क्षुधयामलकीवृक्षं पुरः पीनफलान्वितम्। दृष्ट्वा संरुह्य सहसा चखाद फलमुत्तमम्
Afflicted by hunger, he saw before him an amalaki tree laden with plump fruit, and quickly climbed up and ate the excellent fruit.
ततो दैवात्सवृक्षाग्रान्निपपात महीतले। वेदनागाढसंविद्धः पंचत्वमगमत्तदा
Then, by fate, he fell from the top of that tree to the ground, and pierced by intense pain, he died at that moment.
ततः प्रेतगणाः सर्वे रक्षोभूतगणास्तथा। तनुं वोढुं मुदा सर्वे ये वै शमनसेवकाः
Then all the hosts of pretas and also the groups of demons and spirits, along with all those who serve Yama, joyfully came to carry away his body.
न शक्नुवंति चांडालं मृतं द्रष्टुं महाबलाः। अन्योन्यं विग्रहस्तेषां ममायमिति भाषताम्
But even the mighty ones could not bear to look upon the dead caṇḍāla; among them arose quarrelling, each saying, 'He is mine.'
ग्रहीतुं चापि नेतुं च न शक्तास्ते परस्परम्। ततस्ते तु समालोक्य गता मुनिगणान्प्रति
They were unable to seize or take him away, and so, after observing this, they went to the assembly of sages.
प्रेता ऊचुः- किमर्थं मुनयो धीराश्चांडालं पापकारिणम्। प्रेक्षितुं न वयं शक्ता न चापि यमसेवकाः
The pretas said: 'Why is it, O steadfast sages, that we and the servants of Yama are unable to look upon this sinful caṇḍāla?'
म्रियंते पातिता ये च स्थिरैर्युद्धपराङ्मुखाः। साहसैः पातिता भीता वज्राग्निकाष्ठपीडिताः
Those who die after being struck down in battle while turning away, those killed by violence, those terrified and struck by thunderbolts, fire, or wood—
सिंहव्याघ्रहता मर्त्या व्याघ्रैर्वा जलजंतुभिः। जलस्थलस्थिताः प्रेताः वृक्षपर्वतपातिताः
Humans killed by lions or tigers, or by aquatic creatures, those who die in water or on land, pretas fallen from trees or mountains—
पशुपक्षिहता ये च कारागारे गरे मृताः। आत्मघातमृता ये च श्राद्धादिकर्मवर्जिताः
Those killed by beasts or birds, those who die in prison or by poison, those who die by suicide, or who lack funeral rites and offerings—
गूढकर्ममृता धूर्ता गुरुविप्रनृपद्विषः। पाषंडाः कौलिकाः क्रूरा गरदाः कूटसाक्षिणः
Those who die while committing secret crimes, the wicked, haters of teachers, brahmins, or kings, heretics, Kaulikas, cruel ones, poisoners, and false witnesses—
आशौचान्नस्य भोक्तारः प्रेतभोग्या न संशयः। ममायमिति भाषंतो नेतुं तं च न शक्नुमः
Those who eat food during impurity are certainly fit for preta consumption; yet, though we say 'he is mine,' we are unable to take him.
आदित्य इव दुष्प्रेक्ष्यः किंवा कस्य प्रभावतः। मुनय ऊचुः- अनेन भक्षितं प्रेताः पक्वं चामलकीफलम्
He is as difficult to look upon as the sun; but by whose power is this so? The sages said: 'O pretas, he has eaten ripe amalaki fruit.'
तत्संगं यांति तस्यैव फलानि प्रचुराणि च। तेनैव कारणेनायं दुष्प्रेक्ष्यो भवतां ध्रुवम्
Those fruits, abundant and of his own, accompany him; for this very reason, he is certainly difficult for you to behold.
वृक्षाग्रपतितस्याथ प्राणः स्नेहान्न च त्यजेत्। नायं चारेण सूर्यस्य न चान्ये पापकारिणः
Even after falling from the top of the tree, his life does not depart due to the affection of the fruit; nor does he go to the path of the sun, nor to other sinful destinations.
धात्रीभक्षणमात्रेण पापात्पूतो व्रजेद्दिवम्। प्रेता ऊचुः- पृच्छामो वो ह्यविज्ञानान्न वयं निंदकाः क्वचित्
By the mere act of eating dhātrī (amalaki), one is purified from sin and goes to heaven. The pretas said: 'We ask you out of ignorance, not to find fault.'
विष्णुलोकाद्विमानं तु यावन्नैवात्र गच्छति। उच्यतां मुनिशार्दूला वो द्रुतं मनसि स्थितम्
Until the celestial chariot from Viṣṇu's world comes here, O best of sages, quickly tell us what is settled in your mind.
यावद्द्विजा न घोषंति वेदमंत्रादिकल्पितम्। घोष्यंते यत्र वेदाश्च मंत्राणि विविधानि च
As long as the twice-born do not recite the Vedas and mantras as prescribed, where the Vedas and various mantras are proclaimed,
पुराणस्मृतयो यत्र क्षणं स्थातुं न शक्नुमः। यज्ञहोमजपस्थानदेवतार्चनकर्मणाम्
Where the Purāṇas and Smṛtis cannot remain even for a moment, nor the rites of sacrifice, oblation, recitation, worship of deities, and other acts,
पुरतो वै न तिष्ठामस्तस्माद्वृत्तं समुच्यताम्। किं वै कृत्वा प्रेतयोनिं लभंते हि नरा द्विजाः५० 1.60.
Before such things, we do not stand; therefore, let the conduct be described—by what actions do men, O twice-born, attain the state of a preta?
श्रोतुमिच्छामहे सम्यक्कथं वै विकृतं वपुः। द्विजा ऊचुः- शीतवातातपक्लेशैः क्षुत्पिपासाविशेषकैः
We wish to hear clearly how the form becomes distorted; the twice-born said: By the afflictions of cold, wind, heat, hunger, and thirst,
अन्यैरपि च दुःखैर्ये पीडिताः कूटसाक्षिणः। वधबंधप्रमीताश्च प्रेतास्ते निरयं गताः
And by other sufferings, those who are tormented, who are false witnesses, who are murderers, binders, or killers—those pretas have gone to hell.
छिद्रान्वेषपरा ये च द्विजानां कर्मघातिनः। तथैव च गुरूणां च ते प्रेताश्चापुनर्भवाः
Those who seek out faults and obstruct the actions of the twice-born, and likewise of their teachers—those pretas do not attain rebirth.
दीयमाने द्विजाग्र्ये तु दातारं प्रतिविध्यति। चिरं प्रेतत्वमाश्रित्य नरकान्न निवर्तते
When a gift is being given to a foremost twice-born, if someone obstructs the giver, he remains a preta for a long time and does not return from hell.
परस्य वाऽत्मनो वा गां कृत्वा पीडनवाहने। न पालयंति ये मूढास्ते प्रेताः कर्मजा भुवि
Those fools who use another's or their own cow for burdensome work and do not protect her—those pretas are born on earth from their deeds.
हीनप्रतिज्ञाश्चासत्यास्तथा भग्नव्रता नराः। नलिनीदलभुक्ताश्च ते प्रेताः कर्मजा भुवि
Those of broken vows, untruthful, or who have failed in their pledges, and those who have eaten lotus leaves—these pretas are born on earth from their deeds.
विक्रीणन्ति सुतां शुद्धां स्त्रियं साध्वीमकंटकाम्। पितृव्यमातुलादेश्च ते प्रेताः कर्मजा भुवि
Those who sell a pure, virtuous, unblemished woman, whether she is a daughter, niece, or cousin—these pretas are born on earth from their deeds.
एते चान्ये च बहवः प्रेता जाताः स्वकर्मभिः। प्रेता ऊचुः- न भवंति कथं प्रेताः कर्मणा केन वा द्विजाः
These and many others become pretas due to their own actions; the pretas said: By what actions do people not become pretas, O twice-born?
हिताय वदनस्तूर्णं सर्वलोकहितं परम्। द्विजा ऊचुः- येन चैव कृतं स्नानं जले तीर्थस्य धीमता
Speak quickly for the benefit of all beings, for the highest good; the twice-born said: He who bathes in the water of a sacred place with a concentrated mind,
नमस्कृतं परं लिगं न प्रेतो जायते नरः। एकादश्यामुपोष्यैव द्वादश्यां च विशेषतः
And bows to the supreme liṅga does not become a preta; especially by fasting on the eleventh and twelfth days,
पूजयित्वा हरिं मर्त्याः प्रेतत्वं न व्रजंति वै। वेदाक्षरप्रसूतैश्च स्तोत्रमंत्रादिभिस्तथा
By worshipping Hari, mortals do not become pretas; also by hymns and mantras born from Vedic syllables,