सुदास इति नाम्नायं शूद्रो ऽभूत्पूर्वजन्मनि । कृतघ्नस्तेन पापेन प्राप्तोऽवस्थामिमां द्विज
In a previous birth, this person was a Shudra named Sudasa; because of that sin of ingratitude, he has attained this state, O twice-born.
अतिपापिनि धूर्ते च गुरुस्वाम्यहितेऽपि च । निष्कृतिर्विद्यते विप्र कृतघ्ने नास्ति निष्कृतिः
For the extremely sinful, the deceitful, and those hostile to teacher or master, atonement exists, O Brahmin; but for the ungrateful, there is no expiation.
नानानिरयसंघातं शरीरैर्यातना क्षमैः । अनुभूयतांत्ववस्थामंत्यामेतां गतो द्विज
Having reached this final state, O Brahmin, he experiences various hells, suffering torments with bodies capable of enduring pain.
अनेनान्नं सदा भुक्तमकृत्वा देवतार्चनम् । अदत्वा गुरुविप्रेभ्यस्तेनैवायं विदैवतः
He always ate food without worshipping the gods, and did not give to teachers or Brahmins; thus, he is called Vidaivata.
अयं दशसहस्राणां ग्रामाणामीश्वरो नृपः । हरिवीर इति ख्यातो नाम्नासीत्पूर्वजन्मनि
This one was lord of ten thousand villages, a king known by the name Harivira in a previous birth.
रोषाहंकारनास्तिक्यैर्गुर्वाज्ञालंघनोद्यतः । अकृत्वैव महायज्ञान्भुक्तवान्विप्र निंदकः
Driven by anger, pride, and disbelief, intent on violating the commands of his teachers, he ate without performing great sacrifices and reviled Brahmins.
कर्मणा तेन पापेन महानरकसंकटम् । अनुभूय ततः प्रेतो जातो नाम्ना विदैवतः
Because of that sinful deed, he endured the great torment of hell, and then was born as a preta, known by the name Vidaivata.
अवैशाखस्तृतीयोऽहं त्रयाणामपि पापकृत् । तेन मे कर्मजं नाम ब्राह्मणोऽहं व्यवस्थितः
I am the third, called Avaishakha, a doer of evil among the three; thus, by my karma, I am established as a Brahmin.
मध्यदेशे भवं नाम्ना गौतमो गोत्रतोऽप्यहम् । विप्रो वासपुरेवासी यज्वाऽऽसं पूर्वजन्मनि
In the Madhyadesha, I was known by the name Gautama and belonged to that lineage; I was a Brahmin living in Vasapura, a performer of sacrifices in a previous birth.
मया केवलमेवैकं श्रौतमार्गानुसारिणा । उद्दिश्य माधवं देवं न स्नातं मासि माधवे
I alone, following only the Vedic path, did not bathe in the month of Madhava with intent to worship the god Madhava.
न दत्तं न हुतं किंचिद्वैशाख्यां चाविशेषतः । नार्चितो मधुहा तत्र तोषिता न मनीषिणः
I gave nothing, offered no oblations, especially in the month of Vaishakha; I did not worship Madhusudana there, nor did I please the wise.
मणिकोदककुंभैश्च न दानैः पितृदेवताः । तर्पिता न तिला दत्ताः सक्षौद्राः श्रोत्रियेषु च
With jeweled water-pots, I did not satisfy the ancestors or gods by gifts; nor did I give sesame with honey to the learned.
न पुष्पफलतांबूल चंदन व्यजनांबरैः । विद्वांसो नार्चितास्तत्र पितृदैवततुष्टये
I did not honor the learned there with flowers, fruits, betel, sandalwood, fans, or garments for the satisfaction of ancestors and deities.
मया नैकापि वैशाखी पूर्णा पूर्णफल प्रदा । स्नानदानक्रियापूजा सुकृतैः परिपालिता
Not even one complete Vaishakha, fruitful in full merit, did I observe with bathing, giving, ritual, or worship, protected by good deeds.
तेन मे वैदिकं कर्म सर्वं चैव तु निष्फलम् । ततोऽवैशाखनामाहं प्रेतो जातोऽस्मि सर्वतः
Because of this, all my Vedic rituals have become fruitless; therefore, I have been born as a preta called Avaiśākha in every way.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं त्रयाणामपि कारणम् । त्वं नो भव समुद्धर्ता पापाद्विप्रोसि वै यतः
All this has been told to you, including the reason for all three; you must become our deliverer from sin, for you are indeed virtuous.
विमुक्तं ब्रह्मतीर्थं च साधवः परमं यतः । तारयंति महापापान्निरयेभ्योऽपि संश्रितान्
The sacred Brahma-tīrtha, being supremely pure, is where the noble ones rescue those who have taken refuge there from even the greatest sins and from hells.
गंगादि पुण्यतीर्थेषु यो नरः स्नाति सर्वदा । यः करोति सतां संगं तयोः सत्संगमो वरः
Among those who always bathe at holy places like the Ganga, and those who associate with the virtuous, the company of the good is superior.
अथवा मम पुत्रोऽस्ति धनशर्मेति विश्रुतः । तं गत्वा बोधय स्वामिन्नस्मदर्थे कृतोद्यमः
Or else, I have a son named Dhanaśarman, who is well known; go to him, O master, and inform him—let him make an effort for our sake.
कार्ये समुद्यमं कृत्वा परेषां समुपस्थिते । पुष्कलं फलमाप्नोति यज्ञदानक्रियाधिकम्
When one makes a determined effort for the benefit of others in their time of need, one obtains abundant fruit, greater than that of sacrifices, gifts, or rituals.
यम उवाच- प्रेतवाक्यं तदाकर्ण्य धनशर्माति दुःखितः । स तं जनकमाज्ञाय पतितं निरये निजम्
Yama said—Hearing the words of the preta, Dhanaśarman became extremely distressed, realizing that his own father had fallen into hell.
आत्मानमभितो निंदन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत् । धनशर्मोवाच- अहं तव सुतः स्वामिन्गौतमस्य निरर्थकः
Blaming himself deeply, he spoke these words: Dhanaśarman said—O master, I am your son, but useless to Gautama.
यस्तु पुत्रो न निस्तारं पितुः कुर्यादतंद्रितः । आत्मानं पावयेन्नासावदाता द्रव्यवानिति
A son who does not untiringly rescue his father cannot purify himself, even if he is wealthy.
धर्मो हि गहनो ज्ञेयः प्रयत्नेनापि धीमता । यथा मम पिता च त्वमिमां प्राप्तोसि दुर्गतिम्
Dharma is indeed profound and hard to know, even for the wise with effort, as my father and you have now come to this misfortune.
यदा च सुखसंतानं न मत्तः प्राप्तवानसि । लोकयोः सुखसंताने तथा स तनयो मतः
Since you did not obtain the continuity of happiness from me, so too, in both worlds, a son is considered the one who continues happiness.
द्वौ गुरू पुरुषस्येह पिता माता च धर्मतः । तयोरपि पिता श्रेयान्बीजप्राधान्यदर्शनात्
A person has two teachers here: father and mother, by righteousness; yet the father is superior, because of the primacy of the seed.
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि कथं तातगतिस्तव । धर्मतत्त्वं न जानामि संश्रयामि भवद्वचः
What shall I do, where shall I go, how can I change your condition, father? I do not know the true nature of dharma; I seek refuge in your words.
प्रेत उवाच- शृणु पुत्र वचः सत्यं भाविनोऽर्थस्य मे बलात् । अथ पुण्येन केनापि भवित्री सुगतिर्मम
The preta said—Listen, my son, to my true words about my future fate; perhaps, by some merit, I may attain a good destiny.
मया श्रौतानि कर्माणि कुर्वता किल गर्वतः । अनादृतं गुरुवचो गुरुस्तत्रावमानितः
While performing Vedic rites, I acted with pride; I disregarded the words of my teacher, and the teacher was insulted there.
गुरूणामपमानेन प्रहर्षक्रोधविस्मयैः । पुण्यानि क्षयमायांति यशांसीव हि दुर्नयैः
By disrespecting teachers, with delight, anger, or astonishment, merits are destroyed, just as fame is lost by bad conduct.