संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
अष्टकः उवाच कार्तयुगप्रधान यदा त्वं कामरूपी शतानां अयुतं संवत्सराणां नन्दने अवसः किं कारणं तत्त्वं हित्वा वसुधां अन्वपद्यःaṣṭakaḥ uvāca kārtayugapradhāna yadā tvaṃ kāmarūpī śatānāṃ ayutaṃ saṃvatsarāṇāṃ nandane avasaḥ kiṃ kāraṇaṃ tattvaṃ hitvā vasudhāṃ anvapadyaḥAshtaka said: O foremost among the men of the Krita age, if you, who take any form at will, dwelt a million years in the garden of Nandana, for what reason, having abandoned that essence [of bliss], did you descend again to the earth?
ययातिः उवाच इह यथा ज्ञातिः सुहृत् स्वजनः क्षीणे वित्ते मानवैः त्यज्यते तथा तत्र क्षीणपुण्यं मनुष्यं सेश्वराः देवसंघाः सद्यः त्यजन्तिyayātiḥ uvāca iha yathā jñātiḥ suhṛt svajanaḥ kṣīṇe vitte mānavaiḥ tyajyate tathā tatra kṣīṇapuṇyaṃ manuṣyaṃ seśvarāḥ devasaṃghāḥ sadyaḥ tyajantiYayati said: just as here a kinsman, a friend, and one's own people abandon a man whose wealth has been exhausted, so there [in heaven] the hosts of gods together with their lord at once abandon a man whose merit has been exhausted.
अष्टकः उवाच तस्मिन् कथं क्षीणपुण्याः भवन्ति मे अत्र मनः अतिमात्रं संमुह्यते किंविशिष्टाः कस्य धाम उपयान्ति तत् ब्रूहिaṣṭakaḥ uvāca tasmin kathaṃ kṣīṇapuṇyāḥ bhavanti me atra manaḥ atimātraṃ saṃmuhyate kiṃviśiṣṭāḥ kasya dhāma upayānti tat brūhiAshtaka said: how do they become [men] of exhausted merit in that world? my mind here is exceedingly bewildered; what are they like [and] whose abode do they reach? tell me that.
ययातिः उवाच नरदेव ते सर्वे लालप्यमानाः इमं भौमं नरकं पतन्ति ते कङ्कगोमायुबलाशनार्थं क्षीणाः बहुधा विवृद्धिं व्रजन्तिyayātiḥ uvāca naradeva te sarve lālapyamānāḥ imaṃ bhaumaṃ narakaṃ patanti te kaṅkagomāyubalāśanārthaṃ kṣīṇāḥ bahudhā vivṛddhiṃ vrajantiYayati said: O king, all of them, wailing, fall into this earthly hell; exhausted, [given] as food to vultures and jackals, they rise again in many forms toward [new] birth.
तस्मात् नरेण एतत् दुष्टं लोके गर्हणीयं च कर्म वर्जनीयं पार्थिव ते एतत् सर्वं आख्यातं इदानीं भूयः किं ते वदामिtasmāt nareṇa etat duṣṭaṃ loke garhaṇīyaṃ ca karma varjanīyaṃ pārthiva te etat sarvaṃ ākhyātaṃ idānīṃ bhūyaḥ kiṃ te vadāmitherefore a man must avoid this evil deed, blamed in the world [— pride —]; O king, all this has been told to you; what more shall I tell you?
अष्टकः उवाच यदा तान् वयांसि गृध्राः शितिकण्ठाः पतंगाः वितुदन्ते कथं भवन्ति कथम् आभवन्ति अन्यं भौमं नरकं न शृणोमिaṣṭakaḥ uvāca yadā tān vayāṃsi gṛdhrāḥ śitikaṇṭhāḥ pataṃgāḥ vitudante kathaṃ bhavanti katham ābhavanti anyaṃ bhaumaṃ narakaṃ na śṛṇomiAshtaka said: when birds, vultures, blue-necked [peacocks], and flying [insects] torment those [fallen ones] — how do they exist there, how do they arise again? I have not heard of another earthly hell.
ययातिः उवाच देहात् ऊर्ध्वं कर्मणः जृम्भमाणात् व्यक्तं पृथिव्यां अनुसंचरन्ति ते इमं भौमं नरकं पतन्ति अनेकान् वर्षपूगान् न अवेक्षन्तेyayātiḥ uvāca dehāt ūrdhvaṃ karmaṇaḥ jṛmbhamāṇāt vyaktaṃ pṛthivyāṃ anusaṃcaranti te imaṃ bhaumaṃ narakaṃ patanti anekān varṣapūgān na avekṣanteYayati said: [upon leaving] the body, as the [fruits] of action unfold, they visibly wander the earth [in new bodies]; thus they fall into this earthly hell, unaware of the many [passing] years.
व्योम्नि षष्टिं सहस्राणि तथा अशीतिं परिवत्सराणि पतन्ति प्रपततः तान् प्रपातं भीमाः भौमाः तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राः राक्षसाः तुदन्तिvyomni ṣaṣṭiṃ sahasrāṇi tathā aśītiṃ parivatsarāṇi patanti prapatataḥ tān prapātaṃ bhīmāḥ bhaumāḥ tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭrāḥ rākṣasāḥ tudantiin the sky sixty thousand [years], and [some] eighty years, they fall; as they fall into [this] fall, terrible earthly rakshasas with sharp fangs [of the passions] torment them.
अष्टकः उवाच यत् एनसः ते पततः भीमाः भौमाः तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राः राक्षसाः तुदन्ति कथं भवन्ति कथम् आभवन्ति कथंभूताः गर्भभूताः भवन्तिaṣṭakaḥ uvāca yat enasaḥ te patataḥ bhīmāḥ bhaumāḥ tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭrāḥ rākṣasāḥ tudanti kathaṃ bhavanti katham ābhavanti kathaṃbhūtāḥ garbhabhūtāḥ bhavantiAshtaka said: [those] who, [full] of sin, fall, and whom terrible earthly, sharp-fanged rakshasas torment — how do they exist there, how do they arise again, [and] in what way do they become an embryo?
ययातिः उवाच पुरुषेण सृष्टं अस्रं रेतः पुष्पफलानुपृक्तं अन्वेति तत् सः तस्याः रजः आपद्यते सः तत्र गर्भभूतः समुपैतिyayātiḥ uvāca puruṣeṇa sṛṣṭaṃ asraṃ retaḥ puṣpaphalānupṛktaṃ anveti tat saḥ tasyāḥ rajaḥ āpadyate saḥ tatra garbhabhūtaḥ samupaitiYayati said: seed emitted by a man, joined [as it were] with the [essence] of flowers and fruits [he has eaten], follows [its own course]; it unites with her (the woman's) blood [— the germ cell]; thus it becomes there an embryo.
वनस्पतीन् औषधीः च अपः वायुं पृथिवीं अन्तरिक्षं चतुष्पदं द्विपदं च सर्वं आविशन्ति एवंभूताः गर्भभूताः भवन्तिvanaspatīn auṣadhīḥ ca apaḥ vāyuṃ pṛthivīṃ antarikṣaṃ catuṣpadaṃ dvipadaṃ ca sarvaṃ āviśanti evaṃbhūtāḥ garbhabhūtāḥ bhavanti[souls] enter trees and herbs, waters, wind, earth and the sky, four-footed and two-footed creatures, and [into] all [that exists]; thus they become an embryo [in various wombs].
अष्टकaṣṭakaoriginal form "aṣṭaka", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यदावसोyadāvasooriginal form "yadāvaso", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
संवत्सराणाम्saṃvatsarāṇāmoriginal form "saṃvatsarāṇām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
शतानाम्śatānāmoriginal form "śatānām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वसुधाम्vasudhāmoriginal form "vasudhām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ययातिर्yayātiroriginal form "yayātir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
स्वजनोsvajanooriginal form "svajano", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
योyooriginal form "yo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यथेहyathehaoriginal form "yatheha", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मानवैर्mānavairoriginal form "mānavair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
हिhioriginal form "hi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सेश्वराseśvarāoriginal form "seśvarā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अष्टकaṣṭakaoriginal form "aṣṭaka", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
क्षीणपुण्याkṣīṇapuṇyāoriginal form "kṣīṇapuṇyā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽत्र'traoriginal form "'tra", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मनोmanooriginal form "mano", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽतिमात्रम्'timātramoriginal form "'timātram", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
धामोपयान्तिdhāmopayāntioriginal form "dhāmopayānti", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तद्tadoriginal form "tad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वैvaioriginal form "vai", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
क्षेत्रवित्kṣetravitoriginal form "kṣetravit", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मतोmatooriginal form "mato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मेmeoriginal form "me", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ययातिर्yayātiroriginal form "yayātir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
लालप्यमानाlālapyamānāoriginal form "lālapyamānā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
क्षीणाkṣīṇāoriginal form "kṣīṇā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तस्माद्tasmādoriginal form "tasmād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एतद्etadoriginal form "etad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्वम्sarvamoriginal form "sarvam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एतद्etadoriginal form "etad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भूयश्bhūyaśoriginal form "bhūyaś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चेदानींcedānīṃoriginal form "cedānīṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वदvadaoriginal form "vada", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अष्टकaṣṭakaoriginal form "aṣṭaka", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तुtuoriginal form "tu", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भौमम्bhaumamoriginal form "bhaumam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ययातिर्yayātiroriginal form "yayātir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कर्मणोkarmaṇooriginal form "karmaṇo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
जृम्भमाणाद्jṛmbhamāṇādoriginal form "jṛmbhamāṇād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पृथिव्याम्pṛthivyāmoriginal form "pṛthivyām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नावेक्षन्तेnāvekṣanteoriginal form "nāvekṣante", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तथाtathāoriginal form "tathā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वैvaioriginal form "vai", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भीमाbhīmāoriginal form "bhīmā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भौमाbhaumāoriginal form "bhaumā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
राक्षसास्rākṣasāsoriginal form "rākṣasās", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अष्टकaṣṭakaoriginal form "aṣṭaka", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यद्yadoriginal form "yad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एनसस्enasasoriginal form "enasas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पततस्patatasoriginal form "patatas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भीमाbhīmāoriginal form "bhīmā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भौमाbhaumāoriginal form "bhaumā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
राक्षसास्rākṣasāsoriginal form "rākṣasās", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कथंभूताkathaṃbhūtāoriginal form "kathaṃbhūtā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
गर्भभूताgarbhabhūtāoriginal form "garbhabhūtā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ययातिर्yayātiroriginal form "yayātir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पुष्पफलानुपृक्तम्puṣpaphalānupṛktamoriginal form "puṣpaphalānupṛktam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तद्tadoriginal form "tad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वैvaioriginal form "vai", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सृष्टम्sṛṣṭamoriginal form "sṛṣṭam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वैvaioriginal form "vai", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तस्याtasyāoriginal form "tasyā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
रजrajaoriginal form "raja", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वैvaioriginal form "vai", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वनस्पतींश्vanaspatīṃśoriginal form "vanaspatīṃś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चौषधीश्cauṣadhīśoriginal form "cauṣadhīś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चाविशन्तिcāviśantioriginal form "cāviśanti", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अपोapooriginal form "apo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चान्तरिक्षम्cāntarikṣamoriginal form "cāntarikṣam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चापिcāpioriginal form "cāpi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्वम्sarvamoriginal form "sarvam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एवंभूताevaṃbhūtāoriginal form "evaṃbhūtā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
गर्भभूताgarbhabhūtāoriginal form "garbhabhūtā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Here Yayati sets forth the teaching on rebirth (samsara) and on falling from heaven. The comparison is telling: just as friends abandon a man grown poor, so 'the gods at once abandon a man whose merit is exhausted' from heaven. Here is a stern truth about paradise: heavenly bliss is purchased by merit (punya) and lasts only until that merit is spent; what follows is an inevitable fall back into the cycle of birth. Heaven is not release from samsara but its highest rung; therefore the wise seek not heaven but moksha, liberation. Telling too is the teaching on rebirth: the soul, upon leaving the body, enters a new womb according to the fruits of its deeds (karma) — human, animal, even vegetable; and so the cycle does not cease until karma is exhausted and liberation attained. Here lies the ground of hope: only devotion to God (bhakti) leads out of samsara, whereas pious works alone (which gave Yayati his heaven) yield only a temporary fruit. Yayati's lesson is the fruit of his own bitter experience: having tasted heaven and fallen, he knows the vanity of heavenly joys and teaches that pride, which casts one down into the 'earthly hell' of rebirths, must be avoided.