01.085
अष्टक उवाच॥
Aṣṭaka said.
यदावसो नन्दने कामरूपी; संवत्सराणामयुतं शतानाम्। किं कारणं कार्तयुगप्रधान; हित्वा तत्त्वं वसुधामन्वपद्यः ॥०१-८५-१॥
O lord, when you, of desired form, resided in the Nandana garden for a hundred thousand years, what was the reason, O chief of Kṛta Yuga, that you abandoned the essence and took to the earth? (01-85-1)
ययातिरुवाच॥
King Yayāti said.
ज्ञातिः सुहृत्स्वजनो यो यथेह; क्षीणे वित्ते त्यज्यते मानवैर्हि। तथा तत्र क्षीणपुण्यं मनुष्यं; त्यजन्ति सद्यः सेश्वरा देवसङ्घाः ॥०१-८५-२॥
Just as here, a kinsman, friend, or one's own people abandon a person when his wealth is diminished, even so there, when a man's merit is exhausted, he is at once abandoned by the hosts of gods along with their lords. (01-85-2)
अष्टक उवाच॥
Aṣṭaka said.
कथं तस्मिन्क्षीणपुण्या भवन्ति; संमुह्यते मेऽत्र मनोऽतिमात्रम्। किंविशिष्टाः कस्य धामोपयान्ति; तद्वै ब्रूहि क्षेत्रवित्त्वं मतो मे ॥०१-८५-३॥
How do those whose merit is exhausted become there? My mind is exceedingly bewildered here. Of what kind, and to whose abode do they go? Please tell me that, O knower of the field, for I consider you thus. (01-85-3)
ययातिरुवाच॥
Yayati spoke.
इमं भौमं नरकं ते पतन्ति; लालप्यमाना नरदेव सर्वे। ते कङ्कगोमायुबलाशनार्थं; क्षीणा विवृद्धिं बहुधा व्रजन्ति ॥०१-८५-४॥
All these, greedily desiring, O king, fall into this earthly hell. Depleted, they go in many ways for the sake of eating the flesh of vultures and jackals, seeking an increase. (01-85-4)
तस्मादेतद्वर्जनीयं नरेण; दुष्टं लोके गर्हणीयं च कर्म। आख्यातं ते पार्थिव सर्वमेत; द्भूयश्चेदानीं वद किं ते वदामि ॥०१-८५-५॥
Therefore, this action, being wicked and blameworthy in the world, should be avoided by a man. All this has been told to you, O king; now, if you wish, tell me, what more shall I say to you? (01-85-5)
अष्टक उवाच॥
Aṣṭaka said.
यदा तु तान्वितुदन्ते वयांसि; तथा गृध्राः शितिकण्ठाः पतङ्गाः। कथं भवन्ति कथमाभवन्ति; न भौममन्यं नरकं शृणोमि ॥०१-८५-६॥
But when the birds attack them, likewise vultures, white-throated birds, and moths, how do they suffer, how do they come to be? I have not heard of any hell on earth other than this. (01-85-6)
ययातिरुवाच॥
King Yayati said.
ऊर्ध्वं देहात्कर्मणो जृम्भमाणा; द्व्यक्तं पृथिव्यामनुसञ्चरन्ति। इमं भौमं नरकं ते पतन्ति; नावेक्षन्ते वर्षपूगाननेकान् ॥०१-८५-७॥
As actions leave the body, expanding upwards, they manifest in two forms and move about on the earth. They fall into this earthly hell and do not even consider the passing of many, many years. (01-85-7)
षष्टिं सहस्राणि पतन्ति व्योम्नि; तथा अशीतिं परिवत्सराणि। तान्वै तुदन्ति प्रपततः प्रपातं; भीमा भौमा राक्षसास्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राः ॥०१-८५-८॥
Sixty thousand fall in the sky, and likewise for eighty years. As they fall, the terrible earth-born rākṣasas with sharp fangs indeed attack them while they are falling. (01-85-8)
अष्टक उवाच॥
Aṣṭaka said.
यदेनसस्ते पततस्तुदन्ति; भीमा भौमा राक्षसास्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राः। कथं भवन्ति कथमाभवन्ति; कथम्भूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति ॥०१-८५-९॥
When those sinful ones fall, terrible earthly rākṣasas with sharp fangs strike them. How do they become so? How do they arise? How do they, as creatures born in the womb, come into being? (01-85-9)
ययातिरुवाच॥
King Yayāti said.
अस्रं रेतः पुष्पफलानुपृक्त; मन्वेति तद्वै पुरुषेण सृष्टम्। स वै तस्या रज आपद्यते वै; स गर्भभूतः समुपैति तत्र ॥०१-८५-१०॥
Blood and seed, together with flower and fruit, are considered to be created by the man. That (seed) indeed merges with her menstrual blood; then, having become an embryo, he enters there. (01-85-10)
वनस्पतींश्चौषधीश्चाविशन्ति; अपो वायुं पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षम्। चतुष्पदं द्विपदं चापि सर्व; मेवम्भूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति ॥०१-८५-११॥
Trees and herbs enter the waters, the air, the earth, and the atmosphere; all four-footed and two-footed beings, as well as everything, indeed, these beings become as embryos. (01-85-11)
अष्टक उवाच॥
Aṣṭaka said.
अन्यद्वपुर्विदधातीह गर्भ; उताहो स्वित्स्वेन कामेन याति। आपद्यमानो नरयोनिमेता; माचक्ष्व मे संशयात्प्रब्रवीमि ॥०१-८५-१२॥
Please tell me and resolve my doubt: does the embryo here assume a different body, or does it enter the human womb by its own will? (01-85-12)
शरीरदेहादिसमुच्छ्रयं च; चक्षुःश्रोत्रे लभते केन सञ्ज्ञाम्। एतत्तत्त्वं सर्वमाचक्ष्व पृष्टः; क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तात मन्याम सर्वे ॥०१-८५-१३॥
Regarding the collection consisting of body and so on; by what does the eye and ear receive their designation? Tell us this entire reality; asked thus, all of us, dear one, consider you to be the knower of the field. (01-85-13)
ययातिरुवाच॥
Yayati said;
वायुः समुत्कर्षति गर्भयोनि; मृतौ रेतः पुष्परसानुपृक्तम्। स तत्र तन्मात्रकृताधिकारः; क्रमेण संवर्धयतीह गर्भम् ॥०१-८५-१४॥
The wind elevates the womb; at the time of death, the seed, mixed with the essence of flowers, is present. There, he, endowed with authority by the subtle elements, gradually nurtures the embryo here. (01-85-14)
स जायमानो विगृहीतगात्रः; षड्ज्ञाननिष्ठायतनो मनुष्यः। स श्रोत्राभ्यां वेदयतीह शब्दं; सर्वं रूपं पश्यति चक्षुषा च ॥०१-८५-१५॥
When a man is born, assuming bodily members, being the seat of the six kinds of knowledge, he perceives sound here with both his ears and sees all forms with his eyes. (01-85-15)
घ्राणेन गन्धं जिह्वयाथो रसं च; त्वचा स्पर्शं मनसा वेद भावम्। इत्यष्टकेहोपचितिं च विद्धि; महात्मनः प्राणभृतः शरीरे ॥०१-८५-१६॥
Know thus that in the body of the great-souled living being, there is an accumulation of eight—smell by the nose, taste by the tongue, touch by the skin, and mental perceptions by the mind. (01-85-16)
अष्टक उवाच॥
Aṣṭaka said.
यः संस्थितः पुरुषो दह्यते वा; निखन्यते वापि निघृष्यते वा। अभावभूतः स विनाशमेत्य; केनात्मानं चेतयते पुरस्तात् ॥०१-८५-१७॥
That person who, after being settled, is burned, buried, or even pounded, and, having become non-existent, attains destruction—by what does he perceive his self thereafter? (01-85-17)
ययातिरुवाच॥
King Yayati said.
हित्वा सोऽसून्सुप्तवन्निष्टनित्वा; पुरोधाय सुकृतं दुष्कृतं च। अन्यां योनिं पवनाग्रानुसारी; हित्वा देहं भजते राजसिंह ॥०१-८५-१८॥
O king, having left behind the vital airs like one asleep after groaning, and having deposited his good and evil actions, following the foremost life-current, he casts off the body and attains another birth. (01-85-18)
पुण्यां योनिं पुण्यकृतो व्रजन्ति; पापां योनिं पापकृतो व्रजन्ति। कीटाः पतङ्गाश्च भवन्ति पापा; न मे विवक्षास्ति महानुभाव ॥०१-८५-१९॥
Doers of virtue attain auspicious births; doers of sin attain sinful births. The sinful ones become worms and insects; O eminent one, I have no wish to speak (further). (01-85-19)
चतुष्पदा द्विपदाः षट्पदाश्च; तथाभूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति। आख्यातमेतन्निखिलेन सर्वं; भूयस्तु किं पृच्छसि राजसिंह ॥०१-८५-२०॥
Four-footed, two-footed, and six-footed beings — such kinds exist even in the womb. All this has been explained in full; what more do you ask, O lion among kings? (01-85-20)
अष्टक उवाच॥
Ashtaka said.
किं स्वित्कृत्वा लभते तात लोका; न्मर्त्यः श्रेष्ठांस्तपसा विद्यया वा। तन्मे पृष्टः शंस सर्वं यथाव; ч्छुभाँल्लोकान्येन गच्छेत्क्रमेण ॥०१-८५-२१॥
O dear one, by performing what does a mortal obtain the best worlds—by asceticism or by knowledge? Tell me completely, as I ask you: in what way may one reach those auspicious worlds, step by step. (01-85-21)
ययातिरुवाच॥
Yayati said.
तपश्च दानं च शमो दमश्च; ह्रीरार्जवं सर्वभूतानुकम्पा। नश्यन्ति मानेन तमोऽभिभूताः; पुंसः सदैवेति वदन्ति सन्तः ॥०१-८५-२२॥
The wise say that austerity, charity, tranquility, self-restraint, modesty, uprightness, and compassion for all beings are always destroyed by pride when a person is overcome by darkness. (01-85-22)
अधीयानः पण्डितं मन्यमानो; यो विद्यया हन्ति यशः परेषाम्। तस्यान्तवन्तश्च भवन्ति लोका; न चास्य तद्ब्रह्म फलं ददाति ॥०१-८५-२३॥
He who studies, thinking himself wise, and uses knowledge to destroy the fame of others—his worlds become limited and that fruit of Brahman does not come to him. (01-85-23)
चत्वारि कर्माण्यभयङ्कराणि; भयं प्रयच्छन्त्ययथाकृतानि। मानाग्निहोत्रमुत मानमौनं; मानेनाधीतमुत मानयज्ञः ॥०१-८५-२४॥
There are four actions that are not inherently dangerous, but if wrongly performed, they produce fear: Agnihotra performed for social regard, silence for respect, study for respect, and sacrifice for respect. (01-85-24)
न मान्यमानो मुदमाददीत; न सन्तापं प्राप्नुयाच्चावमानात्। सन्तः सतः पूजयन्तीह लोके; नासाधवः साधुबुद्धिं लभन्ते ॥०१-८५-२५॥
One should not feel delighted when honored, nor distressed when insulted. The virtuous honor the virtuous in this world; the wicked do not acquire noble thoughts. (01-85-25)
इति दद्यादिति यजेदित्यधीयीत मे व्रतम्। इत्यस्मिन्नभयान्याहुस्तानि वर्ज्यानि नित्यशः ॥०१-८५-२६॥
Thus, ‘one should give’, ‘one should worship’, ‘one should study’ — this is my vow. In this regard, they say those acts which cause harm should always be avoided. (01-85-26)
येनाश्रयं वेदयन्ते पुराणं; मनीषिणो मानसमानभक्तम्। तन्निःश्रेयस्तैजसं रूपमेत्य; परां शान्तिं प्राप्नुयुः प्रेत्य चेह ॥०१-८५-२७॥
Those wise ones who, with devotion of the mind, realize the ancient essence which is their support—attaining that supreme luminous form, they reach the highest peace, both after departing and here itself. (01-85-27)
