Yayati Tells Ashtaka of the Fall from Heaven and Rebirth

Verse 1 (1.84.1)

यदाऽवसो नन्दने कामरूपी । संवत्सराणामयुतं शतानाम् । किं कारणं कार्तयुगप्रधान । हित्वा च त्वं वसुधामन्वपद्यः ॥

yadā'vaso nandane kāmarūpī | saṃvatsarāṇāmayutaṃ śatānām | kiṃ kāraṇaṃ kārtayugapradhāna | hitvā ca tvaṃ vasudhāmanvapadyaḥ

When you dwelt in the Nandana grove, taking whatever form you wished, for ten thousand hundreds of years, what was the reason, foremost one of the Krita age, that you left it and came down to the earth?

Verse 2 (1.84.2)

ज्ञातिः सुहृत्स्वजनो वा यथेह । क्षीणे वित्ते त्यज्यते मानवैर्हि । तथा तत्र क्षीणपुण्यं मनुष्यं । त्यजन्ति सद्यः सेश्वरा देवसङ्घाः ॥

jñātiḥ suhṛtsvajano vā yatheha | kṣīṇe vitte tyajyate mānavairhi | tathā tatra kṣīṇapuṇyaṃ manuṣyaṃ | tyajanti sadyaḥ seśvarā devasaṅghāḥ

Just as here on earth kinsmen, friends or one's own people abandon a man once his wealth is gone, so there the hosts of the gods, with their lord, at once abandon a man whose merit is spent.

Verse 3 (1.84.3)

तस्मिन्कथं क्षीणपुण्या भवन्ति । संमुह्यते मेऽत्र मनोऽतिमात्रम् । किं वा विशिष्टाः कस्य धामोपयान्ति । तद्वै ब्रूहि क्षेत्रवित्त्वं मतो मे ॥

tasminkathaṃ kṣīṇapuṇyā bhavanti | saṃmuhyate me'tra mano'timātram | kiṃ vā viśiṣṭāḥ kasya dhāmopayānti | tadvai brūhi kṣetravittvaṃ mato me

How is it that beings there come to have their merit spent? My mind is utterly bewildered about this. What sets them apart, and whose realm do they reach? Tell me this, for I regard you as one who knows the field of deeds and their fruits.

Verse 4 (1.84.4)

इमं भौमं नरकं ते पतन्ति । लालप्यमाना नरदेव सर्वे । ते कङ्कगोमायुबलाशनार्थे । क्षीणे पुण्ये बहुधा प्रव्रजन्ति ॥

imaṃ bhaumaṃ narakaṃ te patanti | lālapyamānā naradeva sarve | te kaṅkagomāyubalāśanārthe | kṣīṇe puṇye bahudhā pravrajanti

They all fall into this earthly hell, god among men, wailing again and again. With their merit spent they go on in many ways, to become food for herons, jackals and crows.

Note on the text: Corrected ललाप्यमाना → लालप्यमाना (misprint in Wikisource; the intensive participle, as in the critical edition).

Verse 5 (1.84.5)

तस्मादेतद्वर्जनीयं नरेन्द्र । दुष्टं लोके गर्हणीयं च कर्म । आख्यातं ते पार्थिव सर्वमेव । भूयश्चेदानीं वद किं ते वदामि ॥

tasmādetadvarjanīyaṃ narendra | duṣṭaṃ loke garhaṇīyaṃ ca karma | ākhyātaṃ te pārthiva sarvameva | bhūyaścedānīṃ vada kiṃ te vadāmi

Therefore, lord of men, the deed that is wicked and condemned in the world must be avoided. I have told you everything, O king; now say what more I should tell you.

Verse 6 (1.84.6)

यदा तु तान्वितुदन्ते वयांसि । तथा गृध्राः शितिकण्ठाः पतङ्गाः । कथं भवन्ति कथमाभवन्ति । न भौममन्यं नरकं शृणोमि ॥

yadā tu tānvitudante vayāṃsi | tathā gṛdhrāḥ śitikaṇṭhāḥ pataṅgāḥ | kathaṃ bhavanti kathamābhavanti | na bhaumamanyaṃ narakaṃ śṛṇomi

When birds tear at them, vultures, blue-throated birds and other winged creatures, how do they live, and how do they come into being again? I have not heard of any other earthly hell.

Verse 7 (1.84.7)

ऊर्ध्वं देहात्कर्मणो जृम्भमाणा- । द्व्यक्तं पृथिव्यामनुसंचरन्ति । इमं भौमं नरकं ते पतन्ति । नावेक्षन्ते वर्षपूगाननेकान् ॥

ūrdhvaṃ dehātkarmaṇo jṛmbhamāṇā- | dvyaktaṃ pṛthivyāmanusaṃcaranti | imaṃ bhaumaṃ narakaṃ te patanti | nāvekṣante varṣapūgānanekān

Leaving the body, driven by their swelling deeds, they wander in visible form over the earth. They fall into this earthly hell and take no notice of the many years that pass.

Verse 8 (1.84.8)

षष्टिं सहस्राणि पतन्ति व्योम्नि । तथा अशीतिं परिवत्सराणि । तान्वै तुदन्ति पततः प्रपातं । भीमा भौमा राक्षसास्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राः ॥

ṣaṣṭiṃ sahasrāṇi patanti vyomni | tathā aśītiṃ parivatsarāṇi | tānvai tudanti patataḥ prapātaṃ | bhīmā bhaumā rākṣasāstīkṣṇadaṃṣṭrāḥ

They fall through the sky for sixty thousand years, and for eighty thousand more; and as they fall headlong, terrible earthly rakshasas with sharp fangs tear at them.

Verse 9 (1.84.9)

यदेनसस्ते पततस्तुदन्ति । भीमा भौमा राक्षसास्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राः । कथं भवन्ति कथमाभवन्ति । कथंभूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति ॥

yadenasaste patatastudanti | bhīmā bhaumā rākṣasāstīkṣṇadaṃṣṭrāḥ | kathaṃ bhavanti kathamābhavanti | kathaṃbhūtā garbhabhūtā bhavanti

Since, because of their sins, terrible earthly rakshasas with sharp fangs tear at them as they fall, how do they live, how do they come into being again, and in what way do they become embryos?

Verse 10 (1.84.10)

अस्रं रेतः पुष्पफलानुपृक्त- । मन्वेति तद्वै पुरुषेण सृष्टम् । स वै तस्या रज आपद्यते वै । स गर्भभूतः समुपैति तत्र ॥

asraṃ retaḥ puṣpaphalānupṛkta- | manveti tadvai puruṣeṇa sṛṣṭam | sa vai tasyā raja āpadyate vai | sa garbhabhūtaḥ samupaiti tatra

The being follows the seed released by the man, mingled with blood and with the flower and fruit; it enters the woman's menstrual blood, and there it becomes an embryo.

Verse 11 (1.84.11)

वनस्पतीनोषधीश्चाविशन्ति । आपो वायुं पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षम् । चतुष्पदं द्विपदं चापि सर्व- । मेवंभूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति ॥

vanaspatīnoṣadhīścāviśanti | āpo vāyuṃ pṛthivīṃ cāntarikṣam | catuṣpadaṃ dvipadaṃ cāpi sarva- | mevaṃbhūtā garbhabhūtā bhavanti

They enter trees and plants, water, wind, earth and the sky, four-footed and two-footed creatures, and everything else; in this way they become embryos.

Note on the text: Corrected चाति → चापि (misprint in Wikisource; ति for पि, as in the critical edition).

Verse 12 (1.84.12)

अन्यद्वपुर्विदधातीह गर्भ- । मुताहोस्वित्स्वेन कायेन याति । आपद्यमानो नरयोनिमेता- । माचक्ष्व मे संशयात्प्रब्रवीमि ॥

anyadvapurvidadhātīha garbha- | mutāhosvitsvena kāyena yāti | āpadyamāno narayonimetā- | mācakṣva me saṃśayātprabravīmi

When it enters a human womb here, does the being shape another body for itself, or does it go in its own body? Tell me this; I ask because I am in doubt.

Verse 13 (1.84.13)

शरीरदेहातिसमुच्छ्रयं च । चक्षुःश्रोत्रे लभते केन संज्ञाम् । एतत्तत्त्वं सर्वमाचक्ष्व पृष्टः । क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तात मन्याम सर्वे ॥

śarīradehātisamucchrayaṃ ca | cakṣuḥśrotre labhate kena saṃjñām | etattattvaṃ sarvamācakṣva pṛṣṭaḥ | kṣetrajñaṃ tvāṃ tāta manyāma sarve

How does it gain the full growth of its body, its eyes and ears, and by what does it come to awareness? You are asked, so explain all this truly; all of us regard you, dear sir, as the knower of the field.

Verse 14 (1.84.14)

वायुः समुत्कर्षति गर्भयोनि- । मृतौ रेतः पुष्पफलानुपृक्तम् । स तत्र तन्मात्रकृताधिकारः । क्रमेण संवर्धयतीह गर्भम् ॥

vāyuḥ samutkarṣati garbhayoni- | mṛtau retaḥ puṣpaphalānupṛktam | sa tatra tanmātrakṛtādhikāraḥ | krameṇa saṃvardhayatīha garbham

In the season, the wind draws the seed, mingled with flower and fruit, into the womb. There, holding sway over the subtle elements, it makes the embryo grow step by step.

Verse 15 (1.84.15)

स जायमानो विगृहीतमात्रः । संज्ञामधिष्ठाय ततो मनुष्यः । स श्रोत्राभ्यां वेदयतीह शब्दं । स वै रूपं पश्यति चक्षुषा च ॥

sa jāyamāno vigṛhītamātraḥ | saṃjñāmadhiṣṭhāya tato manuṣyaḥ | sa śrotrābhyāṃ vedayatīha śabdaṃ | sa vai rūpaṃ paśyati cakṣuṣā ca

Being born, as soon as it has taken shape, it becomes a human being grounded in awareness. With his ears he perceives sound, and with his eyes he sees form.

Verse 16 (1.84.16)

घ्राणेन गन्धं जिह्वयाऽथो रसं च । त्वचा स्पर्शं मनसा वेदभावम् । इत्यष्टकेहोपहितं हि विद्धि । महात्मनः प्राणभृतः शरीरे ॥

ghrāṇena gandhaṃ jihvayā'tho rasaṃ ca | tvacā sparśaṃ manasā vedabhāvam | ityaṣṭakehopahitaṃ hi viddhi | mahātmanaḥ prāṇabhṛtaḥ śarīre

With the nose he knows smell, with the tongue taste, with the skin touch, and with the mind feeling. Know, Ashtaka, that this is what is placed within the body of a great-souled living being.

Verse 17 (1.84.17)

यः संस्थितः पुरुषो दह्यते वा । निखन्यते वापि निकृष्यते वा । अभावभूतः स विनाशमेत्य । केनात्मानं चेतयते परस्तात् ॥

yaḥ saṃsthitaḥ puruṣo dahyate vā | nikhanyate vāpi nikṛṣyate vā | abhāvabhūtaḥ sa vināśametya | kenātmānaṃ cetayate parastāt

When a man has died and is burned, or buried, or dragged away, and so, reduced to nothing, meets destruction, by what does he know himself afterwards?

Verse 18 (1.84.18)

हित्वा सोऽसून्सुप्तवन्निष्टनित्वा । पुरोधाय सुकृतं दुष्कृतं वा । अन्यां योनिं पवनाग्रानुसारी । हित्वा देहं भजते राजसिंह ॥

hitvā so'sūnsuptavanniṣṭanitvā | purodhāya sukṛtaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ vā | anyāṃ yoniṃ pavanāgrānusārī | hitvā dehaṃ bhajate rājasiṃha

Leaving his life-breaths, groaning as one does in sleep, with his good or evil deeds going before him, he follows the course of the wind; leaving the body, he takes another womb, lion among kings.

Verse 19 (1.84.19)

पुण्यां योनिं पुण्यकृतो व्रजन्ति । पापां योनिं पापकृतो व्रजन्ति । कीटाः पतङ्गाश्च भवन्ति पापा । न मे विवक्षास्ति महानुभाव ॥

puṇyāṃ yoniṃ puṇyakṛto vrajanti | pāpāṃ yoniṃ pāpakṛto vrajanti | kīṭāḥ pataṅgāśca bhavanti pāpā | na me vivakṣāsti mahānubhāva

Those who do good go to a good birth; those who do evil go to an evil birth. The wicked become worms and moths. I have no wish to say more, noble one.

Verse 20 (1.84.20)

चतुष्पदा द्विपदाः षट्पदाश्च । तथाभूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति । आख्यातमेतन्निखिलेन सर्वं । भूयस्तु किं पृच्छसि राजसिंह ॥

catuṣpadā dvipadāḥ ṣaṭpadāśca | tathābhūtā garbhabhūtā bhavanti | ākhyātametannikhilena sarvaṃ | bhūyastu kiṃ pṛcchasi rājasiṃha

Four-footed, two-footed and six-footed creatures: in this way they become embryos. I have told you all of this in full. What more do you ask, lion among kings?

Verse 21 (1.84.21)

किंस्वित्कृत्वा लभते तात लोका- । न्मर्त्यः श्रेष्ठांस्तपसा विद्यया च । तन्मे पृष्टः शंस सर्वं यथाव- । च्छुभाँल्लोकान्येन गच्छेत्क्रमेण ॥

kiṃsvitkṛtvā labhate tāta lokā- | nmartyaḥ śreṣṭhāṃstapasā vidyayā ca | tanme pṛṣṭaḥ śaṃsa sarvaṃ yathāva- | cchubhām̐llokānyena gacchetkrameṇa

By doing what, dear sir, does a mortal win the best worlds, through austerity and through learning? I ask you, so tell me all of it rightly: by what course does one reach the auspicious worlds, step by step?

Verse 22 (1.84.22)

तपश्च दानं च शमो दमश्च । ह्रीरार्जवं सर्वभूतानुकम्पा । नश्यन्ति मानेन तमोऽभिभूताः । पुंसः सदैवेति वदन्ति सन्तः ॥

tapaśca dānaṃ ca śamo damaśca | hrīrārjavaṃ sarvabhūtānukampā | naśyanti mānena tamo'bhibhūtāḥ | puṃsaḥ sadaiveti vadanti santaḥ

Austerity, giving, calm, self-control, modesty, honesty and compassion for all beings: these perish through pride when a man is overcome by darkness. So the good have always said.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (1.85.22): Wikisource prints only the last quarter-line, पुंसः सदैवेति वदन्ति सन्तः (labelled 1-84-22f), so the first three quarter-lines are supplied from the critical edition. The vulgate verse had six quarter-lines; the two the critical edition relegates to its apparatus (*861: स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य वदन्ति सन्तो द्वाराणि सप्तैव महान्ति पुंसाम्) are not restored.

Verse 23 (1.84.23)

अधीयानः पण्डितंमन्यमानो । यो विद्यया हन्ति यशः परेषाम् । तस्यान्तवन्तश्च भवन्ति लोका । न चास्य तद्ब्रह्म फलं ददाति ॥

adhīyānaḥ paṇḍitaṃmanyamāno | yo vidyayā hanti yaśaḥ pareṣām | tasyāntavantaśca bhavanti lokā | na cāsya tadbrahma phalaṃ dadāti

One who studies and thinks himself learned, and uses his learning to destroy the good name of others, finds that his worlds come to an end, and the Veda gives him no fruit.

Verse 24 (1.84.24)

चत्वारि कर्माण्यभयङ्कराणि । भयं प्रयच्छन्त्ययथाकृतानि । मानाग्निहोत्रमुत मानमौनं । मानेनाधीतमुत मानयज्ञः ॥

catvāri karmāṇyabhayaṅkarāṇi | bhayaṃ prayacchantyayathākṛtāni | mānāgnihotramuta mānamaunaṃ | mānenādhītamuta mānayajñaḥ

Four acts give freedom from fear, yet bring fear when done wrongly: the fire offering made with pride, silence kept with pride, study pursued with pride and sacrifice performed with pride.

Verse 25 (1.84.25)

न मान्यमानो मुदमाददीत । न सन्तापं प्राप्नुयाच्चावमानात् । सन्तः सतः पूजयन्तीह लोके । नासाधवः साधुबुद्धिं लभन्ते ॥

na mānyamāno mudamādadīta | na santāpaṃ prāpnuyāccāvamānāt | santaḥ sataḥ pūjayantīha loke | nāsādhavaḥ sādhubuddhiṃ labhante

One should not rejoice at being honoured, nor grieve at being slighted. In this world the good honour the good; the wicked never gain a good understanding.

Note on the text: Corrected मानमान्यो → मान्यमानो (misprint in Wikisource; transposed syllables, as in the critical edition).

Verse 26 (1.84.26)

इति दद्यामिति यज इत्यधीय इति व्रतम् । इत्येतानि भयान्याहुस्तानि वर्ज्यानि सर्वशः ॥

iti dadyāmiti yaja ityadhīya iti vratam | ityetāni bhayānyāhustāni varjyāni sarvaśaḥ

"I will give," "I sacrifice," "I study," "such is my vow": these boasts, they say, are perils, and they are to be shunned in every way.

Note on the text: Corrected इत्यदीय → इत्यधीय (misprint in Wikisource; द for ध, अधीये इति). Matched by hand to the critical edition 1.85.26, of which this is a variant reading.

Verse 27 (1.84.27)

ये चाश्रयं वेदयन्ते पुराणं । मनीषिणो मानसमार्गरुद्धम् । तन्निःश्रेयस्तेन संयोगमेत्य । परां शान्तिं प्राप्नुयुः प्रेत्य चेह ॥

ye cāśrayaṃ vedayante purāṇaṃ | manīṣiṇo mānasamārgaruddham | tanniḥśreyastena saṃyogametya | parāṃ śāntiṃ prāpnuyuḥ pretya ceha

The wise who know the ancient refuge, which lies beyond the paths of the mind, reach that highest good; joined with it, they attain supreme peace both hereafter and here.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रत्युः → प्राप्नुयुः (misprint in Wikisource; not a valid form and a syllable short, as in the critical edition).