तदा ददर्श राजानं जनकं द्वारिसंस्थितम् । विमानेन महापुण्यकारिणं दययायुतम्
Then, he saw King Janaka standing at the gate, in his celestial chariot, a doer of great merit, endowed with compassion.
तमुवाच प्रेतपतिर्जनकं सहसन्गिरा । राजन्कुतस्त्वं संप्राप्तः सर्वधर्मशिरोमणिः
The lord of the dead spoke to Janaka with gentle words: 'O king, how have you come here, you jewel among upholders of all righteousness?'
एतत्स्थानं पातकिनां दुष्टानां प्राणघातिनाम् । नायांति पुरुषा भूप त्वादृशाः पुण्यकारिणः
'This is the place of sinners, the wicked, and those who take life; men like you, O king, who perform meritorious deeds, do not come here.'
अत्रायांति नरास्ते वै ये परद्रोहतत्पराः । परापवादनिरताः परद्रव्यपरायणाः
'Here come those men who are intent on harming others, who delight in slander, and who are devoted to the wealth of others.'
यो वै कलत्रं धर्मिष्ठं निजसेवापरायणम् । अपराधादृते जह्यात्सनरोऽत्र समाव्रजेत्
'If a man, except for a fault, abandons his virtuous wife who is devoted to his service, he surely comes here.'
मित्रं वञ्चयते यस्तु धनलोभेन लोभितः । आगत्यात्र नरः पीडां मत्तः प्राप्नोति दारुणाम्
'He who deceives a friend, driven by greed for wealth, comes here and suffers terrible torment from me.'
यो रामं मनसा वाचा कर्मणा दंभतोऽपि वा । द्वेषाद्वाचोपहासाद्वा न स्मरत्येव मूढधीः
'He who, out of delusion, does not remember Rama in mind, word, or deed—even out of hypocrisy, hatred, or mockery—'
तं बध्नामि पुनस्त्वेषु निक्षिप्य श्रपयामि च । यैः स्मृतो न रमानाथो नरकक्लेशवारकः
'I bind him again, cast him among these, and make him suffer; for those by whom the Lord of Rama is not remembered are barred from the torments of hell.'
तावत्पापं मनुष्याणामंगेषु नृप तिष्ठति । यावद्रामं न रसना गृणाति कलि दुर्मतेः
O King, sin remains upon the bodies of men for as long as their tongues do not utter the name of Rama in this age of Kali, corrupted by evil minds.
महापापकरा राजन्ये भवंति महामते । तानानयंति मद्भृत्यास्त्वादृशान्द्रष्टुमक्षमाः
O wise one, rulers become perpetrators of great sins; my servants bring such people, unable to bear even the sight of them.
तस्माद्गच्छ महाराज भुंक्ष्व भोगाननेकशः । विमानवरमारुह्य भुंक्ष्व पुण्यमुपार्जितम्
Therefore, O great king, go and enjoy many pleasures; ascend the excellent celestial vehicle and partake of the merit you have earned.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्यध र्मराजस्य तत्पतेः । उवाच धर्मराजानं करुणापूरपूरितः
Hearing these words from the lord of Dharma, the king responded, his heart filled with compassion.
जनक उवाच। अहं गच्छामि नो नाथ जीवानामनुकम्पया । मदंगवायुना ह्येते सुखं प्राप्ताः स्म संस्थिताः
Janaka said: I will not depart, O Lord, out of compassion for the living; by the breath of my body, these beings have attained happiness and remain settled.
एतान्मुंचसि चेद्राजन्सर्वान्वै निरयस्थितान् । ततो गच्छामि सुखितः स्वर्गं पुण्यजनाश्रितम्
If you release all these beings, O King, who dwell in hell, then I will joyfully go to heaven, the refuge of the virtuous.
जाबालिरुवाच। इति वाक्यमथाश्रुत्य जनकं प्रत्युवाच सः । प्रत्येकं निर्दिशञ्जीवान्निरयस्थाननेकशः
Jabali said: Hearing these words, he replied to Janaka, indicating each of the many beings residing in hell.
धर्म उवाच। अयं मित्र कलत्रं वै विश्वस्तमनुजग्मिवान् । तस्मादेनं लोहशंकौ वर्षायुतमपीपचम्
Dharma said: This one followed his friend and wife with trust; therefore, let him be roasted in an iron cauldron for ten thousand years.
पश्चादेनं सूकराणां योनौ निक्षिप्य दोषिणम् । मानुषेष्ववतार्योऽयं षंढचिह्नेन चिह्नितः
Afterwards, let this sinner be cast into the womb of swine; then, let him be reborn among humans, marked with the sign of a eunuch.
अनेन परदाराश्च बलादालिगिता मुहुः । तस्मादयं पच्यतेऽत्र रौरवे शतहायनम्
This one repeatedly seized the wives of others by force; therefore, he is cooked here in the hell called Raurava for a hundred years.
अयं तु परकीयं स्वं मुषित्वा बुभुजे कुधीः । तस्मादस्य करौ छित्त्वा पचेयं पूयशोणिते
This wicked one, having stolen another's property, enjoyed it as his own; therefore, his hands should be cut off and he should be cooked in pus and blood.
अयं सायंतने प्राप्तमतिथिं क्षुधयार्दितम् । वाण्यापि नाकरोत्तस्य पूजनं स्वागतं न च
This one, when a guest arrived in the evening afflicted by hunger, did not offer him even a word, nor did he provide hospitality or welcome.
तस्मादयं पातनीयस्तामिस्रेंधनपूरिते । भ्रमरैः पीडितो यातु यातनां शतहायनम्
Therefore, let him be thrown into the hell Tāmisra, filled with burning fuel, tormented by bees, and suffer punishment for a hundred years.
अयं तावत्परस्योच्चैर्निंदां कुर्वन्नलज्जितः । अयमप्यशृणोत्कर्णौ प्रेरयन्बहुशस्तु ताम्
This one, shamelessly, uttered harsh criticism of others; and this one, repeatedly listened to it, urging his ears to hear it often.
तस्मादिमावंधकूपे पतितौ दुःखदुःखितौ । अयं मित्रध्रुगुद्विग्नः पच्यते रौरवे भृशम्
Therefore, let these two fall into a dark pit, suffering intense pain; this betrayer of friends, distressed, is cooked severely in Raurava.
तस्मादेतान्पापभोगान्कारयित्वा विमोचये । त्वं गच्छ नरशार्दूल पुण्यराशिविधायकः
Therefore, after causing them to experience the fruits of their sins, I will release them; you, O tiger among men, go forth, creator of a heap of merit.
जाबालिरुवाच। एवं स निर्दिशञ्जीवांस्तूष्णीमासाघकारिणः । प्रोवाच रामभक्तोऽसौ करुणापूरितेक्षणः
Jabali said: Thus, indicating the sinful beings, he sat in silence; then, the devotee of Rama, his eyes filled with compassion, spoke.
जनक उवाच। कथं निरयनिर्मुक्तिर्जीवानां दुःखिनां भवेत् । तदाशु कथय त्वं वै यत्कृत्वा सुखमाप्नुयुः
Janaka said: How can liberation from hell be attained for these suffering beings? Tell me quickly what should be done so that they may obtain happiness.
धर्म उवाच। नैभिराराधितो विष्णुर्नैभिस्तस्य कथाः श्रुताः । कथं निरयनिर्मुक्तिर्भवेद्वै पापकारिणाम्
Dharma said: Vishnu is not pleased by them, nor have they heard his stories; how then can there be release from hell for those who commit evil deeds?
यदि त्वं मोचयस्येतान्महापापकरानपि । तर्ह्यर्पय महाराज पुण्यं तत्कथयामि यत्
If you wish to free even these great sinners, O King, then offer the merit you have gained; I will tell you what that is.
एकदा प्रातरुत्थाय शुद्धभावेन चेतसा । ध्यातः श्रीरघुनाथोऽसौ महापापहराभिधः
Once, rising early in the morning with a pure heart, you meditated upon glorious Raghunatha, who is known as the remover of great sins.
रामरामेति यच्चोक्तं त्वया शुद्धेन चेतसा । तत्पुण्यमर्पयैतेभ्यो येन स्यान्निरयाच्च्युतिः
That merit which you gained when you uttered 'Rama, Rama' with a pure mind—offer that to these, by which they may fall away from hell.