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.
सुकर्मोवाच- एवमुक्त्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठ मौनवान्मातलिस्तदा । राजानं धर्मतत्त्वज्ञं ययातिं नहुषात्मजम्
Sukarman said: Having spoken thus, O best of twice-born, Mātali then became silent; and the king Yayāti, son of Nahusha, knower of the essence of dharma—
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने मातापितृतीर्थवर्णने ययातिचरित्रे एकसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the seventy-first chapter in the story of Yayāti, in the account of the holy places of mother and father, in the tale of Vena, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
पिप्पल उवाच- मातलेश्च वचः श्रुत्वा स राजा नहुषात्मजः । किं चकार महाप्राज्ञस्तन्मे विस्तरतो वद
Pippala said: Having heard the words of Mātali, what did that wise king, the son of Nahusha, do? Tell me that in detail.
सर्वपुण्यमयी पुण्या कथेयं पापनाशिनी । श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं प्राज्ञ नैव तृप्यामि सर्वदा
This story is full of all merit and destroys sin; I wish to hear it, O wise one, for I am never satisfied.
सुकर्मोवाच- सर्वधर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठो ययातिर्नृपसत्तमः । तमुवाचागतं दूतं मातलिं शक्रसारथिम्
Sukarman said: Yayāti, the best among all upholders of dharma, O best of kings, spoke to the messenger who had arrived, Mātali, the charioteer of Shakra.
ययातिरुवाच- शरीरं नैव त्यक्ष्यामि गमिष्ये न दिवं पुनः । शरीरेण विना दूत पार्थिवेन न संशयः
Yayāti said: I will not abandon my body, nor will I go to heaven again without my body, O messenger; there is no doubt for a king.
यद्यप्येवं महादोषाः कायस्यैव प्रकीर्तिताः । पूर्वं चापि समाख्यातं त्वया सर्वं गुणागुणम्
Even though many great faults of the body have been described, and you have previously explained to me all its merits and demerits—
नाहं त्यक्ष्ये शरीरं वै नागमिष्ये दिवं पुनः । इत्याचक्ष्व इतो गत्वा देवदेवं पुरंदरम्
Still, I will not abandon my body, nor will I go to heaven again; go from here and tell this to the god of gods, Purandara.
एकाकिना हि जीवेन कायेनापि महामते । नैव सिद्धिं प्रयात्येवं सांसारिकमिहैव हि
For, O wise one, even with body alone, a living being does not attain success when alone; such is the way of worldly existence here.
नैव प्राणं विना कायो जीवः कायं विना नहि । उभयोश्चापि मित्रत्वं नयिष्ये नाशमिंद्र न
The body does not exist without life, nor does the soul exist without the body; and I will not cause the destruction of the friendship between the two, O Indra.