पुलस्त्य उवाच। अहं ते कथयिष्यामि सर्वमेतदशेषतः। यच्छ्रुत्वा न पुनर्मोहं यास्यते नृपसत्तम
Pulastya said: I will tell you everything in full. Hearing this, O best of kings, you will never again fall into delusion.
येन जायेत प्रेतत्वं येन चास्मात्प्रमुच्यते। प्राप्नोति नरकं घोरं दुस्तरं त्रिदशैरपि
By what cause one becomes a ghost, and by what means one is freed from it—he attains a dreadful hell, hard to cross even for the gods.
सतां संभाषणे चैव पुण्यतीर्थानुकीर्त्तने। मानवास्तु प्रमुच्यंत आपन्नाः प्रेतयोनिषु
Through conversation with the virtuous and recounting holy places, people who have fallen into ghostly births are freed.
श्रूयते हि पुरा भीष्म ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः। पृथुस्सर्वत्र विख्यातः संतोषे च सदा स्थितः
It is heard, O Bhīṣma, that formerly there was a Brahmin of strict vows, renowned everywhere, always established in contentment.
स्वाध्याययुक्तो गेहेषु नित्ययोगश्च योगवित्। जपयज्ञविधानेन युक्तं कालं क्षिपेच्च सः
Engaged in self-study in his home, always devoted to yoga and knowledgeable in its practice, he spent his time performing recitation and sacrifice.
युक्तः क्षमादयाभ्यां च क्षांत्यायुक्तश्च तत्त्ववित्। अहिंसाहितचित्तश्च मार्द्दवे च तथास्थितः
Endowed with patience and compassion, established in forgiveness and knowledge of truth, his mind was fixed on nonviolence and gentleness.
ब्रह्मचर्यसमायुक्तस्तपोयोगसमन्वितः। युक्तः स पितृकार्येषु युक्तो वैदिककर्मसु
Engaged in celibacy, endowed with ascetic discipline and yoga, he is diligent in ancestral rites and attentive to Vedic rituals.
परलोकभयेयुक्तो युक्तस्सत्यवचः प्रति। युक्तो मधुरवाक्येषु युक्तश्चातिथिपूजने
Motivated by fear of the next world, steadfast in truthfulness, gentle in speech, and devoted to honoring guests.
इष्टापूर्तसमायुक्तो युक्तो द्वंद्वविवर्जने। स्वकर्मविधिसंयुक्तो युक्तः स्वाध्यायकर्मसु
Fulfilled in acts of charity and sacrifice, free from dualities, devoted to his prescribed duties, and diligent in self-study.
एवं कर्माणि कुर्वंतस्संसारविजिगीषया। बहून्यब्दान्यतीतानि ब्राह्मणस्य गृहे सतः
Thus performing actions with the desire to overcome worldly existence, many years passed while he lived as a householder Brahmin.
तस्य बुद्धिरियं जाता तीर्थाभिगमनं प्रति। पुण्यैस्तीर्थजलैरेतत्क्लिन्नं कुर्यां कलेवरम्
Then this thought arose in his mind regarding pilgrimage: 'Let me sanctify this body, soaked with the holy waters of sacred places.'
प्रयतः पुष्करे स्नात्वा भास्करस्योदयं प्रति। कृतजप्यनमस्कारोप्यद्ध्वानं प्रत्यपद्यत
Having bathed at Pushkara with pure intent at sunrise, having completed his recitations and salutations, he set out on his journey.
अग्रतः पंचपुरुषानपश्यत्सोति भीषणान्। वने कंटकवृक्षाढ्ये निर्जने पक्षिवर्जिते
Ahead, he saw five men, terrifying in appearance, in a forest thick with thorny trees, deserted and devoid of birds.
तान्दृष्ट्वा विकृताकारान्सुघोरान्पापदर्शनान्। ईषत्संत्रस्तहृदयो व्यतिष्ठन्निश्चलाकृतिः
Seeing them—deformed, extremely fierce, dreadful to behold—his heart was slightly shaken, yet he stood firm and unmoving.
अवलंब्य ततो धैर्य्यं भयमुत्सृज्य दूरतः। पप्रच्छ मधुराभाषी के यूयं विकृताः कुतः
Then, gathering his courage and casting off fear from afar, he spoke sweetly: 'Who are you, so deformed, and from where do you come?
किं वा चैव कृतं कर्म ये नप्राप्ताश्च वैकृतम्। कथमेवंविधाः सर्वे प्रस्थिताः कुत्र चाध्वनि
And what deeds have you done, that you have not attained a better state? How is it that all of you are like this, and where are you headed on this path?
प्रेता ऊचुः। क्षुत्पिपासान्विता नित्यं महादुःखसमावृताः। हृतप्रज्ञा वयं सर्वे नष्टसञ्ज्ञाविचेतसः
The pretas said: 'We are always afflicted by hunger and thirst, surrounded by great suffering, our minds lost, our senses destroyed, and our awareness gone.'
न जानीमो दिशं चापि प्रदिशं चापि कां च न। नांतरिक्षं महीं चापि न जानीमो दिवं तथा
We do not know any direction, nor any region; we do not know the sky, nor the earth, nor even the heavens.
यदेतद्दुःखमाख्यातमेतदेव सुखं भवेत्। प्रभातमिदमाभाति भास्करोदयदर्शनात्
What you call suffering, for us, this would be happiness; now it appears to be morning, as we see the rising of the sun.
अहं पर्युषितो नाम सूचीमुखस्तथाऽपरः। शीघ्रगो रोहकश्चैव पंचमो लेखकस्तथा
I am called Paryuṣita; another is Sūcīmukha; there is Śīghraga, Rohaka, and the fifth is Lekhaka.
ब्राह्मण उवाच। प्रेतानां कर्मजातानां नाम्ना वै संभवः कुतः। किं तत्कारणमुद्दिश्य यतो यूयं सनामकाः
The Brahmin said: 'How is it that pretas, born of various deeds, have names? For what reason are you known by these names?
प्रेता ऊचुः। अहं स्वादु सदा भुंजे दद्यां पर्युषितं द्विजे। एतत्कारणमासाद्य नाम पर्युषितो मम
The pretas said: 'I always eat fresh food but give stale food to Brahmins; because of this, I am called Paryuṣita.'
सूचिता बहवोऽनेन विप्राश्चान्नाद्यकांक्षिणः। एतत्कारणमुद्दिश्य सूचीमुखाभिधो मतः
He has pricked many Brahmins who desired food; for this reason, he is known as Sūcīmukha.
शीघ्रं गतोऽस्मि विप्रेण याचितः क्षुधितेन च। एतत्कारणमुद्दिश्य शीघ्रगो द्विजसत्तम
I quickly went away when a hungry Brahmin begged me; for this reason, O best of Brahmins, I am called Śīghraga.
गृहोपरि सदा स्वादु भुंक्ते द्विजभयेन हि। उद्विग्नमानसस्तत्र तेनासौ रोहकः स्मृतः
He always eats delicious food atop the house, out of fear of Brahmins; his mind is anxious there, and thus he is called Rohaka.
मौने चापि स्थितो नित्यं याचितो विलिखन्महीम्। अस्माकमपि पापिष्ठो लेखको नाम नामतः
Remaining always silent, when begged, he scratches the earth; even among us, the most sinful is known by name as Lekhaka.
कृच्छ्रेण लेखको याति रोहकस्तु अवाक्शिराः। शीघ्रगः पंगुतां प्राप्तः सूची सूचीमुखोऽभवत्
With difficulty Lekhaka departs, while Rohaka goes head downward; Sūcī, swift-moving and crippled, became needle-faced.
पर्युषितो लम्बग्रीवो लंबोदर उदाहृतः। बृहद्वृषणलंबोष्ठः पापादस्मादजायत
Stale, with a hanging neck, and called Lambodara, broad-testicles and thick lips, from sin he was born thus.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातमात्मवृत्तं सहेतुकम्। पृच्छस्व यदि ते श्रद्धा पृष्टाश्च कथयामहे
All this has been told to you—my own story, with its causes; ask if you have faith, and when questioned, we shall speak.
ब्राह्मण उवाच। ये जीवा भुवि तिष्ठंति सर्वेप्याहारमूलकाः। युष्माकमपि चाहारं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः
The Brahmin said: All living beings dwelling on earth are sustained by food; I wish to hear, in truth, about your food as well.