
Punaḥ Saṃsāracakrayātanā-svarūpa-varṇanam (Asipatravana-yātanā-prasaṅgaḥ)
Ethical-Discourse (Karmic retribution and social conduct)
Yah adhyaya batata hai ki buri karam ke baad kaise badi takleef milti hai. Yama ke log logon ko pakad ke kante aur aag wale patthar par le jate hain. Jo kisi aur ki aurat ke paas jata hai uske peeche aag jaisi aurat bhaagti hai. Woh kehti hai tune guru ki aurat, rishtedar ki aurat aur pandit ki aurat ko galat nazar se dekha. Asipatravana mein ped ke patte talwar jaise hain jo logon ko kaat dete hain. Wahan khoon bhara paani hai aur janwar logon ko khate hain. Itna dard jhelne ke baad bhi woh log gareeb ghar mein paida hote hain. Isliye dharam ke hisaab se rehna chahiye aur dusron ko takleef nahi deni chahiye.
Verse 1
पुनः संसारचक्रयातनास्वरूपवर्णनम् ॥ ऋषिपुत्र उवाच ॥ तस्मिन् क्षितितलं सर्वमायसैः कण्टकैश्चितम् ॥ प्रभवन्ति पुनः केचिद्विषमं तमसाश्रितम्
Ab phir se samsaar ke chakkar ki baat aati hai. Rishiputra ne kaha, us jagah ki zameen poori ka poori lohe ke kaante se bhari hai. Andhera chaaya hai. Kuch log wahan aate hain, bada mushkil time hota hai unpe.
Verse 2
अथान्ये छिन्नपादास्तु छिन्नपाणिशिरोधराः ॥ पापाचारास्तथा देशादुपसर्पत मा चिरम्
Phir kuch log aise hain jinke pair kaate gaye hain. Haath bhi kaate gaye hain, gardan bhi. Yeh sab bura kaam karne wale hain. Unhe wahan bheja jaata hai, jaldi jao, time mat lagao.
Verse 3
ये तु धर्मरताः दाता वपुष्मन्तो यथा गृहे ॥ परिपान्ति क्षितिं सर्वे पात्यन्ते पापकाःरिणः
Jo log dharam mein lage rehte hain aur jo dete hain, woh apne ghar jaisa khush rehte hain. Yeh log dharti ki raksha karte hain. Lekin jo bura karte hain, woh gir jaate hain.
Verse 4
याचमानाः स्थिताः नित्यं सुशीतैस्तोयभोजनैः ॥ स्त्रियः श्रीरूपसंकाशाः सुकुमाराः सुभोजनाः
Wahan auratein hain jo maangti rehti hain. Unko thanda paani aur khana milta hai. Woh Lakshmi jaisi sundar hain, komal aur accha khana khane wali.
Verse 5
कृत्वा पूजां परां तत्र प्रतीक्षन्ते परं जनम् ॥ अग्नितप्ते सुघोरे च निक्षिप्यन्ते शिलातले
Wahan puja karke woh doosre insaan ka wait karti hain. Aag se tapta hua ek darawana jagah hai. Wahan patthar par unko gira diya jaata hai.
Verse 6
आलोके च प्रदर्श्यन्ते वृक्षाश्च भुवनानि च ॥ आयान्ति दह्यमानेषु पृष्ठपादोदरेषु च
Roshni mein ped aur duniya dikhayi deti hai. Log aate hain jab unki peeth, paer aur pet jal raha hota hai.
Verse 7
तत्र गत्वा तु ते दूताः प्रविशन्ति सुदारुणाः ॥ क्लिश्यन्ति बहवस्तत्र त्रातारं नाप्नुवन्ति ते
Wahan jaake woh darawane doot andar jaate hain. Wahan bahut log takleef uthate hain. Koi unko bachane wala nahi milta.
Verse 8
अथान्ये तु श्वभिर्घोरैरापादतलमस्तकम् ॥ भक्ष्यमाणा रुदन्तश्च क्रोशन्तश्च पुनःपुनः
Aur do logon ko bhayanak kutte kaat rahe hain. Paon se lekar sar tak poora sharir kha rahe hain. Woh log rote hain aur baar-baar chillate hain.
Verse 9
अथान्ये तु महारूपा महादंष्ट्रा भयानकाः ॥ सूचীমुखं कृताः पापाः क्षुधितास्तृषितास्तथा
Aur kuch log bade-bade dant wale bhayanak roop mein badal gaye hain. Unka chehra sui jaisa ho gaya hai. Yeh paapi log bhookhe aur pyaase hain.
Verse 10
अयःशरमयी नारी वह्नितप्ता सुदारुणा ॥ आलिङ्गति नरं तत्र धावन्तं चानुधावति
Wahan ek aurat hai jo lohe ke teeron se bani hai. Aag se tapakar bahut daravni ho gayi hai. Woh aadmi ko pakadti hai. Woh bhaagta hai to woh uske peeche bhaagti hai.
Verse 11
धावन्तं चानुधावन्ती त्विदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ अहं ते भगिनी पाप ह्यहं भार्या सुतस्य ते
Jab woh aadmi bhaag raha tha, woh uske peeche bhaagti hui boli. Boli, paapi, main teri behan hoon. Main teri bahu bhi hoon.
Verse 12
मातृष्वसा ते दुर्बुद्धे मातुलानी पितृष्वसा ॥ गुरुभार्या मित्रभार्या भ्रातृभार्या नृपस्य च
Buri soch wale, main teri mausi hoon. Main teri mama ki biwi hoon. Main teri bua hoon. Main teri guru ki biwi hoon. Main teri dost ki biwi hoon. Main teri bhabhi hoon. Aur main raja ki biwi bhi hoon.
Verse 13
श्रोत्रियाणां द्विजातीनां जाया वै धर्षितास्त्वया॥ मोक्ष्यसे न हि पापात्त्वं रसातलगतो यथा॥
Tumne padhe-likhe logon ki auraton ko haath lagaya. Ab tum is paap se nahi bachoge. Jaise koi neeche gir jaaye, waise hi tum phans gaye ho.
Verse 14
किं प्रधावसि निर्लज्ज व्यसनैश्चोपपादितः॥ हनिष्येऽहं ध्रुवं पाप यथा कर्म त्वया कृतम्॥
Besharam, bhaag kyun raha hai? Tumhare bure kaam tumhe hi phansa rahe hain. Main tumhe zaroor marunga, jo tumne kiya hai uska hisaab dunga.
Verse 15
एवं वै बोधयन्तीह श्रावयन्ति पुनःपुनः॥ अभिद्रवन्ति तं पापं घोररूपा भयानकाः॥
Woh use samjha rahe hain, baar-baar suna rahe hain ki tune kya kiya. Phir daravne roop wale log us paapi pe toot pade hain.
Verse 16
ज्ञानिनां च सहस्रेषु जातं जातं तथा स्त्रियः॥ अनुपीड्य दुरात्मानं धर्षयन्ति सुदारुणम्॥
Hazaaron gyani logon mein baar-baar auratein paida hoti hain. Woh bure aadmi ko bahut satati hain aur use bahut bura haal karti hain.
Verse 17
वृषलीर्बहुलैर्दुःखैः किं क्रन्दसि पुनः पुनः॥ किं क्रन्दसि सुदुर्बुद्धे परिष्वक्तः स्वयं मया॥
Abe badchalan, itne dard mein hai to kyun chillati hai baar-baar? Bewakoof, maine tumhe pakad liya hai, ab kyun rona shuru kiya?
Verse 18
दशधा त्वं मया पाप नीयमानः पुनःपुनः॥ अञ्जलिं वापि कुर्वाणो याचमानो न लज्जसे॥
Hey paapi, main tumhe das tarah se phir se phir se pakad ke le ja raha hoon. Haath jod ke bhi maang raha ho, phir bhi sharam nahi aati.
Verse 19
तत्र तत्रैव पाप त्वां न त्यक्ष्ये पारदारिकम्॥ लोहयष्टिप्रहारैश्च ताडयन्ति पुनःपुनः॥
Hey paapi, wahan bhi main tumhe chhodne wala nahi hoon, tum dusre ki aurat ke peeche bhaagne wale. Woh log tumhe lohe ki laathi se phir se phir se maarte hain.
Verse 20
गोपालाः इव दण्डेन कालयन्तो मुहुर्मुहुः॥ व्याघ्रसिंहशृगालैश्च तथा गर्दभराक्षसैः॥
Jaise gwale bail ko laathi se hankte hain, waise hi use phir se phir se bhagate rehte hain. Sher, singh aur lomdi use pakadte hain. Gadhe jaise rakshas bhi uspe toot padte hain.
Verse 21
भक्ष्यन्ते श्वापदैरन्यैः श्वभिः काकैस्तथापरे॥ असिं तालवनं तत्र धूमज्वालासमाकुलम्॥
Aur jaanwar use kha jaate hain, kutte aur kauwe bhi. Wahan ek jagah hai jahan tal ke ped hain, lekin woh talwarein hain. Dhuan aur aag se bhara hua hai.
Verse 22
दावाग्निसदृशाकारं प्रदीप्तं सर्वतोऽर्चिषा॥ तत्र क्षिप्त्वा ततः पापं यमदूतैः सुदारुणैः॥
Jaise jungle mein aag lagti hai, waisa hi dikhta hai, charo taraf se aag ki lapaten hain. Yam ke log bahut kathin hain, woh us paapi ko wahan phenk dete hain.
Verse 23
तत्र छिन्नाश्च दग्धाश्च हन्यमानाश्च सर्वशः ॥ विधृष्टा विकृताश्चैव दह्यमाना नदन्ति ते ॥
Wahan logon ko kaata jaata hai, jalaaya jaata hai. Har taraf maara jaata hai. Log gaaliyan sunte hain, unka chehra bigad jaata hai. Jalti aag mein woh chillate hain.
Verse 24
असितालवनद्वारि ये तिष्ठन्ति महारथाः ॥ पापकर्मसमायुक्तास्तर्जयन्ति सुदारुणाः ॥
Asitalavan ke darwaze par bade-bade yoddhe khade hain. Yeh log buri harkatein karte hain. Woh aane wale logon ko dhamkate hain, bahut bura-bura bolte hain.
Verse 25
भो भो पापसमाचाराः धर्मसेतुविनाशकाः ॥ अतो निमित्तं पापिष्ठा यातनाभिः सहस्रशः ॥
Woh kehte hain, arey arey, tum log buri baatein karte ho. Tum dharam ka rasta tod dete ho. Isliye tum bahut bade paapi ho. Tumhe hazaron tarah ki sazaa milegi.
Verse 26
दह्यमानान् सुतप्तांश्च संश्रयन्ते द्रुमान् पुनः ॥ असिपत्रैस्ततो वृक्षाच्छिन्दन्ति बहुशो नरान् ॥
Jalte hue log ped ki chhaon mein jaate hain. Par woh ped bhi unhe nahi bachate. Ped ki pattein talwar ki tarah hoti hain. Woh logon ko kaat deti hain, baar-baar kaat deti hain.
Verse 27
अनुभूयेह तत्सर्वं मानुष्यं यदि यास्यथ ॥ कुलेषु सुदरिद्राणां गर्भवासेन पीडिताः ॥
Jab yeh sazaa khatam hogi, agar tum insaan ban kar paida hoge. Tum bahut gareeb ghar mein paida hoge. Maa ke pet mein reh kar bahut takleef hogi.
Verse 28
पक्षिणश्चायसैस्तुण्डैर्व्याघ्राश्चैव सुदारुणाः ॥ तत्र घोरा बहुविधाः क्रव्यादाः श्वादयस्तथा ॥
Wahan chidiyan hain jinke chonch lohe ki bani hui hai. Bahut khatarnak baagh bhi hain. Aur wahan aur bhi bahut tareeke ke daravne jaanwar hain jo maas khate hain, jaise kutte.
Verse 29
खादन्ति रुषितास्तत्र बहवो हिंसका नरान् ॥ ऋक्षद्वीपिसमाकीर्णे बहुकीटपिपीलिके ॥
Wahan bahut saare hinsak log hain jo gusse mein aadmiyon ko maarke khate hain. Wahan reechh aur cheetde bhare hain. Aur bahut saare keede makode bhi hain.
Verse 30
असितालवने विप्रा बहुदुःखसमाकुले ॥ तत्र क्षिप्ता मया दृष्टा यमदूतैर्महाबलैः ॥
Brahman logon, maine Asitala van dekha. Wahan bahut takleef hai. Maine dekha ki Yam ke bade taqatwar sevak logon ne wahan logon ko phek diya hai.
Verse 31
असिपत्रे सुभग्नाङ्गाः शूललग्नास्तथाऽपरे ॥ तथाऽपरो महादेशो नानारूपो भयानकः ॥
Asipatra mein kuch logon ki haath paon toote hue hain. Kuch log bhaalon pe latke hue hain. Aur ek aur bada ilaka hai jo bahut daravna hai aur alag alag roop wala.
Verse 32
पुष्करिण्यश्च वाप्यश्च ह्रदा नद्यस्तथैव च ॥ तडागानि च कूपाश्च रुधिरस्य सहस्रशः ॥
Wahan kamal wale taalab hain aur paani bhare taalab hain. Jheelen hain aur nadiyan bhi. Taalab hain aur kuen bhi. Sab mein khoon bhara hai, hazaron ki tadaad mein.
Verse 33
पूतिमांसकृमीणां च अमेध्यस्य तथैव च॥ अन्यानि च मया तत्र दृष्टानि मुनिसत्तमाः॥
Wahan maine sade hue maans mein keede dekhe. Aur gandagi bhi wahi thi. Aur aise hi aur bhi cheezein wahan dikhi, rishiyon mein bade ko bata raha hoon.
Verse 34
तत्र क्लिश्यन्ति ते पापास्तस्मिन्मध्ये सहस्रशः॥ जिघ्रन्तश्च तथा गन्धं मज्जन्तश्च सहस्रशः॥
Wahan paapi log hazaron ki tadaad mein takleef uthate hain. Woh us gandagi ke beech mein hain. Woh badbu sungh rahe hain aur doob rahe hain, hazaron ki tadaad mein.
Verse 35
अस्थिपाषाणवर्षाणि रुधिरस्य बलाहकाः॥ अश्मवर्षाणि ते घोराः पातयन्ति सहस्रशः॥
Khoon ke baadal hain wahan. Woh haddi aur patthar barsa rahe hain. Darawane log patthar hazaron ki tadaad mein gira rahe hain.
Verse 36
धावतां प्लवतां चैव हा हतोऽस्मीति भाषिणाम्॥ प्राहतानां पुनः शब्दो वध्यतां च सुदारुणः॥
Log bhaag rahe hain, tairne ki koshish kar rahe hain. Woh chillate hain, are main mar gaya. Phir se maare jaane ki awaaz aati hai. Aur phansi dene ki awaaz bhi, bahut darawani.
Verse 37
क्वचित्स्थूलैस्तथा बद्धः उद्बद्धश्च क्वचित्तथा॥ हाहाभयानकोन्मिश्रः शब्दोऽश्रूयत दारुणः॥
Kahin log moti rassi se bandhe hain. Kahin se khul gaye. Darawani awaaz sunai di, ha-ha ki chillahat aur darr ki awaaz mil ke aa rahi thi.
Verse 38
अपश्यं पुनरन्यत्र यत्स्मृत्वा चोद्विजेन्नरः॥
Maine ek aur jagah dekha. Aisa cheez hai ki bas yaad karne se insaan ka dil darr se tharthara jaata hai.
Verse 39
अन्नानि दीयमानानि भक्ष्याणि विविधानि च॥ भोज्यानि लेह्यचोष्याणि यैर्निषिद्धं दुरात्मभिः॥
Log khaana baant rahe the. Har tarah ka khaana tha, jo chaba ke khao, jo chaato, jo muh mein rakh ke chuso. Bure logon ne woh khaana use kiya jo mana tha.
Verse 40
न मोक्ष्यसे मया पाप कुतो गच्छसि मूढ वै॥ यत्र यत्र प्रयासि त्वमिति गत्वा यमालये॥
Main tumhe nahi chhodunga, paapi. Pagal, tu kahan jayega? Tu jahan bhi jaane ki koshish karega... Yeh sab Yamraj ke ghar pe hua.
Verse 41
भोगैश्च पीडिता नित्यं उत्पत्स्यथ सुदुर्गताः॥ अग्निज्वालानिभास्तत्र अग्निस्पर्शा महारवाः॥
Roz roz takleef hoga, tum uchal padoge, bahut buri haalat mein. Wahan aag ki lapaten jaisi cheezein hain. Aag lagne se chillane ki awaazein aati hain.
Verse 42
क्रन्दतां करुणोन्मिश्रं दिशोऽपूऱ्यन्त सर्वशः॥ क्वचिद्बद्धः क्वचिद्रुद्धः क्वचिद्विद्धः सुदारुणैः॥
Har taraf rone-chillane ki awaazein thi. Koi ro raha tha, koi dard mein chillaa raha tha. Kisi ko baandha hua tha, kisi ko rok ke rakha tha, kisi ko chubhaya ja raha tha, bahut darravne tareeke se.
Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī instructional frame (with Ṛṣiputra as narrative voice), the chapter opens as a moral-legal exposition on how pāpa (harmful conduct) ripens into post-mortem yātanās under Yama’s jurisdiction, presenting punishment as a mechanism that preserves dharma as a social ‘setu’ (support/bridge).
A didactic catalogue of infernal/penal topographies and procedures: beings are driven by yamadūtas across iron-thorn terrain, darkness, and fire-heated surfaces; the text then foregrounds parastrī-gamana (illicit/violent relations with others’ spouses) through an exemplum where a fire-heated iron female form pursues the offender, explicitly naming violated relational boundaries (guru’s wife, relatives’ wives, friend’s wife, brother’s wife, learned brāhmaṇas’ wives, and the king’s wife).
The imagery culminates in Asipatravana/Asitālavana: sword-leaf trees, blood-filled waters (ponds, wells, rivers), carrion-eaters, and repeated mutilation—an escalating spectacle of karmic retribution that resolves the argument by making the ‘invisible’ moral law visible as embodied consequence.
After enduring these yātanās, offenders are reborn into daridra-kula (poverty/affliction), functioning as an implicit phala-warning: social transgression fractures dharma and returns as suffering across deaths rather than yielding any auspicious merit.
No explicit historical pilgrimage-sites are named. The chapter’s spatial frame is infernal/penal topography: Asipatravana/Asitālavana (sword-leaf forest), Yamālaya (Yama’s abode), blood-filled ponds (puṣkariṇī, vāpī, hrada, nadī, taḍāga, kūpa described as rudhira-filled), and thorny iron ground (āyasa-kaṇṭaka).
The text instructs that violations of dharma—especially harms that destabilize social trust (e.g., illicit/violent relations with others’ spouses and broader pāpa-karmas)—produce specific karmic consequences depicted as yātanās administered by Yama’s agents. The chapter uses vivid penal geography to argue that ethical restraint preserves societal order (dharma-setu) and, by extension, the stability of Pṛthivī’s world.
No tithi, lunar month, vrata timing, or seasonal marker is specified in the provided verses. The chapter is descriptive and punitive rather than calendrical or ritual-prescriptive.
While not an ecological manual, the chapter frames dharma as a ‘setu’ (support/bridge) whose destruction leads to disorder and suffering. Read through the Varāha–Pṛthivī macro-frame, the punishments function as a governance-of-conduct model: regulating harmful behaviors is presented as necessary for maintaining the integrity of the human world situated on Pṛthivī, thereby indirectly supporting terrestrial balance through social-ethical regulation.
No royal dynasties or named historical lineages appear in the excerpt. Cultural-legal categories are invoked instead: śrotriya/brāhmaṇa households, guru’s wife (guru-bhāryā), relatives’ wives (mātṛṣvasā, pitṛṣvasā, mātulānī), friend’s wife (mitra-bhāryā), brother’s wife (bhrātṛ-bhāryā), and the king’s wife (nṛpasya … bhāryā), along with Yama and yamadūtas as the punitive authority.
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