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.
गंधर्वाणां च वायव्यं याक्षं च सकलं स्मृतम् । पांचभौतिकमिंद्रस्य चत्वारिंशद्गुणं महत्
The realm of the Gandharvas is airy, and that of the Yakṣas is entirely so; the elemental realm of Indra is said to be fortyfold and great.
सोमस्य मानसं दिव्यं विश्वेशं पांचभौतिकम् । सौम्यं प्रजापतीशानामहंकारगुणाधिकम्
The mind-born, divine realm of Soma, the universal, elemental realm, the gentle realm of the lords of progeny, is endowed with the qualities of ego.
चतुष्षष्टिगुणं ब्राह्मं बौधमैश्वर्यमुत्तमम् । विष्णोः प्राधानिकं तंत्रमैश्वर्यं ब्रह्मणः पदम्
The Brāhma realm is sixty-fourfold, the supreme power of the Buddhas; the primary Tantric power of Viṣṇu is the station of Brahman.
श्रीमच्छिवपुरे दिव्ये ऐश्वर्यं सर्वकामिकम् । अनंतगुणमैश्वर्यं शिवस्यात्मगुणं महत्
In the splendid, divine city of Śiva is the all-desired power; the infinite greatness of Śiva is his own supreme quality.
आदिमध्यांतरहितं विशुद्धं तत्त्वलक्षणम् । सर्वावभासकं सूक्ष्ममनौपम्यं परात्परम्
It is without beginning, middle, or end, pure, marked by the essence of reality, illuminating all, subtle, incomparable, and beyond the highest.
सुसंपूर्णं जगद्वेषं पशुपाशाविमोक्षणम् । यो यत्स्थानमनुप्राप्तस्तस्य भोगस्तदात्मकः
It is perfectly complete, the form of the universe, the liberation from the bonds of creatures; each being enjoys the state it has attained.
विमानं तत्समानं च भवेदीशप्रसादतः । नानारूपाणि ताराणां दृश्यंते कोटयस्त्विमा
By the grace of the Lord, one attains a vehicle equal to that; the stars appear in countless forms and millions are seen here.
अष्टविंशतिरेवं ते संदीप्ताः सुकृतात्मनाम् । ये कुर्वंति नमस्कारमीश्वराय क्वचित्क्वचित्
Thus, there are twenty-eight shining [realms] for those of virtuous soul, who at various times offer salutations to the Lord.
संपर्कात्कौतुकाल्लोभात्तद्विमानं लभंति ते । नामसंकीर्तनाद्वापि प्रसंगेन शिवस्य यः
Through contact, curiosity, or desire, they attain that vehicle; or even by the mere utterance of Śiva's name, by chance.
कुर्याद्वापि नमस्कारं न तस्य विलयो भवेत् । इत्येता गतयस्तत्र महत्यः शिवकर्मणि
Even if one offers salutations, there is no destruction for him; such are the great destinies there, resulting from acts dedicated to Śiva.
कर्मणाभ्यंतरेणापि पुंसामीशानभावतः । प्रसंगेनापि ये कुर्युः शंकरस्मरणं नराः
Even without ritual action, if men remember Śaṃkara with a sense of lordship, or even incidentally, they attain [those realms].
तैर्लभ्यं त्वतुलं सौख्यं किं पुनस्तत्परायणैः । विष्णुचिंतां प्रकुर्वंति ध्यानेन गतमानसाः
By them, incomparable happiness is attained—how much more so by those devoted to that! Those who contemplate Viṣṇu, their minds absorbed in meditation.
ते यांति परमं स्थानं तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् । शैवं च वैष्णवं रूपमेकरूपं नरोत्तम
They attain the supreme abode, that highest place of Vishnu; the Shaiva and Vaishnava forms are one and the same, O best of men.
द्वयोश्च अंतरं नास्ति एकरूपमहात्मनोः । शिवाय विष्णुरूपाय शिवरूपाय विष्णवे
There is no difference between the two great souls of one form; to Shiva, who is of Vishnu's form, and to Vishnu, who is of Shiva's form.
शिवस्य हृदयं विष्णुर्विष्णोश्च हृदयं शिवः । एकमूर्तिस्त्रयो देवा ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः
Vishnu is the heart of Shiva, and Shiva is the heart of Vishnu; the three gods—Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara—are of one form.
त्रयाणामंतरं नास्ति गुणभेदाः प्रकीर्तिताः । शिवभक्तोसि राजेंद्र तथा भागवतोसि वै
There is no difference among the three; only distinctions of qualities are spoken of. You are a devotee of Shiva, O king, and likewise you are a devotee of Bhagavan.
तेन देवाः प्रसन्नास्ते ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः । सुप्रीता वरदा राजन्कर्मणस्तव सुव्रत
Therefore, the gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara are pleased; O king, steadfast in vows, they are well pleased and grant boons because of your deeds.
इंद्रादेशात्समायातः सन्निधौ तव मानद । ऐंद्रमेनं पदं याहि पश्चाद्ब्राह्मं महेश्वरम्
By Indra's command I have come into your presence, O giver of honor; go to the station of Indra, then afterwards to the Brahman and Maheshvara realms.
वैष्णवं च प्रयाहि त्वं दाहप्रलयवर्जितम् । अनेनापि विमानेन दिव्येन सर्वगामिना
Then you shall go to the Vaishnava realm, free from burning and dissolution, even by this divine vehicle that travels everywhere.
दिव्यमूर्तिरतो भुंक्ष्व दिव्यभोगान्मनोरमान् । समारुह्य विमानं त्वं पुष्पकं सुखगामिनम्
With a divine form, enjoy delightful heavenly pleasures; ascend this Pushpaka chariot, which moves with ease.