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,
देवानां पूजने रक्ता न वै प्रेता भवंति ते। श्रुत्वा पौराणिकं वाक्यं दिव्यं च धर्मसंहितम्
Those devoted to the worship of the gods do not become pretas; hearing the words of the Purāṇas and the divine codes of dharma,
पाठयित्वा पठित्वा च पिशाचत्वं न गच्छति। व्रतैश्च विविधैः पूताः पद्माक्षधारणैस्तथा
By reciting and having others recite them, one does not become a piśāca; purified by various vows and by wearing a rosary of lotus seeds,
जप्त्वा पद्माक्षमालायां प्रेतत्वं नैव गच्छति। धात्रीफलद्रवैः स्नात्वा नित्यं तद्भक्षणे रताः
By reciting with a rosary of lotus seeds, one does not become a preta; by bathing daily with the juice of the dhātrī fruit and delighting in its consumption,
तेन विष्णुं सुसंपूज्य न गछंति पिशाचताम्। प्रेता ऊचुः- सतां संदर्शनात्पुण्यमिति पौराणिका विदुः
By worshipping Viṣṇu with that, one does not become a piśāca; the pretas said: The Purāṇikas know that merit arises from the sight of the virtuous.
तस्माद्वो दर्शनं जातं हितं नः कर्तुमर्हथ। प्रेतभावाद्यथामुक्तिः सर्वेषां नो भविष्यति
Therefore, your appearance is auspicious; you ought to act for our benefit. By your intervention, liberation from the state of being a ghost will come to all of us.
व्रतोपदेशकं धीरा युष्माकं शरणागताः। ततो दयालवः सर्वे तानूचुर्द्विजसत्तमाः
We have sought refuge in you, wise ones, as instructors of vows. Then, all those compassionate Brahmins spoke to them.
धात्रीणां भक्षणं शीघ्रं कुर्वतां मुक्तिहेतवे। प्रेता ऊचुः। धात्रीणां दर्शने विप्रा वयं स्थातुं न शक्नुमः
For the sake of liberation, quickly eat the fruits of the dhātrī trees. The ghosts said: O Brahmins, we are unable to remain in the presence of the dhātrī trees.
कथं तेषां फलानां च शक्ता वै भक्षणेधुना। द्विजा ऊचुः- अस्माकं वचनेनात्र धात्रीणां भक्षणं शिवम्
How can we now eat the fruits of those trees? The Brahmins said: By our word here, the eating of dhātrī fruits is auspicious.
फलिष्यति परं लोकं तस्माद्गंतुं समर्हथ। अथ तेभ्यो वरं लब्ध्वा धात्रीवृक्षं पिशाचकैः
It will yield the highest world; therefore, you ought to go. Then, having received the boon from them, the ghosts climbed the dhātrī tree.
समारुह्य फलं प्राप्य भक्षितं लीलया तदा। ततो देवालयात्तूर्णं रथं पीनसुशोभनम्
They ascended, obtained the fruit, and ate it playfully. Then, from the temple, a splendid, well-built chariot swiftly arrived.