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.
प्रेतस्तु जायते केन तद्वद त्वं महामुने शूद्रान्नेन तु भुक्तेन ब्राह्मणो म्रियते यदि
O great sage, tell me by what cause one becomes a preta; if a Brahmin dies after eating food from a Shudra, what happens?
तेनैव चोदरस्थेन स प्रेतो जायते ध्रुवम्
Certainly, by that very food remaining in the belly, he becomes a preta.
मनुष्यः प्रेततां याति स्पर्शेन सुतरां तथा
A person also becomes a preta simply by touch, and even more so.
पाषण्डाश्रमसंस्थश्च मद्यपः पारदारिकः
One who dwells in a heretical ashram, a drunkard, or one who violates another's wife—
देवस्वं ब्राह्मणस्वं च गुरोर्द्रव्यं हरेत्तु यः
Whoever takes the property of the gods, of Brahmins, or of the teacher—
मातरं पितरं भ्रातृभगिन्यौ च स्त्रियं सुतम्
One who harms mother, father, brother, sister, wife, or son—
अयाज्ययाजनाच्चैव याज्यानां परिवर्जनात्
Also, by not performing prescribed sacrifices, or by neglecting those who are to be worshipped—
ब्रह्महा च कृतघ्नश्च गोघ्नो वै पञ्चपातकी
A Brahmin-killer, an ingrate, a cow-slayer, and one guilty of the five great sins—
गुरोर्धर्म्मोपदेष्टुश्च नित्यं हितमभीप्सतः 174.
And one who always desires the welfare of the teacher who imparts the law—
असद्भ्यः प्रतिगृह्णाति नास्तिकेभ्यो विशेषतः
Who accepts gifts from the wicked, especially from atheists—
प्रेता ऊचुः विरुद्धकारिणः पापास्तेषां कांचिद्गतिं वद
The pretas said: Tell us, what is the fate of those sinners who act against what is right?
ब्राह्मण उवाच तेषां गतिर्भवेदेका मथुरायान्तु सङ्गमे
The Brahmin said: There is one path for them—at the confluence at Mathura.
श्रवणद्वादशीयोगे मासि भाद्रपदे तथा
At the conjunction of Shravan and Dvadashi, and also in the month of Bhadrapada—
सुवर्णमन्नं वस्त्रं च च्छत्रोपानत्सुसंयुतम्
With gold, food, and cloth, along with an umbrella and shoes—
न ते प्रेता भविष्यन्ति मार्गस्थो यो नमस्यते
Those pretas will not remain pretas, for the one who is honored along the path.
तत्र तीर्थे नरः स्नातो हृष्टपुष्टो यथाश्रुतः
There, at the holy place, a man who bathes, delighted and nourished, as instructed—
तीर्थस्यैव तु माहात्म्यं प्रेतो भूत्वा शृणोति यः
Who, having become a preta, hears the greatness of that very holy place—
प्रेता ऊचुः येन वै क्रियमाणेन प्रेतत्वात्तु विमुच्यते
The pretas said: By what act does one become freed from the state of being a preta?
ब्राह्मण उवाच पुराणं कथितं राज्ञे मान्धात्रे पृच्छते पुरा ।। 174.
The Brahmin said: The Purāṇa was formerly recounted to King Māndhātṛ when he inquired in ancient times.
वसिष्ठेन महाभागाः शृणुध्वं कथयाम्यहम्
By Vasiṣṭha, O most fortunate ones, listen as I narrate it to you.