Yama-vilāpana (The Lamentation Concerning Yama)

Verse 1

यम उवाच । घृष्टतां समनुप्राप्तः पन्था देवस्य चक्रिणः । अच्छिद्रैर्गम्यनानैश्च नरैस्त्रिभुवनार्चित ॥ १ ॥

Yama said: “The path to the Wheel-bearing Lord has been made smooth and firmly established; faultless men of worthy conduct traverse it, and it is revered throughout the three worlds.”

Verse 2

अप्रमाणमहं मन्ये लोकं विष्णोर्जगत्पते । यो न पूर्यति लोकौघैः सर्वसत्वसरोरुहैः ॥ २ ॥

I deem the world of Viṣṇu, Lord of the universe, to be beyond all measure—since it is never filled, even by the countless multitudes of worlds, with all beings arising within them like lotuses.

Verse 3

माधवावसथैनैव समस्तेन पितामह । स्वकर्मस्था विकर्मस्थाः शुचयोऽशुचयोऽपि वा ॥ ३ ॥

O Grandfather (Brahmā), by dwelling in Mādhava’s own abode alone, all beings—whether established in rightful duty or engaged in forbidden acts, whether pure or impure—are purified and redeemed.

Verse 4

उपोष्य वासरं विष्णोर्लोकं यांति नृपाज्ञया । सोऽस्माकं हि महान् शत्रुर्भवतां च विशेषतः ॥ ४ ॥

Having fasted for a day, they go to Viṣṇu’s world by the king’s command. Indeed, he is a great enemy of ours—and especially of you.

Verse 5

निग्राह्यो जगतांनाथ भवेन्नास्त्यत्र संशयः । तेन वर्षसहस्रेण शासितं क्षितिमंडलम् ॥ ५ ॥

O Lord of the worlds, he would indeed be fit to be restrained—of this there is no doubt. By him the circle of the earth was governed for a thousand years.

Verse 6

अप्रमेयो जनो नीतो वैष्णवं हरिवल्लभम् । आरोपयित्वा गरुडे कृत्वा रूपं चतुर्भुजम् ॥ ६ ॥

That immeasurable Person led the man to the Vaishnava realm beloved of Hari; seating him upon Garuḍa, He bestowed on him a four-armed form.

Verse 7

पीतवस्त्रसुसंवीतं स्रग्विणं चारुलोपनम् । यदि स्थास्यति देवेश माधव्यां माधवप्रियः ॥ ७ ॥

Clad in splendid yellow garments, adorned with a garland, and anointed with lovely unguents—if Mādhava, Lord of the gods, the Beloved, will remain (here)…

Verse 8

समस्तं नेष्यते लोकं विष्णोः पदमनामयम् । एष दंडः पटो ह्येष तव पद्भ्यां विसर्जितः ॥ ८ ॥

“The entire world will be led to the flawless, disease-free abode of Viṣṇu. This staff—indeed this banner—has been cast forth from your feet.”

Verse 9

लोकपालत्वमतुलं मार्जित तेन भूभुजा । रुक्मांगदेन देवेश धन्या सा स धृतो यया ॥ ९ ॥

O Lord of the gods, by that king Rukmāṅgada an incomparable sovereignty among the world-guardians was attained; blessed indeed was she who upheld and sustained such a man.

Verse 10

सर्वदुःखविनाशाय मात्रृजातो गुणाधिकः । किमपत्येन जातेन मातुः क्लेशकरेण हि ॥ १० ॥

Better is a child born with superior virtues, for the destruction of all suffering; for what use is a son who, though born, only becomes a cause of anguish to his mother?

Verse 11

यो न तापयते शत्रून् ज्येष्ठे मासि यथा रविः । वृथाशूला हि जननी जाता देव कुपुत्रिणी ॥ ११ ॥

O Deva, he who does not scorch his enemies like the sun in the month of Jyeṣṭha—his mother’s labor pains were in vain, for she has borne a worthless son.

Verse 12

यस्य न स्फुरते कीर्तिर्घनस्थेव शतह्रदा । यः पितुर्नोद्धरेत्पक्षं विद्यया वा बलेन वा ॥ १२ ॥

One whose fame does not shine forth—like lightning hidden within a cloud—and who does not raise up his father’s “wing” (his family’s standing) either through learning or through strength, is deemed unaccomplished.

Verse 13

मातुर्जठरजो रोगः स प्रसूतो धरातले । धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च प्रतीपो यो भवेत्सुतः ॥ १३ ॥

A child born on earth like a disease arising from the mother’s womb—one who turns hostile to dharma, artha, and kāma—should be regarded as an inauspicious son.

Verse 14

मातृहा प्रोच्यते सद्भिर्वृथा तस्यैव जीवितम् । एका हि वीरसूरेव विरंचे नात्र संशयः ॥ १४ ॥

The righteous declare him to be a “slayer of his mother”; indeed his very life is lived in vain. For there is only one true heroic mother, O Virāñca—of this there is no doubt.

Verse 15

यया रुक्मांगदो जातो मल्लिपेमर्ज्जनाय वै । नेदं व्यवस्थितं देव क्षितौ केनापि भूभुजा ॥ १५ ॥

By her, Rukmāṅgada was born—indeed, for the cleansing and removal of Mallipe’s impurity. O Deva, this arrangement has not been established on earth by any king whatsoever.

Verse 16

पुराणेऽपि जगन्नाथ न श्रुतं पटमार्जनम् । सोऽहं न जांना मि कदाचिदाश दृष्ट्वा क्षिरीशं हरिसेवने स्थितम् । प्रवादमानं पटहं सुघोरं प्रलोपमानं ममविश्ममार्गम् ॥ १६ ॥

O Jagannātha, even in the Purāṇas I had never heard of this “cleansing of the cloth.” Nor had I ever imagined it—until I saw Kṣirīśa, standing in the service of Hari, beating a terribly loud drum, as though clearing away my difficult path.

Verse 17

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणोत्तरभागे यमविलापनं नाम पंचमोऽध्यायः ॥ ५ ॥

Thus ends the Fifth Chapter, called “Yama-vilāpana (the lamentation concerning Yama),” in the Uttara-bhāga of the Śrī Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa.