Markandeya Purana

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.

प्राप्स्यन्त्यार्ता यदि सुखं बहवो दुः खिते मयि । किन्नु प्राप्तं मया न स्यात्तस्मात्त्वं व्रज माचिरम् ॥ १५.

If many who are afflicted may gain happiness while I myself suffer, what would I not have attained? Therefore, do not delay—go at once.

यमपुरुष उवाच एष धर्मश्च शक्रश्च त्वां नेतुं समुपागतौ । अवश्यमस्माद्गन्तव्यं तस्मात्पार्थिव ! गम्यताम् ॥ १५.

The servant of Yama said: Here are Dharma and Indra, come to take you away; you must go with us, O King, so depart now.

धर्म उवाच नयामि त्वामहं स्वर्गं त्वया सम्यगुपासितः । विमानमेतदारुह्य मा विलम्बस्व गम्यताम् ॥ १५.

Dharma said: I myself will lead you to heaven, for you have worshipped me well; ascend this celestial chariot—do not delay, go forth.

राजोवाच नरके मानवा धर्म पीड्यन्तेऽत्र सहस्रशः । त्राहीति चार्ताः क्रन्दन्ति मामतो न व्रजाम्यहम् ॥ १५.

The king said: In hell, O Dharma, thousands of people are tormented; the afflicted cry out, 'Save us!'—therefore, I will not go.

इन्द्र उवाच कर्मणा नरकप्राप्तिरेतेषां पापकर्मिणाम् । स्वर्गस्त्वयापि गन्तव्यो नृप ! पुण्येन कर्मणा ॥ १५.

Indra said: By their evil deeds, these people have reached hell; but you, O king, must go to heaven by your virtuous actions.

राजोवाच यदि जानासि धर्म ! त्वं त्वं वा शक्र ! शचीपते । मम यावत्प्रमाणन्तु शुभं तद्वक्तुमर्हथः ॥ १५.

The king said: If you know, O Dharma, or you, O Indra, lord of Shachi, tell me the measure of my merit, whatever it may be.

धर्म उवाच अब्बिन्दवो यथाम्भोधौ यथा वा दिवि तारकाः । यथा वा वर्षता धारा गड्गायां सिकता यथा ॥ १५.

Dharma said: As countless as the drops in the ocean, as the stars in the sky, as the streams of rain, or as the sands on the Ganga—

असंख्येया महाराज यथा बिन्द्वादयो ह्यपाम् । तथा तवापि पुण्यस्य संख्या नैवोपपद्यते ॥ १५.

So too, O great king, your merit is beyond counting, just like those drops and grains.

अनुकम्पामिमामद्य नारकेष्विह कुर्वतः । तदेव शतसाहस्त्रं संख्यामुपगतं तव ॥ १५.

By showing this compassion today to those in hell, your merit has increased a hundred thousandfold.

तद्गच्छ त्वं नृपश्रेष्ठ तद्भाक्तुममरालयम् । एतेऽपि पापं नरके क्षपयन्तु स्वकर्मजम् ॥ १५.

Therefore go, best of kings, to the immortal realm to enjoy its rewards; let these sinners exhaust their own evil deeds in hell.