क्षणात्तज्ज्ञानतां प्राप्य विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः । जगाद स महीपालं दुःखितं संशयान्वितम्
In a moment, attaining knowledge of the matter, his eyes wide with wonder, he spoke to the sorrowful, doubtful king.
शौनक उवाच। शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि हयस्तंभस्य कारणम् । यच्छ्रुत्वा मुच्यते दुःखादतिचित्रकथानकम्
Śaunaka said: Listen, O King, I will tell you the cause of the horse’s immobility; hearing this most astonishing tale, one is freed from sorrow.
गौडदेशे महारण्ये कावेरीतीरभूषिते । वाडवः सात्वको नाम्ना चचार परमं तपः
In the land of Gauḍa, in a great forest adorned by the banks of the Kaveri, there lived an ascetic named Sātvaka, who practiced supreme austerity.
एकाहं पयसः प्राशी दिनैकं वायुभक्षकः । दिनैकं तु निराहार एवं त्रिदिनमुन्नयेत्
For one day he subsisted on milk, for another day he lived on air alone, and for a third day he fasted entirely—thus he spent three days in this vow.
एवं व्रते प्रवृत्तस्य कालः सर्वक्षयंकरः । जग्राह स्वस्य दंष्ट्रायां मृतिं प्राप महाव्रती
While engaged in this vow, time, the destroyer of all, seized him in its jaws, and the great ascetic met his death.
विमाने सर्वशोभाढ्ये सर्वरत्नविभूषिते । अप्सरोभिः सह क्रीडन्ययौ मेरोः शिखास्थितौ
In a celestial chariot adorned with every splendor and all kinds of jewels, he played with apsarases and went to the summit of Mount Meru.
जंबूनाममहावृक्षस्तत्र सेव्यरसोऽभवत् । नदी जांबवती संज्ञा स्वर्णद्रवसमन्विता
There, a great Jambu tree yielded delightful sap, and the river called Jāmbavatī, filled with liquid gold, flowed nearby.
तस्यां मुनयइच्छाभिः क्रीडंते कुतुकान्विताः । अनेकतपसा पुण्याः सर्वसौख्यसमन्विताः
In that place, sages, by their own wish and full of curiosity, played; purified by many austerities, they enjoyed every happiness.
तत्रासौ स्वेच्छया क्रीडन्नप्सरोभिर्मुदान्वितः । प्रतीपमाचरत्तेषां स्वाभिमानमदोद्धतः
There, he, delighted, played freely with the apsarases, but, puffed up with pride, he behaved arrogantly toward them.
ततः शप्तः स मुनिभी राक्षसो भव दुर्मुखः । ततोऽतिदुःखितः प्राह मुनीन्विद्यातपोधनान्
Then, cursed by the sages, he was told, 'Become a demon, O foul-mouthed one!' Greatly distressed, he addressed those sages, rich in knowledge and austerity.
अनुगृह्णंतु मां सर्वे विप्रा यूयं कृपालवः । तदा तैरनुगृहीतो यदा रामहयं भवान्
'Have mercy on me, all of you compassionate brahmins!' he said. Then, granted their favor, they declared, 'When you become Rāma’s horse—'
स्तंभयिष्यति वेगेन ततो रामकथाश्रुतिः । पश्चान्मुक्तिर्भवित्री ते शापादस्मात्सुदारुणात्
'—and are forcefully restrained, then, upon hearing the story of Rāma, you will later be freed from this most terrible curse.'
स प्रोक्तो मुनिभिर्देवो राक्षसत्वमितः प्रभो । स्तंभयामास रामाश्वं मोचयानघकीर्तनैः
Thus addressed by the sages, the god took on the form of a demon; he immobilized Rāma’s horse, but was released by the chanting of sin-destroying hymns.
शेष उवाच। इति प्रोक्तं तु मुनिना संश्रुत्य परवीरहा । विस्मयं मानयामास हृदि शौनकमब्रवीत्
Śeṣa said: Thus, having heard the sage’s words, the destroyer of enemies was filled with wonder and, honoring him in his heart, spoke to Śaunaka.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। कर्मणो गहना वार्ता यया सात्वकनामधृत् । दिवं प्राप्तोऽपि महता कर्मणा राक्षसीकृतः
Śatrughna said: The ways of karma are deep indeed—how Sātvaka, even after attaining heaven through great deeds, was made a demon.
स्वामिन्वद महर्षे त्वं कर्मणां स्वगतिर्यथा । येन कर्मविपाकेन यादृशं नरकं भवेत्
Master, tell me, O great sage, how the course of actions leads to their results, and by what fruits of karma one attains which kind of hell.
शौनक उवाच। धन्योसि राघवश्रेष्ठ यत्ते मतिरियं शुभा । जानन्नपि हितार्थाय लोकानां त्वं ब्रवीषि भोः
Śaunaka said: Fortunate are you, best of the Raghus, whose mind is thus auspicious; though you know, you speak for the welfare of the world, O noble one.
कथयामि विचित्राणां कर्मणां विविधा गतीः । ताः शृणुष्व महाराज यच्छ्रुत्वा मोक्षमाप्नुयात्
I shall describe the various destinies of diverse actions; listen to them, O great king, by hearing which one may attain liberation.
परवित्तं परापत्यं कलत्रं पारकं च यः । बलात्कारेण गृह्णाति भोगबुद्ध्या च दुर्मतिः
Whoever, with evil intent, forcibly takes another's wealth, property, wife, or anything belonging to another for enjoyment—
कालपाशेन संबद्धो यमदूतैर्महाबलैः । तामिस्रे पात्यते तावद्यावद्वर्षसहस्रकम्
Bound by the noose of Time, seized by the mighty messengers of Yama, he is cast into Tāmīsra and remains there for a thousand years.
तत्र ताडनमुद्धूताः कुर्वंति यमकिंकराः । पापभोगेन संतप्तस्ततो योनिं तु शौकरीम्
There, the servants of Yama inflict severe beatings; tormented by the suffering of his misdeeds, he is then born in the womb of a sow.
तत्र भुक्त्वा महादुःखं मानुषत्वं गमिष्यति । रोगादिचिह्नितं तत्र दुर्यशो ज्ञापकं स्वकम्
Having endured great suffering there, he attains human birth, marked by disease and infamous signs that reveal his past.
भूतद्रोहं विधायैव केवलं स्वकुटुंबकम् । पुष्णाति पापनिरतः सोंऽधतामिस्रके पतेत्
One who, harming creatures, supports only his own family and is devoted to sin, falls into Andhatāmisra.
ये नरा इह जंतूनां वधं कुर्वंति वै मृषा । ते रौरवे निपात्यंते भिद्यंते रुरुभी रुषा
Those men who, here, kill living beings falsely are cast into Raurava, where they are torn apart in anger by Rurus.
यः स्वोदरार्थे भूतानां वधमाचरति स्फुटम् । महारौरवसंज्ञे तु पात्यते स यमाज्ञया
He who, for his own belly, openly slaughters creatures, is thrown by Yama's command into Mahāraurava.
यो वै निजं तु जनकं ब्राह्मणं द्वेष्टि पापकृत् । कालसूत्रे महादुष्टे योजनायुतविस्तृते
Whoever, being sinful, hates his own father or a brāhmaṇa is bound in the terrible Kālasūtra, stretching for ten thousand yojanas.
यावंति पशुरोमाणि गवां द्वेषं करोति यः । तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि पच्यते यमकिंकरैः
As many hairs as are on a cow, so many thousands of years is he cooked there by the servants of Yama, if he harbors hatred toward cows.
यो भूमौ भूपतिर्भूत्वा दंडायोग्यं तु दंडयेत् । करोति ब्राह्मणस्यापि देहदंडं च लोलुपः
A king who, being greedy, punishes someone deserving only a fine, or inflicts bodily punishment even on a brāhmaṇa—
स सूकरमुखैर्दुष्टैः पीड्यते यमकिंकरैः । पश्चाद्दुष्टासु योनीषु जायते पापमुक्तये
He is tormented by Yama's servants with faces like boars, and afterwards is born in evil wombs to be freed from sin.
ब्राह्मणानां गवां ये तु द्रव्यं वृत्तं तथाल्पकम् । वृत्तिं वा गृह्णते मोहाल्लुंपंति स्वबलान्नराः
Those men who, out of delusion, seize the wealth, livelihood, or even a little property of brāhmaṇas or cows by force—