Varaha Purana

एकस्थानात्सदा यूयं प्रस्थिताः कुत्र वा सदा क्षुत्पिपासातुरा नित्यं बहुदुःखसमन्विताः

'You always remain in one place—where do you always go? Constantly afflicted by hunger and thirst, always accompanied by much suffering.'

दुर्बुद्ध्या च वृताः सर्वे हीनज्ञाना विचेतसः

'All of you are surrounded by poor understanding, lacking wisdom and discernment.'

नान्तरिक्षं महीं चापि जानीमो दिवसं तथा

'We do not know the sky, the earth, nor even the day.'

अप्रकाममिदं भाति भास्करोदयनं प्रति

'This journey towards the sunrise does not appear desirable.'

शीघ्रगो रोधकश्चैव पंचमो लेखकस्तथा प्रेतानां कर्मजातानां नाम्नां वै सम्भवः कुतः

'The swift one, the restrainer, and the fifth, the scribe—how could there be origin of names for the departed and their deeds?'

किं तत्कारणमेतद्धि यूयं सर्वे सनामकाः अहं स्वादु सदाश्नामि दद्मि पर्युषितं द्विजे

'What is the reason for this, that you are all nameless? I always eat what is fresh and give what is stale to the twice-born.'

एतत्कारणमुद्दिश्य नाम पर्युषितं द्विज

'Because of this reason, O twice-born, the name is 'giver of stale food.'

एतत्कारणमुद्दिश्य परः सूचीमुखस्ततः 174.

'Because of this reason, the next is called 'needle-pointed.'

एतत्कारणमुद्दिश्य शीघ्रगस्तेन सोच्यते

'Because of this reason, the swift one is so called.'

समारुह्योद्विग्नमना रोधकस्तेन चोच्यते

'Mounting up with an anxious mind, the restrainer is so called for that reason.'

अस्माकमपि पापिष्ठो लेखकस्तेन नाम वै

'Among us, the most sinful is the scribe, and for that reason he is so named.'

शीघ्रगः पङ्गुतां प्राप्तः परं सूचीमुखस्ततः

The swift one becomes lame, then extremely needle-faced.

बृहद्वृषणशुष्काङ्गः पापादेव प्रजायते

With large testicles and dried limbs, an evil one is born.

यदि ते श्रवणे श्रद्धा पृच्छ चान्यद्यदिच्छसि ये जीवा भुवि तिष्ठन्ति सर्व आहारजीविनः

If you have faith in hearing, ask whatever else you desire; all living beings on earth subsist on food.

युष्माकमपि चाहारं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः शृणु चाहारमस्माकं सर्वभूतदयापर

I wish to hear, in truth, about your food as well; listen to ours, O one devoted to compassion for all creatures.

यच्छ्रुत्वा निन्दसे नित्यं भूयो भूयश्च नित्यशः

That which, upon hearing, you constantly revile again and again, always.

गृहाणि त्यक्तशौचानि प्रेता भुञ्जन्ति तत्र वै

In houses abandoned by purity, the departed ones indeed partake there.

गुरवो नैव पूज्यन्ते स्त्रीजितानि गृहाणि च 174.

Teachers are not honored, nor are houses conquered by women.

नित्यं च कलहो यत्र प्रेता भुञ्जन्ति तत्र वै निन्दितानां द्विजातीनां जुगुप्सितकुलोद्भवे

Where there is constant quarrel, the departed ones partake there, among the reviled twice-born and those born in contemptible families.

जातानां विहितानां च दुष्कृतं कर्म कुर्वताम्

Of those born and established, who perform wicked deeds.

एतत्पापतरं चान्यद्भोजनं दुष्टकर्मिणाम्

This is even more sinful, the food of those with evil actions.

प्रेतो यथा न भवति तथा ब्रूहि तपोधन एकरात्रत्रिरात्रेण कृच्छ्रचान्द्रायणादिभिः

Tell me, O ascetic, how one does not become a departed spirit; by fasting for one or three nights, or by difficult rites like the Chandrayana.

व्रतैरभ्युद्यतः पूतो न प्रेतो जायते नरः

One who is devoted to vows and purified does not become a departed spirit.

यतीनां पूजको नित्यं न प्रेतो जायते नरः

One who always honors ascetics does not become a departed spirit.

सर्वभूतदयालुश्च न प्रेतो जायते नरः

One who is compassionate to all beings does not become a departed spirit.

रतो वै पितृपूजायां न प्रेतो जायते नरः

One who delights in worshiping ancestors does not become a departed spirit.

क्षमायुक्तो दानशीलो न प्रेतो जायते नरः

One endowed with forgiveness and generosity does not become a departed spirit.

उपवासपरो नित्यं न स प्रेतोऽभिजायते 174.

One who is devoted to fasting always does not become a departed spirit.

देवांश्च वन्दते नित्यं न प्रेतो जायते हि सः त्वत्तस्तच्छ्रुतमस्माभिर्यो न प्रेतोऽभिजायते

One who always worships the gods does not become a departed spirit; from you we have heard who does not become a departed spirit.