इंद्रप्रस्थांतरावर्तिन्येषा या कोशला नृप । अत्र सुप्तौ निशायां तौ यमुनातीरभूतले
This is the Kośalā, O king, which flows near Indraprastha; there, on the ground by the bank of the Yamunā, the two slept at night.
आत्मनोरुभयोर्मध्ये न्यस्यास्थिपटसंपुटम् । मार्गखेदपरिक्रांतौ दशां सौषुप्तिकीं गतौ
Placing the bundle of bones between themselves, weary from their journey, they fell into deep sleep.
निशीथेऽथ प्रसुप्तेषु सार्थलोकेषु कश्चन । एकः श्वा तत्र संप्राप्तः पक्वान्नादि जिहीर्षया
Then, at midnight, when all the travelers were asleep, a certain dog arrived there, desiring to eat cooked food.
बभ्राम सर्वशिविरे जिघ्रन्पाकस्थलीं मुहुः । भाजनानि लिहन्मूर्ध्नि क्व च दंडाहतिं सहन्
He wandered throughout the entire camp, repeatedly sniffing the cooking pots, licking the vessels, and enduring blows to his head in some places.
केनचित्ताडितो मूर्ध्नि निशब्दं विद्रुतस्ततः । प्रतिचक्रुमशक्तस्तु स्त्रीजितः स्वस्त्रिया यथा
Struck on the head by someone, he silently fled, unable to retaliate, like a man subdued by his own wife.
यत्रावकंडितः स श्वा दंडग्रावेष्टकादिभिः । पुनर्विवेश तत्रैव सान्नपात्रलिलिप्सया
Where the dog had been beaten with sticks, clods, and the like, he again entered there, driven by the desire for food and vessels.
भोगेच्छया यथा वेश्या स्नेहवान्निर्द्धनो जनः । भ्रमन्नेवं स चात्रापि यत्र सुप्तौ हि तावुभौ
Wandering about with the desire for enjoyment, just as a destitute man seeks affection from a courtesan, so too did he roam, until he found the two sleeping.
सारमेयस्तयोर्मध्याज्जह्रे स पटसंपुटम् । नीत्वा स कियतीं भूमिं दंतैस्तत्पटसंपुटम्
The dog took the bundle of cloth from between the two, and, carrying it some distance, held it in his teeth.
विदार्यास्थीनि तत्स्थानि निर्मांसान्यवलोक्य सः । एतस्याः कोशलायास्तु जलमध्ये समाक्षिपत्
Tearing open the bones found within, and seeing them devoid of flesh, he cast them into the water of that river.
क्षिप्तमात्रेषु तेनास्थिष्वेतदंबुनि भूपते । दिव्यं विमानमास्थाय मुकुंदोऽत्र समागतः
As soon as those bones were thrown into the water by him, O King, Mukunda arrived there, riding a divine aerial chariot.
दृष्ट्वा गुर्वनुजौ सुप्तौ शनैः प्राबोधयत्तदा । उवाच च नमस्कृत्य गुंरुं दिव्याकृतिर्नृप
Seeing his teacher and younger brother asleep, he gently awakened them, and, after bowing, addressed his teacher in a divine form.
मुकुंद उवाच। वेदायन गुरो तुभ्यं नम आशीस्तवानुज । प्रासादाद्वां ममास्थीनि तीर्थेऽत्र पतितानि वै
Mukunda said: O Vedayana, revered teacher, salutations to you and blessings to your younger brother. My bones have fallen here from the palace into this holy place.
अयं मृत्युमहं गत्वा निरयं प्राप्य तत्फलम् । एतत्तीर्थप्रसादेन दैवी लब्धा मया गतिः
Having met death, I entered hell and received its results; but by the grace of this holy place, I have now attained a divine state.
त्वां गुरुं तीर्थभूतं तु नमस्कर्तुमिहागतः । अहं गच्छन्विमानेन दिव्येन त्रिदशालयम्
I have come here to bow to you, teacher, who are the embodiment of the holy place. Departing, I will go by this divine chariot to the abode of the gods.
नमस्कृतो भवानेतत्तीर्थ चायं सहोदरः । दृष्टो मामनुजानीहि यामि स्वर्गं सुखोदयम्
Having bowed to you, and to this holy place, and to my brother, whom I have seen, permit me, for I go to heaven, the source of happiness.
नारद उवाच- श्रुत्वैवं वचनं तस्य मुकुंदस्य गुरुस्तदा । वेदायनो विमानस्थं तमूचे गतविस्मयः
Narada said: Hearing these words of Mukunda, the teacher Vedayana, astonished, spoke to him who was seated in the aerial chariot.
देवायन उवाच- मुकुंदाख्याहि मे सत्यं लब्ध्वा यन्मरणं भवान् । कस्मिंल्लोके गतस्तात यतो यात्यधुना दिवम्
Devayana said: Mukunda, tell me truthfully, having attained death, to which world did you go, and from where are you now departing for heaven?
किं वृत्तं तत्र ते तात तस्यलोकस्य कोऽधिपः । कीदृशी च प्रजा कीदृक्धर्मस्तत्राखिलं वद
What happened there, dear one? Who is the ruler of that world? What are its people like, and what is its law? Tell me everything.
मुकुंद उवाच- कथयामि गुरो तुभ्यं यद्वृत्तं मरणादनु । तीर्थस्यास्य प्रसादेन स्मृतिर्मे जायतेऽधुना
Mukunda said: I will tell you, teacher, what happened after my death. By the grace of this holy place, memory has now arisen in me.
यदाहं तेन निहतश्चंडकेन दुरात्मना । नापितेन तदा जग्मुर्यमभृत्याः सुदारुणाः
When I was slain by that wicked barber, the servants of Yama, fierce and terrible, took me away.
पिंगाक्षा रक्तकेशाश्च श्यामदेह नखाधराः । वामना दीर्घचरणा ह्रस्वनासाश्च दंतुराः
With tawny eyes, red hair, dark bodies, and protruding nails, they were short, with long feet, flat noses, and large teeth.
नीयतां नीयतामेष धर्मराजस्य शासनात् । पुरीं संयमनीमेवमूचिरे ते परस्परम्
"Let him be taken, let him be taken by the command of Dharmaraja to the city of Samyamanī!"—thus they spoke to each other.
इत्युक्त्वा यातना देहे मां निवेश्य महारुषा । निबध्य दारुणैः पाशैर्जघ्नुर्लोहस्य मुद्गरैः
Having said this, the tormentors, filled with great anger, bound me with cruel fetters, struck me with iron clubs, and placed me in a body of suffering.
तैरहं नीयमानस्तु मार्गे ह्युत्तप्तवालुके । अरुदं भृशदुःखार्तस्ताडितोऽहं पुनश्च तैः
Dragged by them along a path of burning sand, I cried out in intense pain, struck again and again by them.
प्रोचुश्च ते ध्रुवं कृत्वा निर्भर्त्स्येति च मां बहु । यमदूता ऊचुः । त्वया लुप्तो गुरुर्यस्माद्वदता ब्रह्म निश्चलम्
They rebuked me harshly, saying many things: The messengers of Yama spoke—"Because you have insulted your teacher, speaking unshakable Brahman, you have committed a grave offense."
किं करोषि यमस्याग्रे द्रष्टव्यं दारुणं मुखम् । तस्य पापस्य भोक्तव्यं दारुणस्य फलं त्वया
"What will you do before Yama? You must see his dreadful face. You must endure the terrible fruit of your sin."
तेनैव पाप्मना पापिन्नपमृत्युं गतो भवान् । इत्युक्त्वा मां मुहूर्तेन बहुयोजनसंस्थिताम्
"Because of that very sin, O sinner, you have met with untimely death." Having said this, in a moment they brought me to a place many yojanas away.
पुरीं संयमनीं निन्युर्यत्र राजा स्वयं यमः । प्रणम्य धर्मराजानं स्थापयित्वा तु मां पुरः
They led me to the city of Samyamanī, where King Yama himself resides. Having bowed to Dharmaraja, they placed me before him.
आनीतोऽयं द्विजः पाप इति मां ते न्यवेदयन् । दृष्ट्वा मां धर्मराजोऽथ प्रोवाच स्वसभासदः
"This twice-born is a sinner"—thus they reported me. Seeing me, Dharmaraja then spoke to his assembly.
यम उवाच- भो सभ्या मामकीं वाचं शृण्वंतु सुसमाहिताः । यदाहं ब्रह्मणा ह्यस्मिन्नधिकारे निवेशितः
Yama said: "O assembly, listen attentively to my words. When I was appointed to this office by Brahmā—"