Yama's Lament

Verse 1 (skanda.2.166.1)

यम उवाच । शृणु मे वचनं नाथ लोपितोऽहं पितामह । मरणादधिकं मन्ये मत्पदस्य च खण्डनम्

yama uvāca śṛṇu me vacanaṁ nātha lopito'haṁ pitāmaha maraṇādadhikaṁ manye matpadasya ca khaṇḍanam

Yama said: Hear my words, O lord; O grandsire, I have been rendered useless. I consider this abolition of my very office worse than death itself.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.166.2)

नियोगी न नियोगं हि करोति कमलासन । प्रभोर्वित्तं समश्नाति स भवेत्काष्ठकीटकः

niyogī na niyogaṁ hi karoti kamalāsana prabhorvittaṁ samaśnāti sa bhavetkāṣṭhakīṭakaḥ

O lotus-throned one, the appointed servant who does not perform his appointed task, yet consumes his master's wealth, becomes a worm that lives in wood.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.166.3)

योऽश्नाति लोभाद्वित्तानि प्रज्ञावांश्च महीपते । स तिर्यग्योनि नरके याति कल्पशतत्रयम्

yo'śnāti lobhādvittāni prajñāvāṁśca mahīpate sa tiryagyoni narake yāti kalpaśatatrayam

O lord of the earth, one who, even though intelligent, consumes wealth out of greed, goes to an animal birth and to hell for three hundred world-ages.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.166.4)

निःस्पृहो नाऽऽचरेद्यस्तु नियोगं पद्मसंभव । भुक्त्वा तु नरकान्घोरान्स पुमान्वायसो भवेत्

niḥspṛho nā''caredyastu niyogaṁ padmasaṁbhava bhuktvā tu narakānghorānsa pumānvāyaso bhavet

O lotus-born one, whoever, even without desire, fails to carry out his appointed task, that man, after suffering terrible hells, becomes a crow.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.166.5)

आत्मकार्यपरो यस्तु स्वामिकार्यं विलुंपति । भवेद्वेश्मनि पापात्मा आखुः कल्पशतत्रयम्

ātmakāryaparo yastu svāmikāryaṁ viluṁpati bhavedveśmani pāpātmā ākhuḥ kalpaśatatrayam

One who, absorbed in his own affairs, neglects his master's business, that sinful soul becomes a mouse dwelling in a house for three hundred world-ages.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.166.6)

नियोगी यश्च भूत्वा वै तिष्ठन्नित्यं स्ववेश्मनि । शक्तस्तु कार्यकरणे मार्जारो जायते नरः

niyogī yaśca bhūtvā vai tiṣṭhannityaṁ svaveśmani śaktastu kāryakaraṇe mārjāro jāyate naraḥ

One who, though appointed to a task, remains ever at home, though capable of performing his duty, that man is born as a cat.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.166.7)

सोऽहं देव तवादेशात्प्रजा धर्मेण साधये । पुण्येन पुण्यकर्तारं पापं पापेन कर्मणा

so'haṁ deva tavādeśātprajā dharmeṇa sādhaye puṇyena puṇyakartāraṁ pāpaṁ pāpena karmaṇā

O god, it is I who, by your command, deal justly with all creatures — rewarding the doer of merit with merit, and the sinner with sin, each according to his deeds.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.166.8)

सम्यग्विचार्य मुनिभिर्धर्मशास्त्रान्वितैः प्रभो । कल्पादौ वर्तमानस्य यातना दापयन्मम

samyagvicārya munibhirdharmaśāstrānvitaiḥ prabho kalpādau vartamānasya yātanā dāpayanmama

O lord, after due deliberation by sages versed in the scriptures of dharma, my office was established at the beginning of this world-age precisely to administer such retribution.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.166.9)

कर्तुं नियोगमेवं हि त्वदीयो नैव शक्नुयाम् । राज्ञा कीर्तिमता भग्नो नियोगस्तव च क्षितौ

kartuṁ niyogamevaṁ hi tvadīyo naiva śaknuyām rājñā kīrtimatā bhagno niyogastava ca kṣitau

But now I, though your own appointed servant, am utterly unable to carry out that office; King Kirtiman has broken this very charge of yours upon the earth.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.166.10)

भयादस्य जगन्नाथ पृथिवीं सागराम्बराम् । वैशाखधर्मसहितां पालयन्वर्तते क्वचित्

bhayādasya jagannātha pṛthivīṁ sāgarāmbarām vaiśākhadharmasahitāṁ pālayanvartate kvacit

O lord of the universe, out of fear of him, this whole earth, girdled by the ocean, remains governed together with the observance of Vaishakha, leaving no room anywhere for transgression.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.166.11)

विहाय सर्वधर्मांश्च विहाय पितृपूजनम् । विहायाऽग्निसपर्यां तु तीर्थ यात्रादिसत्क्रियाः

vihāya sarvadharmāṁśca vihāya pitṛpūjanam vihāyā'gnisaparyāṁ tu tīrtha yātrādisatkriyāḥ

Setting aside every other observance, setting aside the worship of ancestors, setting aside the tending of the sacred fire, setting aside pilgrimage and other meritorious rites,

Verse 12 (skanda.2.166.12)

योगसांख्यावुभौ त्यक्त्वा त्यक्त्वा प्राणनिरोधनम् । त्यक्त्वा होमं च स्वाध्यायं कृत्वा पापानि भूरिशः

yogasāṁkhyāvubhau tyaktvā tyaktvā prāṇanirodhanam tyaktvā homaṁ ca svādhyāyaṁ kṛtvā pāpāni bhūriśaḥ

abandoning both yoga and sankhya, abandoning the restraint of breath, abandoning oblation and Vedic study as well — even after committing many sins,

Verse 13 (skanda.2.166.13)

प्रयान्ति वैष्णवं लोकं कृत्वा वैशाखसत्क्रियाः । मनुजाः पितृभिः सार्द्धं तथैव च पितामहैः

prayānti vaiṣṇavaṁ lokaṁ kṛtvā vaiśākhasatkriyāḥ manujāḥ pitṛbhiḥ sārddhaṁ tathaiva ca pitāmahaiḥ

men, merely by performing the meritorious acts of Vaishakha, go to the Vaishnava world, together with their fathers and grandfathers.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.166.14)

तेषामतीतपितरः पितॄणां पितरस्तथा । तथा मातामहा यांति तेषां वै जनकादयः

teṣāmatītapitaraḥ pitṝṇāṁ pitarastathā tathā mātāmahā yāṁti teṣāṁ vai janakādayaḥ

Their forefathers of ages past, the fathers of those fathers, and the maternal grandfathers too, and their own forebears, all go there as well.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.166.15)

तेषामपि च नेतारो जनित्रीणां च पूर्वजाः । एतद्दुःखं पुनर्देव मम मस्तकभेदनम्

teṣāmapi ca netāro janitrīṇāṁ ca pūrvajāḥ etadduḥkhaṁ punardeva mama mastakabhedanam

Even the ancestors of those ancestors, and the forebears of their mothers as well — this, O god, is a sorrow to me like my very head splitting apart, again and again.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.166.16)

प्रियायाः पितरो यान्ति मार्जयित्वा लिपिं मम । पितॄणां बीजजो यस्तु धात्र्या कुक्षौ धृतो विभो

priyāyāḥ pitaro yānti mārjayitvā lipiṁ mama pitṝṇāṁ bījajo yastu dhātryā kukṣau dhṛto vibho

The forefathers of the wife too, wiping clean my very tablet, go there as well. O lord, one who, born of the seed of ancestors, is carried in a mother's womb,

Verse 17 (skanda.2.166.17)

यदंकेन कृतं कर्म तदेकेनैव भुज्यते । तन्निरस्य कृतं सर्वं जानंस्त्वेकः कुले तु यः

yadaṁkena kṛtaṁ karma tadekenaiva bhujyate tannirasya kṛtaṁ sarvaṁ jānaṁstvekaḥ kule tu yaḥ

the deed done by each single member is ordinarily reaped by that one alone; but setting this rule aside, when even a single member of a lineage, knowing all this,

Verse 18 (skanda.2.166.18)

तारयेत्तावुभौ पक्षौ षड्विंशोपर्यलं विभो । प्रियायाश्चाऽपि वै तात सर्वे वै कुक्षिसंभवाः

tārayettāvubhau pakṣau ṣaḍviṁśoparyalaṁ vibho priyāyāścā'pi vai tāta sarve vai kukṣisaṁbhavāḥ

performs the observance of Vaishakha, he, O lord, ferries across even more than twenty-six generations on both sides; dear one, all those born from the wife's womb as well,

Verse 19 (skanda.2.166.19)

तेऽपि सर्वे जगन्नाथ यान्ति विष्णोः परं पदम् । न मे प्रयोजनं देव नियोगेनेदृशेन वै

te'pi sarve jagannātha yānti viṣṇoḥ paraṁ padam na me prayojanaṁ deva niyogenedṛśena vai

O lord of the universe, all of them too go to the supreme abode of Vishnu. O god, what use, then, is my very office to me?

Verse 20 (skanda.2.166.20)

वैशाखधर्मनिरतः स मां त्यक्त्वा व्रजेद्धरिम् । त्रिःसप्तकुलमुद्धत्य त्यक्तपापोऽतिशोभनः

vaiśākhadharmanirataḥ sa māṁ tyaktvā vrajeddharim triḥsaptakulamuddhatya tyaktapāpo'tiśobhanaḥ

One devoted to the observance of Vaishakha abandons me and goes straight to Hari; having redeemed twenty-one generations of his lineage, freed of sin and made most radiant,

Verse 21 (skanda.2.166.21)

स त्यक्त्वा मम मार्गं हि प्रयाति हरिमंदिरम् । न यज्ञैस्तादृशैर्देव गतिं प्राप्नोति मानवः

sa tyaktvā mama mārgaṁ hi prayāti harimaṁdiram na yajñaistādṛśairdeva gatiṁ prāpnoti mānavaḥ

he forsakes my path entirely and goes to the abode of Hari. O god, man does not attain that state even through such sacrifices,

Verse 22 (skanda.2.166.22)

सर्वतीर्थैर्न दानाद्यैर्न तपोभिश्च न व्रतैः । अपि वा सकलैर्धर्मैर्युक्तो नाऽप्नोति तां गतिम्

sarvatīrthairna dānādyairna tapobhiśca na vrataiḥ api vā sakalairdharmairyukto nā'pnoti tāṁ gatim

nor through all the sacred fords, nor through gifts and the like, nor through austerities, nor through vows — indeed, even endowed with every observance together, that state is not attained,

Verse 23 (skanda.2.166.23)

प्रयागपाताद्रणमध्यपाताद्भृगोश्च पातान्मरणाच्च काश्याम् । न तां गतिं यांति जनाश्च सर्वे वैशाखनिष्ठेन च या प्रपद्यते

prayāgapātādraṇamadhyapātādbhṛgośca pātānmaraṇācca kāśyām na tāṁ gatiṁ yāṁti janāśca sarve vaiśākhaniṣṭhena ca yā prapadyate

not by falling at Prayaga, not by dying in the midst of battle, not by leaping from a cliff, not by dying at Kashi — by none of these do all people attain that state which is attained by devotion to Vaishakha alone.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.166.24)

प्रातः स्नात्वा देवपूजां च कृत्वा श्रुत्वा कथां मासमाहात्म्यसंज्ञाम् । धर्मान्कृत्वा चोचितान्वैष्णवांश्च स वै भवेद्विष्णुलोकैकनाथः

prātaḥ snātvā devapūjāṁ ca kṛtvā śrutvā kathāṁ māsamāhātmyasaṁjñām dharmānkṛtvā cocitānvaiṣṇavāṁśca sa vai bhavedviṣṇulokaikanāthaḥ

By bathing at dawn, performing worship of the deity, hearing the tale called the Glory of the Month, and performing the fitting Vaishnava observances, a man truly becomes sole master of the world of Vishnu.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.166.25)

अप्रमाणमहं मन्ये लोकं विष्णोर्जगत्पतेः । यो न पूर्येत कोट्योघैः सर्वतः कमलासन

apramāṇamahaṁ manye lokaṁ viṣṇorjagatpateḥ yo na pūryeta koṭyoghaiḥ sarvataḥ kamalāsana

O lotus-throned one, I consider the world of Vishnu, lord of the universe, to be immeasurable, since it is not filled from every side even by throngs numbering in the crores,

Verse 26 (skanda.2.166.26)

माधवावसथेनेह समस्तेन पितामहम् । विकर्मस्थाऽविकर्मस्थाः शुचयोऽशुचयस्तथा

mādhavāvasatheneha samastena pitāmaham vikarmasthā'vikarmasthāḥ śucayo'śucayastathā

O grandsire, here, through the sole observance of Madhava's rite, whether engaged in wrong action or right, whether pure or impure,

Verse 27 (skanda.2.166.27)

कृत्वा वैशाखकृत्यानि लोका यान्ति नृपाऽऽज्ञया । योऽस्माकं हि महच्छत्रुर्भवतां च विशेषतः

kṛtvā vaiśākhakṛtyāni lokā yānti nṛpā''jñayā yo'smākaṁ hi mahacchatrurbhavatāṁ ca viśeṣataḥ

people, performing the rites of Vaishakha under the king's command, go there. He who is a great enemy to us, and to you all in particular,

Verse 28 (skanda.2.166.28)

निग्राह्यो जगतां नाथ भवताऽसौ महीपतिः । हित्वा हि सकलान्धर्मान्सकृद्वैशाखस्नानतः

nigrāhyo jagatāṁ nātha bhavatā'sau mahīpatiḥ hitvā hi sakalāndharmānsakṛdvaiśākhasnānataḥ

O lord of the worlds, that ruler ought to be restrained by you. Setting aside every other observance, merely by a single bath in Vaishakha,

Verse 29 (skanda.2.166.29)

असंस्कृतजना यांति वैकुण्ठं हरिमंदिरम् । अस्माभिस्तु कृतोपेक्षो लिणुपादैकसंश्रयः

asaṁskṛtajanā yāṁti vaikuṇṭhaṁ harimaṁdiram asmābhistu kṛtopekṣo liṇupādaikasaṁśrayaḥ

even people without any proper sacraments go to Vaikuntha, the abode of Hari. Though disregarded by us, taking sole refuge at the feet of Vishnu alone,

Verse 30 (skanda.2.166.30)

समस्तं नेष्यते लोकं पार्थिवो नात्र संशयः । एष दण्डपटो ह्यद्य तव पद्भ्यां निवेदितः

samastaṁ neṣyate lokaṁ pārthivo nātra saṁśayaḥ eṣa daṇḍapaṭo hyadya tava padbhyāṁ niveditaḥ

that king carries off, without doubt, his entire populace to that world. This my staff of office I now lay down today at your very feet.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.166.31)

लोकपालत्वमतुलमर्जितं तेन भूभुजा। किमपत्येन जातेन मातुः क्लेशंकरेण वै

lokapālatvamatulamarjitaṁ tena bhūbhujā kimapatyena jātena mātuḥ kleśaṁkareṇa vai

That king has attained an incomparable dominion over the world. What use is a son born, if he only brings distress to his mother,

Verse 32 (skanda.2.166.32)

यो न पातयते शत्रुं ज्येष्ठमासीव भास्करः । वृथासुता हि युवतिर्जाता चेद्धि कुपुत्रिणी

yo na pātayate śatruṁ jyeṣṭhamāsīva bhāskaraḥ vṛthāsutā hi yuvatirjātā ceddhi kuputriṇī

and does not strike down his enemy, as the sun does in the month of Jyeshtha? If a young woman bears only a worthless son, then her motherhood itself is in vain.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.166.33)

न तस्याः स्फुरते कीर्तिर्घनस्येव शतह्रदा । यत्पितुर्नोद्धरेत्पापाद्विद्यया वा बलेन वा

na tasyāḥ sphurate kīrtirghanasyeva śatahradā yatpiturnoddharetpāpādvidyayā vā balena vā

Her fame does not shine forth even like lightning in a cloud, if that son does not, by learning or by strength, deliver his father from sin,

Verse 34 (skanda.2.166.34)

मातुर्जठरजो रोगः स प्रसूतो धरातले । धर्मे चाऽर्थे च कामे च यत्प्रतीपो भवेत्सुतः

māturjaṭharajo rogaḥ sa prasūto dharātale dharme cā'rthe ca kāme ca yatpratīpo bhavetsutaḥ

such a son, once born upon this earth, is nothing but a disease born of the mother's womb. A son who runs contrary to dharma, artha, and kama alike,

Verse 35 (skanda.2.166.35)

मातृहा ह्युच्यते सद्भिः स पुत्रः पुरुषाधमः । तन्माता नृपपत्नी च लोकविख्यातसत्क्रिया

mātṛhā hyucyate sadbhiḥ sa putraḥ puruṣādhamaḥ tanmātā nṛpapatnī ca lokavikhyātasatkriyā

is called by the virtuous a slayer of his own mother, that most degraded of men. But that queen, that mother, whose righteous deeds are renowned throughout the world,

Verse 36 (skanda.2.166.36)

एकैव वीरसूर्लोके वीरः स नात्र संशयः । यथा वै कीर्तिमाञ्जातो मल्लिपेर्मार्जनाय वै

ekaiva vīrasūrloke vīraḥ sa nātra saṁśayaḥ yathā vai kīrtimāñjāto mallipermārjanāya vai

is alone truly the mother of a hero in this world, without doubt — since from her was born that Kirtiman, born expressly to wipe away the very stain of one such as me.

Verse 37 (skanda.2.166.37)

नेदं व्यवसितं देव केनचित्क्षत्रियेण हि । पुराणेषु जगन्नाथ न श्रुतं पटमार्जनम्

nedaṁ vyavasitaṁ deva kenacitkṣatriyeṇa hi purāṇeṣu jagannātha na śrutaṁ paṭamārjanam

O god, no warrior has ever before ventured upon such a deed; O lord of the universe, never in the Puranas has such a wiping clean of the tablet ever been heard of.

Verse 38 (skanda.2.166.38)

सोऽहं न जानामि जगत्पतीश ऋते क्षितीशं हरितत्परं तम् । प्रचोदयन्तं पटहं सुघोषाद्विलोपयानं मम वेश्ममार्गम्

so'haṁ na jānāmi jagatpatīśa ṛte kṣitīśaṁ haritatparaṁ tam pracodayantaṁ paṭahaṁ sughoṣādvilopayānaṁ mama veśmamārgam

O lord of the universe, I know nothing else, save that this earthly ruler, wholly devoted to Hari, sounding his drum with its resonant call, has thereby obliterated the very road to my abode.