शूद्रो विप्रस्य क्षत्रस्य य आचारेण वर्तते । शिल्पिनः कारवो वैद्यास्तथा देवलका नराः
A Shudra who behaves according to the conduct of a Brahmin or Kshatriya, artisans, craftsmen, physicians, and temple-servants—
भृतकामात्यकर्माणः सर्वे निरयगामिनः । यश्चोदितमतिक्रम्य स्वेच्छया आहरेत्करम्
All those who work for hire or as ministers are destined for hell; and whoever, disregarding what is prescribed, collects taxes at will—
नरकेषु स पच्येत यश्च दंडं वृथा नयेत् । उत्कोचकैरधिकृतैस्तस्करैश्च प्रपीड्यते
He is cooked in hell; and whoever imposes punishment unjustly, or oppresses with bribes, officials, or thieves—
यस्य राज्ञः प्रजा राज्ये पच्यते नरकेषु सः । ये द्विजाः प्रतिगृह्णंति नृपस्य पापवर्तिनः
He under whose rule the subjects are tormented is cooked in hell; and those twice-born who accept gifts from a sinful king—
प्रयांति तेपि घोरेषु नरकेषु न संशयः । पारदारिकचौराणां यत्पापं पार्थिवस्य च
They too certainly go to terrible hells, there is no doubt, those who commit the sins of adulterers, thieves, and kings.
भवत्यरक्षतो घोरो राज्ञस्तस्य परिग्रहः । अचौरं चौरवद्यश्च चौरं चाचौरवत्पुनः
A king’s possession, if left unprotected, becomes a dreadful thing; one who treats the innocent as guilty, or the guilty as innocent—
अविचार्य नृपः कुर्यात्सोऽपि वै नरकं व्रजेत् । घृततैलान्नपानादि मधुमांस सुरासवम्
If a king acts without discernment, he too goes to hell; things like clarified butter, oil, food, drink, honey, meat, and liquor—
गुडेक्षुक्षीरशाकादि दधिमूलफलानि च । तृणकाष्ठं पुष्पपत्रं कांस्यभाजनमेव च
Jaggery, sugarcane, milk, vegetables, curd, roots, fruits, grass, wood, flowers, leaves, and even bronze vessels—
उपानच्छत्रकटक शिबिकामासनं मृदु । ताम्रं सीसं त्रपुकांस्यं शंखाद्यं च जलोद्भवम्
Shoes, umbrellas, bangles, palanquins, soft seats, copper, lead, tin, bronze, conch-shells, and water-born objects—
वादित्रं वेणुवंशाद्यं गृहोपस्करणानि च । ऊर्णाकार्पासकौशेय रंगपद्मोद्भवानि च
Musical instruments, bamboo flutes, household utensils, wool, cotton, silk, and items made from colored or lotus fibers—
तूलं सूक्ष्माणिवस्त्राणि ये लोभेन हरंति च । एवमादीनि चान्यानि द्रव्याणि विविधानि च
Cotton, fine garments—whoever takes these out of greed, and other such various kinds of goods—
नरकेषु द्रुतं गच्छेदपहृत्याल्पकान्यपि । यद्वा तद्वा परद्रव्यमपि सर्षपमात्रकम्
Whoever steals even the smallest of these things quickly goes to hell; whether it be this or that, even another’s property as small as a mustard seed—
अपहृत्य नरो याति नरके नात्र संशयः । बह्वल्पकाद्यपि तथा परस्य ममताकृतम्
A person who takes another’s property goes to hell, there is no doubt; whether much or little, if taken with a sense of ownership—
अपहृत्य नरो याति नरके नात्र संशयः । एवमाद्यैर्नरः पापैरुत्क्रांतिसमनंतरम्
A person who takes another’s property goes to hell, there is no doubt; by such sins, immediately after death—
शरीरघातनार्थाय पूर्वाकारमवाप्नुयात् । यमलोकं व्रजंत्येते शरीरस्था यमाज्ञया
For the purpose of inflicting suffering on the body, one attains a previous form; these, remaining in the body by Yama’s command, go to the world of Yama—
यमदूतैर्महाघोरैर्नीयमानाः सुदुःखिताः । देवतिर्यङ्मनुष्याणामधर्मनियतात्मनाम्
Led by Yama’s dreadful messengers, they go, greatly afflicted; among gods, animals, and humans, those whose minds are set on unrighteousness—
धर्मराजः स्मृतः शास्ता सुघोरैर्विविधैर्वधैः । विनयाचारयुक्तानां प्रमादान्मलिनात्मनाम्
Dharma-rāja is known as the judge, with terrible and various punishments; for those who lack discipline and good conduct, whose minds are impure—
प्रायश्चित्तैर्गुरुः शास्ता न च तैरीक्ष्यते यमः । पारदारिकचौराणामन्यायव्यवहारिणाम्
For those, the teacher is the judge through penances, but Yama does not regard them; for adulterers, thieves, and those who act unjustly—
नृपतिः शासकः प्रोक्तः प्रच्छन्नानां च धर्मराट् । तस्मात्कृतस्य पापस्य प्रायश्चित्तं समाचरेत्
The king is said to be the punisher, and for those who act in secret, Dharma-rāja; therefore, one should perform penance for the sin committed—
नाभुक्तस्यान्यथा नाशः कल्पकोटिशतैरपि । यः करोति स्वयं कर्म कारयेद्वानुमोदयेत्
Otherwise, there is no destruction of unexperienced sin, even in a hundred million aeons; whoever acts himself, causes another to act, or approves—
कायेन मनसा वाचा तस्य चाधोगतिः फलम् । इति संक्षेपतः प्रोक्ताः पापभेदास्त्रिधाधुना
By body, mind, or speech, for him the result is a lower rebirth; thus, in brief, the threefold kinds of sin have now been described—
कथ्यंते गतयश्चित्रा नराणां पापकर्मणाम् । एतत्ते नृपते धर्म फलं प्रोक्तं सुविस्तरात्
Now the various destinies of men who perform sinful deeds are told; thus, O king, the fruit of dharma has been explained to you in detail.
अन्यत्किंते प्रवक्ष्यामि तन्मे ब्रूहि नरोत्तम । अधर्मस्य फलं प्रोक्तं धर्मस्यापि वदाम्यहम्
I will tell you something else; speak to me, O best among men. The fruit of unrighteousness has been declared; I shall also speak of the fruit of righteousness.
इत्युक्त्वा मातलिस्तत्र राजानं सर्ववत्सलम् । तस्मिन्धर्मप्रसंगेन इत्याख्यातं महात्मना
Having said this, Mātali there addressed the king, who was affectionate to all; in that context of righteousness, it was thus narrated by the great-souled one.
ययातिरुवाच- अधर्मस्य फलं सूत श्रुतं सर्वं मया विभो । धर्मस्यापि फलं ब्रूहि श्रोतुं कौतूहलं मम
Yayāti said: O charioteer, I have heard fully from you, O lord, the fruit of unrighteousness. Tell me also the fruit of righteousness; I am eager to hear.
मातलिरुवाच- अथ पापैरिमे यांति यमलोकं चतुर्विधाः । संत्रासजननं घोरं विवशाः सर्वदेहिनः
Mātali said: Now, due to their sins, these four kinds of beings go to the realm of Yama; it is terrifying and causes fear, and all embodied beings go there helplessly.
गर्भस्थैर्जायमानैश्च बालैस्तरुणमध्यमैः । पुंस्त्रीनपुंसकैर्वृद्धैर्यातव्यं जंतुभिस्ततः
There, beings must go—whether unborn in the womb, just born, children, youth, adults, men, women, those of neither sex, or the aged.
शुभाशुभफलं तत्र देहिनां प्रविचार्यते । चित्रगुप्तादिभिः सर्वैर्मध्यस्थैः सर्वदर्शिभिः
There, the good and bad fruits of embodied beings are examined by Citragupta and others, all impartial and all-seeing judges.
न तेत्र प्राणिनः संति ये न यांति यमक्षयम् । अवश्यं हि कृतं कर्म भोक्तव्यं तद्विचारितम्
There are no living beings who do not go to Yama's abode; whatever action has been done must surely be experienced, as determined.
ये तत्र शुभकर्माणः सौम्यचित्तादयान्विताः । ते नरा यांति सौम्येन पथा यमनिकेतनम्
Those who have performed good deeds, whose minds are gentle and endowed with compassion, those men go to Yama's dwelling by a pleasant path.