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.
देवताऽतिथिपूजासु गुरुपूजासु नित्यशः। रतो वै पितृपूजासु न प्रेतो जायते नरः
He who is always devoted to worship of deities, guests, and teachers, and delights in honoring ancestors, does not become a preta.
शुक्लांगारकसंयुक्ता चतुर्थी जायते यदा। श्रद्धया श्राद्धकृत्तस्यां न प्रेतो जायते नरः
When the fourth lunar day falls with both white and red marks, one who performs śrāddha with faith on that day does not become a preta.
जितक्रोधविमर्शोयस्तृष्णासंगविवर्जितः। क्षमावान्दानशीलश्च न प्रेतो जायते नरः
A man who has conquered anger and deliberates, who is free from thirst and attachment, who possesses forgiveness and is inclined to giving, does not become a preta.
गोब्राह्मणांश्च तीर्थानि पर्वतांश्च नदीस्तथा। देवांश्चैव तु यो वन्द्यान्न प्रेतो जायते नरः
He who reveres cows, Brahmins, sacred places, mountains, rivers, and the worthy gods, does not become a preta.
प्रेता ऊचुः। श्रुताश्च विविधा धर्माः पृच्छामो दुःखिता मुने। येन वै जायते प्रेतस्तन्नो वद महामते
The pretas said: We have heard various teachings of dharma; O sage, we ask you, afflicted with sorrow, by what cause does one become a preta? Tell us, O wise one.
ब्राह्मण उवाच। शूद्रान्नेन तु भुक्तेन ब्राह्मणेन विशेषतः। म्रियते ह्युदरस्थेन स वै प्रेतो भवेन्नरः
The Brahmin said: When a Brahmin, especially, eats food given by Shudras, and dies with that food in his belly, he indeed becomes a preta.
मातरं पितरं भ्रातॄन्भगिनीं सुतमेव च। अदृष्टदोषांस्त्यजति स प्रेतो जायते नरः
A man who abandons his mother, father, brothers, sister, or son, without perceiving any fault in them, becomes a preta.
अयाज्ययाजनाच्चैव याज्यस्य च विवर्जनात्। रतो वै शूद्रसेवासु स प्रेतो जायते नरः
By performing forbidden sacrifices, or neglecting prescribed sacrifices, and by delighting in service to Shudras, a man becomes a preta.
न्यासापहर्ता मित्रध्रुक्शूद्रपाकरतः सदा। विस्रंभघाती कूटस्थः स प्रेतो जायते नरः1.32.
One who steals deposits, betrays friends, always delights in Shudra food, destroys trust, or is deceitful, becomes a preta.
ब्रह्महा गोघ्नकः स्तेनः सुरापो गुरुतल्पगः। भूमिकन्यापहर्त्ता च स प्रेतो जायते नरः
A killer of a Brahmin, a killer of a cow, a thief, a drinker of liquor, one who violates the teacher's bed, or one who abducts land or a maiden, becomes a preta.