सिंहव्याघ्रैस्तथा चान्यैः पतिता नष्टचेतनाः
There, they fell, losing consciousness, attacked by lions, tigers, and other beasts.
ततः सोऽपि महीपालः क्षुत्पिपासासमाकुलः
Then that king too was overwhelmed by hunger and thirst.
कांतारस्यांतमन्विच्छन्प्रेरयामास तं हयम् ६.१७.
Seeking the end of the wilderness, he sent the horse ahead.
ततः स नृपतिस्तेन वायुवेगेन वाजिना
Then, with that horse driven by the force of the wind, the king pressed on.
एवं तस्य नरेन्द्रस्य कांदिशीकेऽनवस्थिते
Thus, as the king wandered aimlessly in that desolate region,
सूत उवाच ततः सोऽपि महीपालः क्षुत्पिपासासमाकुलः
Sūta said: Then that king too was overwhelmed by hunger and thirst.
अथाऽपश्यद्वियत्स्थानात्स त्रीन्प्रेतान्सु दारुणान्
Then, from the sky, he saw three terrifying spirits.
तान्दृष्ट्वा भयसंत्रस्तो विशेषेण स भूपतिः
Seeing them, the king was seized by great fear.
के यूयं विकृताकारा मया दृष्टा न कर्हिचित्
"Who are you, with such strange forms? I have never seen you before."
विदूरथो नरेन्द्रोऽहं क्षुत्पिपासातिपीडितः
"I am King Vidūratha, tormented by severe hunger and thirst."
ततस्तेषां तु यो ज्येष्ठो मांसादः प्रत्युवाच तम् ॥ कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा विनयावनतः स्थितः
Then, the eldest among them, the one called Māṃsāda, with joined palms and head bowed in respect, replied to him:
वयं प्रेता महाराज निवसामोऽत्र कानने
"We are spirits, O great king, dwelling here in this forest."
अहं मांसादकोनाम द्वितीयोऽयं विदैवतः
"I am called Māṃsāda; this second one is Vidaivata."
किमेतत्कारणं येन सर्वे यूयं स्वनामकाः
"What is the reason that all of you bear such names?"
तच्छ्रुत्वा प्राह मांसादः कर्मनामानि पार्थिव ॥ मिथः कृतानि संज्ञार्थमस्माभिः स्वयमेव हि । ६.१८.
Hearing this, the eater of flesh, O king, spoke: We ourselves have given these actions their names, each for the sake of distinction.
शृणुष्वाऽवहितो भूत्वा सर्वेषां नः पृथक्पृथक्
Listen attentively as I tell you, one by one, the actions of us all.
वयं हि ब्राह्मणा जात्या वैदिशाख्ये पुरे नृप
We were born as Brahmins, O king, in the city called Vaidiśā.
नास्तिका भिन्नमर्यादाः परदाररताः सदा
We were heretics, without proper conduct, always indulging with the wives of others.
जिह्वालौल्यप्रसंगेन मया भुक्तं सदाऽऽमिषम्
Because of greed of the tongue, I always consumed meat.
द्वितीयोऽयं महाराज यस्तिष्ठति तवाऽग्रतः
This second one, O great king, who stands before you,
तेन कर्मविपाकेन प्रेतयोनिं समाश्रितः
Because of the result of his actions, he has taken birth in the realm of the departed.
सदैवाऽनुष्ठिताऽनेन सुपापेन कृतघ्नता
He always practiced great sin, namely ingratitude.
राजोवाच आहारेण नृलोकेऽस्मिन्सर्वे जीवन्ति जन्तवः
The king said: By food, all creatures in this world of men live.
भोज्यकाले गृहे यत्र स्त्रीणां युद्धं प्रवर्तते । अपि मन्त्रौषधीप्रायं प्रेता भुंजति तत्र हि
Where, at mealtime in a house, women quarrel, there, even if mantras or medicines are used, the departed feed.
भुज्यते यत्र भूपाल वेंश्वदेवं विना नरैः ६.१८.
Where food is eaten by people without offering to the household deities, O king,
रात्रौ यत्क्रियते श्राद्धं दानं वा पर्ववर्जितम्
Where a śrāddha or gift is performed at night, or on a forbidden day,
यस्मिन्नो मार्जनं हर्म्ये क्रियते नोपलेपनम्
Where, in a house, cleaning is done but no smearing (with cow dung, etc.) is performed,
भिन्नभाण्डपरित्यागो यत्र न क्रियते गृहे
Where, in a house, broken vessels are not discarded,
यच्छ्राद्धं दक्षिणाहीनं क्रियाहीनं च वा नृप
Where a śrāddha is performed without a gift, or without proper rites, O king,
हीनांगा ह्यधिकांगा वा यस्मिञ्च्छ्राद्धे द्विजातयः
Where, at a śrāddha, twice-born men are present who are either deficient or excessive in limbs,