रुद्रलोकमिति प्रोक्तमशेषगुणसंयुतम् । सर्वेषां शिवभक्तानां तत्पुरं परिकीर्तितम्
It is called Rudra's realm, endowed with all virtues; that city is renowned as belonging to all devotees of Shiva.
रुद्रक्षेत्रे मृतानां च जंगमस्थावरात्मनाम् । अप्येकदिवसं भक्त्या यः पूजयति शंकरम्
For those who die in Rudra's sacred field, whether moving or unmoving beings, even if one worships Shankara with devotion for a single day—
सोपि याति शिवस्थानं किं पुनर्बहुशोर्चयन् । वैष्णवा विष्णुभक्ताश्च विष्णुध्यानपरायणाः
He too attains Shiva's abode—how much more so for one who accumulates much; and the Vaishnavas, devotees of Vishnu, intent on meditation upon Vishnu—
तेपि गच्छंति वैकुंठे समीपं देवचक्रिणः । ब्रह्मवादी च धर्मात्मा ब्रह्मलोकं प्रयाति सः
They too go to Vaikuntha, near the Lord who wields the discus; and the one devoted to Brahman, righteous in soul, goes to Brahma's world.
पुण्यकर्ता सुपुण्येन पुण्यलोकं प्रयाति च । तस्मादीशे सदा भक्तिं भावयेदात्मनात्मनि
The doer of merit, by great merit, attains the world of the virtuous; therefore, one should always cultivate devotion to the Lord, with one's own self in the Self.
हरौ वापि महाराज युक्तात्मा ज्ञानवान्स्वयम् । तस्मात्सर्वविचारेण भावदोषविचारतः
Or to Hari, O great king, with a mind united and possessing knowledge; therefore, with all discernment, considering the faults of the mind—
एवं विष्णुप्रभावेण विशिष्टेनापि कर्मणा । नरः स्थानमवाप्येतदेशभावानुरूपतः
In this way, through the power of Viṣṇu and by distinguished action, a person attains a station corresponding to the nature of his deeds.
इत्येतदपरं प्रोक्तं श्रीमच्छिवपुरं महत् । देहिनां कर्मनिष्ठानां पुनरावर्त्तकं स्मृतम्
Thus, this other great and glorious city of Śiva has been described; it is said to be a place of return for embodied beings devoted to action.
ऊर्ध्वं शिवपुराज्ज्ञेयं वैष्णवं लोकमुत्तमम् । वैष्णवा मानवा यांति विष्णुध्यानपरायणाः
Above Śivapura, one should know, is the supreme Vaiṣṇava world; those devoted to meditation on Viṣṇu, being Vaiṣṇavas, reach there.
ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मलोकं तु सदाचारा नरोत्तमाः । प्रयांति यज्विनः सर्वे पुरीं तां तत्त्वकोविदाः
Brahmins of noble conduct attain Brahmaloka, and all those who perform sacrifices, being wise in truth, reach that city.
ऐंद्रं लोकं तथा यांति क्षत्रिया युद्धशालिनः । अन्ये च पुण्यकर्त्तारः पुण्यलोकान्प्रयांति ते
Likewise, Kṣatriyas skilled in battle attain the world of Indra, and others who perform meritorious deeds reach the worlds of merit.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने पितृतीर्थे ययातिचरिते एकोनसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixty-ninth chapter in the story of Vena, at the Pitṛtīrtha, in the account of Yayāti, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
मातलिरुवाच- यमपीडां प्रवक्ष्यामि महातीव्रां सुदारुणाम् । भुंजंति पापिनः सर्वे क्रूरास्ते ब्रह्मघातकाः
Mātali said: I will now describe the exceedingly intense and dreadful torment of Yama, which all cruel sinners and slayers of Brahmins experience.
क्वचित्पापाः प्रपच्यंते तीव्रेण करिषाग्निना । क्वचित्सिंहैर्वृकैर्व्याघ्रैर्दंशैः कीटैश्च दारुणैः
In some places, sinners are roasted by a fierce fire of cow dung; elsewhere, they are bitten by lions, wolves, tigers, and terrible insects.
क्वचिन्महाजलौकोभिः क्वचिदाजगरैः पुनः । मक्षिकाभिश्च रौद्राभिः क्वचित्सर्पैर्विषोल्बणैः
In some places, by great leeches, in others by pythons again, and by fierce flies, and in some places by venomous snakes.
मत्तमातंगयूथैश्च बलोत्कृष्टैः प्रमाथिभिः । पंथानमुल्लिखद्भिश्च तीक्ष्णशृंगमहावृषैः
By herds of intoxicated elephants, powerful and destructive, and by great bulls with sharp horns blocking the path.
महाशृंगैश्च महिषैर्दुष्टगात्रप्रबाधकैः । डाकिनीभिश्च रौद्राभिर्विकरालैश्च राक्षसैः
By buffaloes with great horns, tormenting with wicked bodies, by fierce ḍākinīs and terrifying rākṣasas.
व्याधिभिश्च महाघोरैः पीड्यमाना व्रजंति ते । महातुलां समारूढा दह्यमाना दवानले
Afflicted by dreadful diseases, they proceed, mounted on a great balance, while being burned in a forest fire.
महावेगप्रधूतास्ते महाचंडेन वायुना । महापाषाणवर्षेण भिद्यमानाश्च सर्वतः
Driven by a violent and terrible wind, they are struck everywhere by a great shower of stones.
पतद्भिर्वज्रनिर्घोषैरुल्कापातैश्च दारुणैः । प्रदीप्तांगारवर्षेण हन्यमाना व्रजंति ते
Struck by the thunderous noise of falling thunderbolts and dreadful showers of meteors, and by a rain of burning coals, they proceed.
महता पांसुवर्षेण पूर्यमाणा यमं गताः । ये नराः पापकर्माणः पापं भुंजंति दारुणम्
Filled by a great rain of dust, those men of evil deeds who have reached Yama suffer terrible punishment.
एवं पापविशेषेण पापिष्ठाः पापकारकाः । नरकं प्रतिभुंजंति बहुपीडासमाकुलम्
Thus, due to particular sins, the most sinful perpetrators of evil experience hell, filled with manifold torments.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं विवेकं पुण्यपापयोः । अन्यत्किं ते प्रवक्ष्यामि धर्मशास्त्रमनुत्तमम्
All this has been explained to you—the distinction between merit and sin; what else shall I tell you, O best of men, from the supreme Dharmaśāstra?
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने पितृतीर्थवर्णने ययातिचरिते सप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the seventieth chapter in the story of Vena, in the description of Pitṛtīrtha, in the account of Yayāti, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
ययातिरुवाच- यत्त्वया सर्वमाख्यातं धर्माधर्ममनुत्तमम् । शृण्वतोऽथ मम श्रद्धा पुनरेव प्रवर्तते
Yayāti said: All that you have explained to me, the highest truths of righteousness and unrighteousness—hearing this, my faith is once again awakened.
देवानां लोकसंस्थानां वद संख्याः प्रकीर्तिताः । यस्य पुण्यप्रसंगेन येन प्राप्तं च मातले
Tell me, what are the enumerated realms of the gods? By whose merit are they attained, and who, O Mātali, has reached them?
मातलिरुवाच- योगयुक्तं प्रवक्ष्यामि तपसा यदुपार्जितम् । देवानां लोकसंस्थानं सुखभोगप्रदायकम्
Mātali said: I will explain, united with yoga, that which is gained through austerity—the realms of the gods, which grant enjoyment and happiness.
धर्मभावं प्रवक्ष्यामि आयासैरर्जितं पृथक् । उपरिष्टाच्च लोकानां स्वरूपं चाप्यनुक्रमात्
I will describe the nature of righteousness, which is attained through effort, and also, in order, the forms of the higher worlds.
तत्राष्टगुणमैश्वर्यं पार्थिवं पिशिताशिनाम् । तस्मात्सद्यो गतानां च नराणां तत्समं स्मृतम्
There, the royal power of flesh-eaters is eightfold; thus, for men who have just departed, it is considered equal to that.
रक्षसां षोडशगुणं पार्थिवानां च तद्विधम् । एवं निरवशेषं च यच्छेषं कुलतेजसाम्
Among the Rākṣasas, it is sixteenfold, and likewise for kings; and so, without exception, whatever remains is the glory of noble lineages.