्तानां नरकादनु । दया भूतेषु संवादः परलोकप्रतिक्रिया ॥ १५.

One should recognize these as marks of those released from hell; compassion towards beings, truthfulness, and preparation for the next world are their remedies.

सत्यं भूतहितार्थोक्तिर्वेदप्रामाण्यदर्शनम् । गुरुदेवर्षिसिद्धर्षिपूजनं साधुसङ्गमः ॥ १५.

Truthfulness, speech for the welfare of beings, recognition of the authority of the Vedas, honoring teachers, gods, sages, and accomplished seers, and association with the virtuous—these are declared.

सत्क्रियाभायसनं मैत्रीमिति बुध्यते पण्डितः । अन्यानि चैव सद्धर्मङ्क्रियाभूतानि यानि च ॥ १५.

The wise understand that practicing noble conduct, cultivating friendship, and all other actions that are truly righteous are the marks of virtue.

स्वर्गच्युतानां लिङ्गानि पुरुषाणामपापिनाम् । एतदुद्देशतो राजन् भवतः कथितं मया ॥ १५.

O King, I have thus described to you, in summary, the signs of those sinless men who have fallen from heaven.

स्वकर्मफलभोक्तॄणां पुण्यानां पापिनां तथा । तदेह्यन्यत्र गच्छामो दृष्टं सर्वं त्वयाधुना । त्वया दृष्टो हि नरकस्तदेह्यन्यत्र गम्यताम् ॥ १५.

Now, for those who experience the results of their own deeds—whether virtuous or sinful—let us go elsewhere, for you have now seen everything; you have seen hell, so let us proceed further.

पुत्र उवाच ततस्तमग्रतः कृत्वा स राजा गन्तुमुद्यतः । ततश्च सर्वैरुत्क्रुष्टं यातनास्थायिभिर्नृभिः ॥ १५.

The son said: Then, placing him in front, the king prepared to depart, and at that moment, all those men enduring torments cried out together.

प्रसादं कुरु भूपेति तिष्ठ तावन्मुहूर्तकम् । त्वदङ्गसङ्गी पवनो मनो ह्लादयते हि नः ॥ १५.

"O King, show us your favor! Please remain here for a moment; the wind that touches your body brings joy to our minds."

परितापञ्च गात्रेभ्यः पीडाबाधाश्च कृत्स्नशः । अपहन्ति नरव्याघ्र यदां कुर महीपते ॥ १५.

"O tiger among men, O lord of the earth, whenever the wind that has touched your body reaches us, it completely removes the pain and affliction from our limbs."

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तेषां तं याम्यपुरुषं नृपः । पप्रच्छ कथमेतेषामाह्लादो मयि तिष्ठति ॥ १५.

Hearing their words, the king asked the servant of Yama, "How is it that, because of me, they experience relief?"

किं मया कर्म तत्पुण्यं मर्त्यलोके महत्कृतम् । आह्लाददायिनी व्युष्टिर्येनेयं तदुदीरय ॥ १५.

"What great meritorious act did I perform in the world of mortals that brings such joy and relief here? Please tell me this."

यमपुरुष उवाच पितृदेवातिथिप्रैष्यशिष्टेनान्नेन ते तनुः । पुष्टिमभ्यागता यस्मात्तद्गतं च मनो यतः ॥ १५.

The servant of Yama said: "Because your body was nourished by food properly offered to ancestors, gods, guests, messengers, and the worthy, and because your mind was set on this—"

ततस्त्वद्गात्रसंसर्गो पवनो ह्लाददायकः । पापकर्मकृतो राजन् यातना न प्रबाधते ॥ १५.

"Therefore, O King, the wind that has touched your body brings delight; for those who have committed sinful deeds, the torments do not afflict them in your presence."

अश्वमेधादयो यज्ञास्त्वयेष्टा विधिवद्यतः । ततस्त्वद्दर्शनाद्याम्या यन्त्रशस्त्राग्निवायसाः ॥ १५.

"The horse sacrifices and other rituals you performed according to rule, and your very sight, O King, have diminished the suffering caused by Yama's instruments, weapons, fire, and wind."

पीडनच्छेददाहादिमहादुः खस्य हेतवः । मृदुत्वमागता राजन् तेजसापहतास्तव ॥ १५.

"O King, the causes of great suffering—beating, cutting, burning, and the like—have become mild, their force subdued by your radiance."

राजोवाच न स्वर्गे ब्रह्मलोके वा तत्सुखं प्राप्यते नरैः । यदार्तजन्तुनिर्वाणदानोत्थमिति मे मतिः ॥ १५.

The king said: "Such happiness as arises from relieving the suffering of afflicted beings is not found even in heaven or the world of Brahma—this is my conviction."

यदि मत्सन्निधावेतान् यातना न प्रबाधते । ततो भद्रमुखात्राहं स्थास्ये स्थाणुरिवाचलः ॥ १५.

"If, in my presence, these torments do not afflict them, then, O auspicious-faced one, I shall remain here, unmoving as a mountain."

यमपुरुष उवाच एहि राजन् प्रगच्छामो निजपुण्यसमर्जितान् । भुङ्क्ष्व भोगानपास्येह यातनाः पापकर्मणाम् ॥ १५.

The servant of Yama said: "Come, O King, let us go; enjoy the pleasures earned by your own merit. Here, the torments of the sinful are not for you."

राजोवाच तस्मान्न तावद्यास्यामि यावदेते सुदुः खिताः । मत्सन्निधानात्सुखिनो भवन्ति नरकौकसः ॥ १५.

The king said: "Therefore, I will not go as long as these greatly afflicted ones, the dwellers of hell, become happy by my presence."

धिक्तस्य जीवनं पुंसः शरणार्थिनमातुरम् । यो नार्तमनुगृह्णाति वैरिपक्षमपि ध्रुवम् ॥ १५.

"Shame on the life of that man who does not show compassion to the suffering seeker of refuge—even if he be an enemy—when he is in distress."

यज्ञदानतपांसीह परत्र च न भूतये । भवन्ति तस्य यस्यार्तपरित्राणे न मानसम् ॥ १५.

Here and hereafter, sacrifices, gifts, and austerities do not bring benefit to one whose mind does not incline to rescuing the afflicted.

नरस्य यस्य कठिनं मनो बालातुरादिषु । वृद्धेषु च न तं मन्ये मानुषं राक्षसो हि सः ॥ १५.

I do not consider him a man whose heart is hard toward children, the sick, and the elderly; he is indeed a demon.

एतेषां सन्निकर्षात्तु यद्यग्निपरितापजम् । तथोग्रगन्धजं वापि दुः खं नरकसम्भवम् ॥ १५.

If, from being near these people, one experiences suffering like the burning of fire or harsh odors, or pain arising from hell—

क्षुत्पिपासाभवं दुः खं यच्च मूर्च्छाप्रदं महत् । एतेषां त्राणदानन्तु मन्ये स्वर्गसुखात्परम् ॥ १५.

—or suffering from hunger and thirst, or great pain that brings fainting—still, I consider giving them protection greater than the happiness of heaven.