पिंगाक्षा रक्तकेशाश्च श्यामदेह नखाधराः । वामना दीर्घचरणा ह्रस्वनासाश्च दंतुराः
With tawny eyes, red hair, dark bodies, and protruding nails, they were short, with long feet, flat noses, and large teeth.
नीयतां नीयतामेष धर्मराजस्य शासनात् । पुरीं संयमनीमेवमूचिरे ते परस्परम्
"Let him be taken, let him be taken by the command of Dharmaraja to the city of Samyamanī!"—thus they spoke to each other.
इत्युक्त्वा यातना देहे मां निवेश्य महारुषा । निबध्य दारुणैः पाशैर्जघ्नुर्लोहस्य मुद्गरैः
Having said this, the tormentors, filled with great anger, bound me with cruel fetters, struck me with iron clubs, and placed me in a body of suffering.
तैरहं नीयमानस्तु मार्गे ह्युत्तप्तवालुके । अरुदं भृशदुःखार्तस्ताडितोऽहं पुनश्च तैः
Dragged by them along a path of burning sand, I cried out in intense pain, struck again and again by them.
प्रोचुश्च ते ध्रुवं कृत्वा निर्भर्त्स्येति च मां बहु । यमदूता ऊचुः । त्वया लुप्तो गुरुर्यस्माद्वदता ब्रह्म निश्चलम्
They rebuked me harshly, saying many things: The messengers of Yama spoke—"Because you have insulted your teacher, speaking unshakable Brahman, you have committed a grave offense."
किं करोषि यमस्याग्रे द्रष्टव्यं दारुणं मुखम् । तस्य पापस्य भोक्तव्यं दारुणस्य फलं त्वया
"What will you do before Yama? You must see his dreadful face. You must endure the terrible fruit of your sin."
तेनैव पाप्मना पापिन्नपमृत्युं गतो भवान् । इत्युक्त्वा मां मुहूर्तेन बहुयोजनसंस्थिताम्
"Because of that very sin, O sinner, you have met with untimely death." Having said this, in a moment they brought me to a place many yojanas away.
पुरीं संयमनीं निन्युर्यत्र राजा स्वयं यमः । प्रणम्य धर्मराजानं स्थापयित्वा तु मां पुरः
They led me to the city of Samyamanī, where King Yama himself resides. Having bowed to Dharmaraja, they placed me before him.
आनीतोऽयं द्विजः पाप इति मां ते न्यवेदयन् । दृष्ट्वा मां धर्मराजोऽथ प्रोवाच स्वसभासदः
"This twice-born is a sinner"—thus they reported me. Seeing me, Dharmaraja then spoke to his assembly.
यम उवाच- भो सभ्या मामकीं वाचं शृण्वंतु सुसमाहिताः । यदाहं ब्रह्मणा ह्यस्मिन्नधिकारे निवेशितः
Yama said: "O assembly, listen attentively to my words. When I was appointed to this office by Brahmā—"
तदा मामित्युवाचासौ ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । ब्रह्मोवाच- अधर्मिणां नराणां त्वं शास्ता संयमनीपतिः
"At that time, Brahmā, the Grandfather of the worlds, spoke to me: 'You are the ruler of Samyamanī, the punisher of unrighteous men.'"
यथापराधमाधत्स्व दंडं चंडकरात्मज । पित्रोरपोषको यस्तु समर्थो गुरुध्रुक्तु यः । एतौ महापातकिनौ निपात्यौ निरयेषु ते
"Impose punishment according to the offense, O son of Canda. Whoever neglects his parents or insults his teacher—these two are great sinners and must be cast into hell by you."
सर्वेषु यावद्वर्षाणां प्रत्येकमयुतं भवेत् । एतयोर्न त्वया कार्या दया जातु ककुप्पते
"For as many years as there are tens of thousands, let each of them suffer in all the hells. For these two, O lord of the southern quarter, you must never show mercy."
यम उवाच- इत्यहं ब्रह्मणो वाक्यात्स्वगुरुद्रुहि मानवे । न करोमि क्रियां सभ्यास्तथा पित्रोरपोषके
Yama said: "Thus, by the command of Brahmā, I do not perform rites for one who insults his teacher or neglects his parents, O assembly."
ब्राह्मणोऽयं गुरुद्रोही तद्द्रोहादपमृत्युताम् । प्राप्तो मच्छासनाद्भृत्यैरानीतो दर्शनाक्षमः
"This Brāhmaṇa is a betrayer of his teacher. Because of that betrayal, he has met with untimely death and, by my command, has been brought here by my servants, fit to be seen."
भो भृत्याः प्रथमं घोरे रौरवे वत्सरायुते । पात्यतां च पुनस्तस्मान्निःसार्य्यान्यत्र पात्यताम्
"O servants, first cast him into the terrible Raurava hell for ten thousand years; then, having brought him out, cast him elsewhere again."
तावंतमेव कालं वै पापोऽयं गुरुलोपकः । नरकेष्विति सर्वेषु यथाकालं स्थितं द्रुतम्
"For just so long, this sinner who has neglected his teacher shall remain in all the hells, each for the allotted time, swiftly."
मुकुंद उवाच- वेदायन गुरो स्वामिन्भृत्यास्ते यमशासनात् । नीत्वा मां रौरवे घोरे पाशैर्बध्वा न्यपातयन्
Mukunda said: "O Vedāyana, my teacher, lord, your servants, by the command of Yama, led me to the terrible Raurava hell, bound me with fetters, and cast me down."
तत्राहं तां व्यथां गुर्वी लब्धवानतिदारुणाम् । यथाकोऽपि क्षणस्तात नीतो मे युगवत्तदा
There, I endured that grievous and intense suffering, O dear one, so severe that even a single moment seemed to me like an age.
त्रिंशद्दिनानि तन्नीतं दुःखं मे तत्र तिष्ठता । एकत्रिंशतमे ह्यस्मिन्दिनेऽहं निर्गतस्तदा
For thirty days I remained there, bearing that pain; on the thirty-first day, I departed from that place.
पतितेष्वस्थिखंडेषु तीर्थेऽस्मिन्नुतमोत्तमे । गुरुलोपोद्भवं पापं सद्यो नष्टं ममाभवत
When I fell among the fragments of bones at this most excellent of sacred fords, the sin arising from neglect of my teacher was instantly destroyed.
तीर्थस्यास्य प्रसादेन लब्धा च स्वर्गतिर्मया । सुखं स्वर्गे निवत्स्यामि यावदिंद्राश्चतुर्दश
By the grace of this sacred place, I attained heaven; I shall dwell happily in heaven for as long as the fourteen Indras reign.
यमस्य नगरे तस्मिन्याः प्रजा निवसंति वै । पापिनां भयदायिन्यो धर्मिणां ता मनोहराः
In that city of Yama, the beings who dwell there are terrifying to sinners, but enchanting to the righteous.
सिंहास्या गजकोलास्या महादंष्ट्रोन्नतोदरीः । बिडालास्याः पिंगकेश्यो भामिन्यो दीर्घपत्कराः
With lion faces, elephant and boar faces, great fangs, swollen bellies, cat faces, tawny-haired, radiant, and with long hands.
तीर्थस्यास्य प्रसादेन निःपापोहं यदाभवम् । तदा मया प्रजा दृष्टा दिव्यरूपा यमालये
By the grace of this sacred ford, when I became free from sin, then I saw those beings in Yama's abode, possessing divine forms.
सर्वास्ताः सत्यवादिन्यो विनयाचारसंचिताः । दिव्याभरणधारिण्यो दिव्यांबरविभूषिताः
All of them spoke truthfully, were endowed with humility and good conduct, adorned with divine ornaments, and clothed in celestial garments.
इत्येतत्कथितं तात यत्पृष्टोऽहं त्वयानघ । अनुजानीहि मां गंतुममरेशपुरीं प्रति
Thus, O dear one, I have told you what you asked me; now permit me to go to the city of the Lord of the Immortals.
नारद उवाच- इत्याकर्ण्य स सन्यासी स्वशिष्योक्तं वचस्तदा । भूयः पप्रच्छ धर्मात्मा मुकुंदं तं द्विजं नृप
Nārada said: Hearing thus, the ascetic listened to his disciple's words, and then, righteous in soul, he questioned that twice-born Mukunda again, O king.
वेदायन उवाच- बाल्यावधि गुरुस्नेहं मत्तोऽधीतं त्वयाखिलम् । शब्दशास्त्रसमेतश्च वेदस्तु सपदक्रमः
Vedāyana said: From childhood you have learned all from me with the affection of a teacher, together with the science of words and the Veda in its entirety, with all its steps.
विहिता मम शुश्रूषा भावेन भवतोत्तमा । त्वयि संति सतां साधो गुणाः शमदमादयः
You have rendered the service due to me with devotion, O best of men; in you, O virtuous one, are found the qualities of the good, such as tranquility and self-restraint.