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.
आगतं तं समारुह्य सचांडालपिशाचकाः। गतास्ते त्रिदिवं पुत्र व्रतैर्यज्ञैः सुदुर्लभम्
They boarded that chariot, together with the outcaste ghosts, and departed for heaven—an abode difficult to attain even by vows and sacrifices.
स्कंद उवाच-। धात्रीभक्षणमात्रेण पुण्यं लब्ध्वा दिवं गताः। तद्भक्षिणः कथं स्वर्गं न गच्छंति नरादयः
Skanda said: By merely eating dhātrī fruit, they attained merit and went to heaven. Why do those who eat it not go to heaven, O Nārada?
ईश्वर उवाच- पूर्वं ते ज्ञानलोपाच्च न जानंति हिताहितम्। उच्छिष्टं श्वभिरुत्स्पृष्टं श्लेष्ममूत्रं शकृत्तु वा
Īśvara said: Previously, due to loss of knowledge, they did not know what was beneficial or harmful. They considered leftovers touched by dogs, phlegm, urine, or feces—
मत्वा च मोहिताः श्रेष्ठं प्रेतादंति सदैव हि। शकृच्छौचजलं वांतं बलिसूकरकुक्कुटैः
And, being deluded, always regarded these as best, as did the ghosts. Feces, water used for cleaning, vomit, offerings eaten by pigs and chickens—
मृतके सूतके जप्यं न त्यक्तं येन केनचित्। तस्यान्नं च जलं प्रेताः खादंति तु सदैव हि
Recitation is not abandoned for the dead or for those in childbirth by anyone. Their food and water are always consumed by the ghosts.
दुर्दांता गृहिणी यस्य शुचिसंयमवर्जिता। गुरुनिःसारिता दुष्टा संति प्रेताश्च तत्र वै
Wherever there is a wife who is unruly, lacking purity and restraint, expelled by the teacher, and wicked, ghosts are found there.
अपुङ्गवाः कुलैर्जात्या बलोत्साहविवर्जिताः। बधिराश्च कृशा दीनाः पिशाचाः कर्मजातयः
Those born in families without noble males, lacking strength and enthusiasm, deaf, emaciated, miserable—such are the types of ghosts and spirits born of karma.
क्षणं च मंगलं नास्ति दुःखैर्देहयुता भृशम्। तेनैव विकृताकाराः सर्वभोगविवर्जिताः
There is not even a moment of auspiciousness; they are afflicted with intense suffering and bodies. Thus, they are deformed in appearance and deprived of all enjoyments.
नग्नका रोगसंतप्ता मृता रूक्षा मलीमसाः। एते चान्ये च दुःखार्ताः सदैव प्रेतजातयः
Naked, afflicted by disease, dead, harsh, filthy—these and others, always tormented by suffering, are the races of ghosts.
तेन कर्मविपाकेन जायंते काममीदृशाः। पितृमातृगुरूणां च देवनिंदापराश्च ये
By the result of their actions, such beings are born. Those who revile fathers, mothers, teachers, and gods—
पाषंडाः कौलिकाः पापास्ते प्रेताः कर्मजा भुवि। गलपाशैर्जलैः शस्त्रैर्गरलैरात्मघातकाः
Heretics, those of impure lineage, sinners—these ghosts are born from karma on earth. Those who hang themselves, drown, use weapons, or poison to kill themselves—
इहलोके च ते प्रेताश्चांडालादिषु संभवाः। अंत्यजाः पतिताश्चैव पापरोगमृताश्च ये
In this world, those ghosts are born among outcastes and similar groups: the lowest, the fallen, and those who died from sinful diseases.
अंत्यजैर्घातिता युद्धे ते प्रेता निश्चिता भुवि। महापातकसंयुक्ता विवाहे च बहिष्कृताः
Those killed in battle by outcastes are certainly ghosts upon the earth, bound by great sins and excluded from marriage rites.
शौर्यात्साहसिका ये च ते प्रेताः कर्मजा भुवि। राजद्रोहकरा ये च पितॄणां द्रोहचिंतकाः
Those who act out of reckless bravery are ghosts born of their deeds on earth, as are those who commit treason against the king or harbor thoughts of betraying their ancestors.
ध्यानाध्ययनहीनाश्च व्रतैर्देवार्चनादिभिः। अमंत्राः स्नानहीनाश्च गुरुस्त्रीगमने रताः
Those lacking in meditation and study, neglecting vows, worship, and similar duties; those who perform rituals without mantras, who do not bathe, and who are devoted to relations with their teacher’s wife—
तथैव चांत्यजस्त्रीषु दुर्गतासु च संगताः। मृताः क्रूरोपवासेन म्लेच्छदेशस्थिता मृताः
Likewise, those who associate with outcaste women or destitute women, those who die from harsh fasting, or those who die while dwelling in the lands of foreigners—
म्लेच्छभाषायुताशुद्धास्तथाम्लेच्छोपजीविनः। अनुवर्तंति ये म्लेच्छान्स्त्रीधनैरुपजीवकाः
Those impure ones who use foreign tongues, who make their living among foreigners, who follow foreigners, or who subsist by women or wealth—
स्त्रियो यैश्च न रक्ष्यंते ते प्रेता नात्र संशयः। क्षुधासंतप्तदेहं तु श्रांतं विप्रं गृहागतम्
There is no doubt that those who do not protect women become ghosts; and those who, when a weary and hungry Brahmin guest arrives at their home—
गुणपुण्यातिथिं त्यक्त्वा पिशाचत्वं व्रजंति ते। विक्रीणंति च वै गाश्च म्लेच्छेषु च गवाशिषु
—neglect a virtuous and worthy guest, they become spirits; and those who sell cows or sell cow’s flesh to foreigners—
प्रेतलोके सुखं स्थित्वा ते च यांत्यपुनर्भवम्। अशौचाभ्यंतरे ये च जाताश्च पशवो मृताः
After dwelling comfortably in the world of ghosts, they attain no rebirth; and animals born or dying in a state of impurity—