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.
प्रेता ऊचुः। शृणुष्वाहारमस्माकं सर्वसत्वविगर्हितम्। यच्छ्रुत्वा निंदसे विप्र भूयोभूयश्च नित्यशः
The Pretas said: Hear our food, despised by all creatures; upon hearing it, O Brahmin, you will reproach us again and again, always.
श्लेष्ममूत्रपुरीषेण योषिदङ्गमलेन च। गृहाणि त्यक्तशौचानि प्रेता भुंजंति तत्र वै
Pretas eat in houses abandoned by cleanliness, with phlegm, urine, excrement, and women's bodily filth.
स्त्रीभिर्दग्धानि कीर्णानि प्रकीर्णोच्छिष्टकानि च। मलेनापि जुगुप्स्यानि प्रेता भुंजंति तत्र वै
Pretas eat what is burned by women, scattered, and mixed with leftovers, even what is disgusting with filth.
चित्तलज्जाविहीनानि होमहीनानि यानि च। व्रतैश्चैव विहीनानि प्रेता भुंजंति तत्र वै
Pretas eat what lacks purity of mind and modesty, what is devoid of offerings, and what is without vows.
गुरवो नैव पूज्यंते स्त्रीजितानि गृहाणि च। क्रोधलोभगृहीतानि प्रेता भुंजंति तत्र वै
Pretas eat in houses where elders are not honored, where women have conquered, and where anger and greed prevail.
त्रपा मे जायते तात कथ्यमाने स्वभोजने। अस्मात्परतरं चान्यन्न वक्तुमपि शक्यते
Shame arises in me, dear one, as I speak of my own food; it is not possible to speak of anything worse than this.
निवृत्तिं प्रेतभावस्य पृच्छामस्त्वां दृढव्रत। यथा न भवति प्रेतस्तन्मे वद तपोधन
We ask you, steadfast in vows, about the cessation of the preta state; tell us, O possessor of austerity, how one does not become a preta.
ब्राह्मण उवाच। एकरात्र द्विरात्रादि कृच्छ्रचांद्रायणदिभिः। व्रतैरन्यैः कृतैर्नित्यं न प्रेतो जायते नरः
The Brahmin said: By performing vows such as ekarātra, dvirātra, kṛcchra, cāndrāyaṇa, and others regularly, a man does not become a preta.
त्रीनग्नीन्पञ्च चैकं वा योऽहन्यहनि सेवते। स वै भूतदयापन्नो न प्रेतो जायते नरः
He who daily serves three fires, five, or even one, and is endowed with compassion for beings, does not become a preta.
तुल्यो मानेऽपमाने च तुल्यः कांचनलोष्टयोः। तुल्यः शत्रौ च मित्रे च न प्रेतो जायते नरः
He who is equal in honor and dishonor, equal regarding gold and clay, equal towards enemy and friend, does not become a preta.