एवं ब्रुवाणं नृपतिं ययातिम् अथाष्टकः पुनरेवान्वपृच्छत् मातामहं सर्वगुणोपपन्नं यत्र स्थितं स्वर्गलोके यथावत्
Thus, as King Yayati was speaking, Ashtaka again questioned him: 'Grandfather, endowed with all virtues, tell me truly how you resided in the world of heaven.'
ये ये लोकाः पार्थिवेन्द्र प्रधानास् त्वया भुक्ता यं च काले यथा च तन्मे राजन्ब्रूहि सर्वं यथावत् क्षेत्रज्ञवद्भाषसे त्वं हि धर्मम्
O king of kings, tell me in detail about all those principal worlds you enjoyed, and at what times and in what manner; speak to me of all this, O king, as one who knows the field, for you speak of dharma.
राजाहमासं त्व् इह सार्वभौमस् ततो लोकान्महतश् चाजर्यं वै तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकान्परमानभ्युपेतः
Here, I was a universal monarch; then I attained great worlds and dwelled there for a thousand years; after that, I reached even higher worlds.
ततः पुरीं पुरुहूतस्य रम्यां सहस्रद्वारां शतयोजनान्ताम् अध्यावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकान्परमानभ्युपेतः
Then I dwelled in the delightful city of Puruhuta, with a thousand gates, extending a hundred yojanas, for a thousand years; after that, I attained even higher worlds.
ततो दिव्यमजरं प्राप्य लोकं प्रजापतेर् लोकपतेर्दुरापम् तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकान्परमानभ्युपेतः
Then, having attained the divine, ageless world of the Lord of Creatures, difficult to reach even for the lord of the world, I dwelled there for a thousand years; after that, I attained even higher worlds.
देवस्य देवस्य निवेशने च विजित्य लोकान्न्यवसं यथेष्टम् सम्पूज्यमानस्त्रिदशैः समस्तैस् तुल्यप्रभावद्युतिरीश्वराणाम्
In the abode of the god of gods, having conquered the worlds, I dwelled as I wished, honored by all the gods, possessing splendor and power equal to the lords.
तथावसं नन्दने कामरूपी संवत्सराणामयुतं शतानाम् सहाप्सरोभिर्विचरन्पुण्यगन्धान् पश्यन्नगान् पुष्पितांश्चारुरूपान्
In the same way, I dwelled in Nandana, assuming forms at will, for a hundred thousand years, moving with the Apsarases, enjoying fragrant breezes, and beholding beautiful, blossoming trees.
तत्र स्थितं मां देवसुखेषु सक्तं काले ऽतीते महति ततो ऽतिमात्रम् दूतो देवानामब्रवीदुग्ररूपो ध्वंसेत्युच्चैस्त्रिः प्लुतेन स्वरेण
There, as I remained, attached to the pleasures of the gods, after a long time had passed, a fierce messenger of the gods spoke loudly to me, saying three times with a raised voice, 'Be destroyed!'
एतावन्मे विदितं राजसिंह ततो भ्रष्टो ऽहं नन्दनात्क्षीणपुण्यः वाचो ऽश्रौषं चान्तरिक्षे सुराणाम् अनुक्रोशाच्छोचतां मां नरेन्द्र
This much, O lion among kings, is known to me; then, fallen from Nandana, my merit exhausted, I heard the voices of the gods in the sky, lamenting me with compassion, O king.
अकस्माद्वै क्षीणपुण्यो ययातिः पतत्यसौ पुण्यकृत्पुण्यकीर्तिः तानब्रुवं पतमानस्तदाहं सतां मध्ये निपतेयं कथं नु
Suddenly, Yayati, whose merit was exhausted, fell—he who had performed meritorious deeds and was famed for virtue; as I was falling, I said to them, 'How can I, among the virtuous, fall down?'
तैराख्यातां भवतां यज्ञभूमिं समीक्ष्य चैनामहमागतो ऽस्मि हविर्गन्धैर् दर्शितां यज्ञभूमिं धूमापाङ्गं परिगृह्य प्रतीताम्
They told me of your sacrificial ground, and seeing it, I came here, perceiving the sacrificial ground by the scent of offerings, and recognizing it by the smoke rising up.
यदा वसन्नन्दने कामरूपे संवत्सराणामयुतं शतानाम् किंकारणं कार्तयुगप्रधान हित्वा तद्वै वसुधाम् अन्वपद्यः
While dwelling in Nandana, able to assume any form, for a hundred thousand years, for what reason did you, foremost in the Krita age, abandon that and descend to earth?
ज्ञातिः सुहृत्स्वजनो यो यथेह क्षीणे वित्ते त्यज्यते मानवैर्हि तथा स्वर्गे क्षीणपुण्यं मनुष्यं त्यजन्ति सद्यः खेचरा देवसंघाः
Just as, when wealth is depleted, relatives, friends, and one's own people abandon a person here among humans, so too, when merit is exhausted, the hosts of gods moving in the sky immediately forsake a person in heaven.
कथं तस्मिन्क्षीणपुण्या भवन्ति संमुह्यते मे ऽत्र मनो ऽतिमात्रम् किंविशिष्टाः कस्य धामोपयान्ति तद्वै ब्रूहि क्षेत्रवित्त्वं मतो मे
How do they become depleted of merit there? My mind is greatly bewildered about this. Who is distinguished, and to whose abode do they go? Tell me this, for I consider you the master of the field.
इमं भौमं नरकं ते पतन्ति लालप्यमाना नरदेव सर्वे ते कङ्कगोमायुपलाशनार्थं क्षितौ विवृद्धिं बहुधा प्रयान्ति
They fall into this earthly hell, O king of men, lamenting; all of them, for the sake of carrion, jackals, and crows, undergo much increase in various ways upon the earth.
तस्मादेवं वर्जनीयं नरेन्द्र दुष्टं लोके गर्हणीयं च कर्म आख्यातं ते पार्थिव सर्वमेतद् भूयश्चेदानीं वद किं ते वदामि
Therefore, O king, wicked and blameworthy actions in this world should be avoided. All this has been explained to you, O ruler; if you wish to hear more, tell me what you would have me say.
यदा तु तांस् ते वितुदन्ते वयांसि तथा गृध्राः शितिकण्ठाः पतंगाः कथं भवन्ति कथमाभवन्ति त्वत्तो भौमं नरकमहं शृणोमि
When birds, vultures, owls, and insects attack them, how does this happen? How do they become so? From you I hear about this earthly hell.
ऊर्ध्वं देहात्कर्मणो जृम्भमाणाद् व्यक्तं पृथिव्याम् अनुसंचरन्ति इमं भौमं नरकं ते पतन्ति नावेक्षन्ते वर्षपूगाननेकान्
After the body, as the effects of actions unfold, they wander visibly upon the earth. They fall into this earthly hell and do not perceive the passing of countless years.
षष्टिं सहस्राणि पतन्ति व्योम्नि तथाशीतिं चैव तु वत्सराणाम् तान्वै नुदन्ते प्रपतन्तः प्रयातान् भीमा भौमा राक्षसास् तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राः
Sixty thousand fall in the sky, and likewise eighty thousand years; those who are falling and departing are driven by fearsome earthly demons with sharp fangs.
यदेतांस्ते संपततस्तुदन्ति भीमा भौमा राक्षसास्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राः कथं भवन्ति कथमाभवन्ति कथंभूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति
When those fearsome earthly demons with sharp fangs attack them as they fall, how does this happen? How do they become so? What is their condition, and how do they become embryos?
असृग्रेतः पुष्परसानुयुक्तम् अन्वेति सद्यः पुरुषेण सृष्टम् तव तरया रज आपद्यते च स गर्भभूतः समुपैति तत्र
Blood, semen, and pollen combine, immediately following what is produced by a man; by the force of passion, it enters, and thus, becoming an embryo, it arrives there.
वनस्पतीन् ओषधींश्चाविशन्ति अपो वायुं पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षम् चतुष्पदं द्विपदं चापि सर्व एवंभूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति
They enter trees, herbs, waters, air, earth, and space, four-footed and two-footed beings as well; all those who are thus become embryos.
अन्यद्वपुर्विदधातीह गर्भ उताहोस्वित्स्वेन कामेन याति आपद्यमानो नरयोनिमेताम् आचक्ष्व मे संशयात्पृच्छतस्त्वम्
Does the embryo here acquire another body, or does it enter by its own desire? When it is about to enter a human womb, tell me, for I ask you out of doubt.
शरीरदेहादिसमुच्छ्रयं च चक्षुःश्रोत्रे लभते केन संज्ञाम् एतत्सर्वं तात आचक्ष्व पृष्टः क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां मन्यमाना हि सर्वे
How does the body and its organs arise, and how does it obtain sight and hearing, and consciousness? Tell me all this, father, as I have asked; for all consider you the knower of the field.
वायुः समुत्कर्षति गर्भयोनिम् ऋतौ रेतः पुष्परसानुयुक्तम् स तत्र तन्मात्रकृताधिकारः क्रमेण संवर्धयतीह गर्भम्
The wind carries the embryo into the womb at the proper time, along with semen and pollen; there, the subtle elements establish their domain, and gradually, it nourishes the embryo.
स जायमानो ऽथ गृहीतमात्रः संज्ञामधिष्ठाय ततो मनुष्यः स श्रोत्राभ्यां वेदयतीह शब्दं स वै रूपं पश्यति चक्षुषा च
When it is born, having just been grasped, it assumes consciousness; then the person perceives sound with the ears and sees form with the eyes.
घ्राणेन गन्धं जिह्वयाथो रसं च त्वचा स्पर्शं मनसा देवभावम् इत्यष्टकेहोपचितं हि विद्धि महात्मनः प्राणभृतः शरीरे
With the nose, it smells; with the tongue, it tastes; with the skin, it feels touch; with the mind, it attains divine awareness. Know that all these eight faculties are accumulated in the body of the great-souled, life-bearing being.
यः संस्थितः पुरुषो दह्यते वा निखन्यते वापि निकृष्यते वा अभावभूतः स विनाशमेत्य केनात्मानं चेतयते पुरस्तात्
When that person is established, whether burned, buried, or cast away, having become non-existent, he attains destruction; by what does he perceive himself thereafter?
हित्वा सो ऽसून् सुप्तवन्निष्ठितत्वात् पुरोधाय सुकृतं दुष्कृतं च अन्यां योनिं पुण्यपापानुसारां हित्वा देहं भजते राजसिंह
Having left his vital breaths, like one asleep, after considering good and evil deeds, he abandons the body and, according to merit or demerit, attains another womb, O lion among kings.
पुण्यां योनिं पुण्यकृतो विशन्ति पापां योनिं पापकृतो व्रजन्ति कीटाः पतंगाश्च भवन्ति पापान् न मे विवक्षास्ति महानुभाव
Those who perform good deeds enter a good womb; those who perform evil deeds enter an evil womb. Worms and insects are born from evil; I do not wish to speak further, O great one.